Morgan Motley (she/her)
Hip Hop
Morgan Motley began her passion for dance at age 14 when she moved to her family’s home city of Richmond. She joined the Mills E Godwin High School’s Hip Hop club and soon became the president, staying in office for two years. Morgan danced in her high school musical “West Side Story” beautifully coordinating her dance steps with live music. From ages 14-16, Morgan started her dance training at the Arts Motion Dance Academy (AIM) in various dance styles with a focus on Hip Hop. Morgan was fascinated that Hip Hop had been developed from the American and Latino cultures and from rock, tap and jazz. She has trained in multiple Hip Hop styles such as breakdancing, house dance, waacking, and popping.
After her high school graduation, Morgan became a member and the historian for the Hip Hop crew Blank Canvas. Excited about her future in this genre, Morgan joined crews such as Sweet Dolla Tea, Project Denny, and Blank Canvas Alumni.
Morgan said, “I believe that dance requires a lot of freedom and self expression and would like to offer my students the chance to explore the methods in which they perform move the best. She explains, “Hip Hop is not just an energetic style of dance but a lifestyle that includes its own language of music and fashion. It allows dancers the opportunity of freedom of movement while demonstrating their own individual personalities.” Morgan has presented choreographic works in the local Hip Hop showcase: Prelude, in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area, Coalescence, and Momentum.
As a former student at AIM, Morgan understands the mindset of a student and now that she is teaching at AIM, she has a greater appreciation for the directors and other expert instructors in their chosen field of dance from which Hip Hop originated. Morgan enjoys teaching her students freedom of movement while they learn how to allow their individual personalities to shine on the dance floor. Morgan is a life-long learner and continues her training at Hip Hop workshops and conventions in the region as often as she possibly can.
