I recently had the opportunity to dance at the Garage Warming community event, organised by Josh, AKA @buffalowingz_. This was my very first time being part of a community dance event on the north side of Brisbane, and the coolest part was that it was so close to home.

When I arrived, I saw a mix of familiar faces and people I had never met before. Even though we were all different, we connected through dance, and that felt really awesome. At first, I won’t lie—I felt a little uncomfortable. I mean, I had never taken a dance class inside someone else’s garage before! But after a while, once the music started and everyone was vibing, I relaxed and felt comfortable just being myself and dancing.

I took two classes in the morning before lunch. The first one was Clearance’s Popping Foundations class, and the second was Ah Shang’s Locking class. I really enjoyed both classes a lot. It was actually my first time ever taking a locking class with Ah Shang, and it was such a great experience. I learned new movements, felt the groove, and had so much fun trying something a bit different.

After the classes, we all had lunch together, which made the day feel even more like a community. There was a sausage sizzle, fruit, and heaps of drinks. Everyone was chatting, laughing, and sharing stories—it was really nice to hang out with other dancers off the dance floor too.

There were two more classes after lunch: a hip hop foundations class and a choreography class. Sadly, I had to leave, so I missed both of them. I was pretty bummed about that, but it just gives me more motivation to stay the whole day next time.

The experience was amazing—fun, welcoming, and inspiring. I learned a lot, met new people, and stepped out of my comfort zone. I would 100% do it again, and next time, I’ll definitely try to stay for the entire day. This is why I love hip hop dance—it’s not just about moves, it’s about community. 💙🔥