From the streets to The Beach: Visiting L.A. troupe shakes up �� dance class

Published March 13, 2026

By Richard Chang Boundless Opportunity

As hip-hop music throbbed throughout the campus Dance Center on Thursday, �� dance students twisted their hips, popped and locked their arms and undulated their bodies to the beat alongside five members of the dance troupe Versa-Style Street Dance Company from Los Angeles.

It was part of an workshop organized by the , which also coordinated workshops in four Long Beach elementary schools with the company earlier this week.

A Versa-Style instructor, left, gives instruction to a �� dance student

The in-studio program was a rare opportunity for students to learn step-by-step and face-to-face with experienced professionals. Versa-Style will Friday night.

“I like how we each got time with each instructor, and we learned how to variate movement — we learned different ways to move,” said Sonria Simanski, a first-year dance major. “I didn’t really grow up with street dancing, but now that I’m taking it here, I’m starting to like it a lot.”

The troupe taught several street dancing moves to about 41 Beach students. In a Q&A session afterwards, Versa-Style shared a slice of the history and culture of street dance.

A �� dance student learns moves from a Versa-Style instructor

�� dance students learn moves from Versa-Style instructors

“They’re actually continuing what me and the other street dance instructors are teaching over here,” said Ricky Medina, the instructor for Dance 109, one of two classes involved in the workshop. “For them to be coming in and continuing that education that we’re already building here, it’s really exciting. Versa-Style is the cornerstone of L.A. street dance right now.”

Members of Versa-Style Street Dance Company take questions and answers from students

Invest in the Arts

�䳧��’s dance department is committed to creating an inclusive, student-centered community that combines intellectually rigorous coursework with dance training and physical preparation. To give to the dance program at The Beach, visit the department’s .

The Carpenter Center’s program provides opportunities for local elementary students, community members and �� students to engage in enriching arts experiences. To learn more or donate to Arts for Life, visit the .

See Beach Dancers in Action

Cal State Long Beach’s dance program will host its annual Contemporary Dance Concert, featuring new works choreographed by undergraduate dance majors. Performances will be at 8 p.m. April 23-25, with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. April 25, at the Martha B. Knoebel Dance Theater. Tickets are $30 for general admission and $20 for seniors, students, faculty and staff.

For tickets and more information, visit the dance concert website.