Shaype
Full body tutting and bonebreaking specialist
Hello! My name is Shalynn, but most people know me as my dance name, Shaype. I'm a choreographer and teacher, with 8 years of experience in tutting, bonebreaking, animation, and modern dance. I'm known for my original choreography in full body tutting as well as combining modern dance with bonebreaking. I love teaching, when I see someone grasp the style of tutting through the knowledge i've learned thus far and the foundations I've created is truly magical. My private lessons always tailored to meet you where you are and go in the direction of what you want to achieve. Join me in one of my online courses or book a private lesson with me!
Contact Shaype
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About Shaype
Hello! My name is Shalynn, but most people know me as my dance name, Shaype. I'm a choreographer and teacher with 8 years of experience in tutting, bonebreaking, animation, and modern dance. My dance background is quite unique compared to the typical dancer. I was first introduced to dance through gloving, a flow art style that involves your hands that originated in the rave scene. Gloving gave me a nice release of energy and something to focus on while doing something else. As someone diagnosed with ADD/ADHD at a young age, being able to move has helped me tremendously with the world around me, almost like dance was designed for someone like me. After discovering other finger styles, I attended my first dance battle and knew then that I was meant to dance. This encouraged me to drop out of college and pursue dance full-time. Now, after 8 years of hard work and dedication, I am proud to say that I am one of the best in the world at tutting and bonebreaking and have become known for my original choreography in full body tutting and combining modern dance with bonebreaking. Throughout my journey, I have created multiple foundations for the style of tutting, full body tutting, and bonebreaking, and I am continuously innovating them. I consider myself an architect of tutting, as I truly relish the process of discovering new movements and exploring fresh ways to execute them. Choreographing is my ultimate creative outlet that allows me to bring my fascination with symmetry and body geometry to life. It's like a playground where I can piece everything together in a way that creates a visually satisfying experience for the audience when things are placed in a way that the mind naturally feels is "supposed" to be. The limit doesn't exist when it comes to the patterns and paths you can create with tutting, and that's why I love it so much. As well as choreographing tutting, the combination of modern and bonebreaking fuels another level of creativity in me. It feels like I'm simply combining something that should have already been done beforehand, as fits so perfectly together. It's an honor to be the one exploring and creating this unique blend. I am one of the world's leading teachers in the style of tutting and bonebreaking and am happy to say I that truly love teaching, when I see someone grasp the style of tutting through the knowledge i've learned thus far and the foundations I've created is truly magical. Through my creative exploration, I have been able to turn my passion into a career. I've had the privilege of working on a variety of exciting projects, including music videos, commercials, live performances, and advertisements. If you are interested in learning more about my work or would like to inquire about any type of promotional or commercial work, please feel free to contact me below for my resume and additional information.
Dance Training and Styles
Tutting
I've been tutting for 8 years and am completely self-taught in this niche style. When I first started, classes were not readily available, so I had to put in all the work and exploration on my own. This inspired me to create Tutting Institution providing an accessible platform for those who want to learn tutting. I've established several foundations for this style, especially in full body tutting, where I've developed original grids and incorporated leg movements into tutting. As someone recognized as one of the best in the world, I have had the opportunity to judge multiple dance events for tutting, both in person and online. My expertise in tutting has allowed me to be a part of and choreograph various commercials, music videos, live performances, and advertisements.
Finger tutting
I am a skilled finger stylist with expertise in various styles that I can teach and execute, including gloving, monsters, liquid/digitz, and finger tutting. I started Gloving in 2014 and was introduced to other finger styles in 2015. Over the past 8 years, I have continuously explored and innovated these styles, especially in finger tutting and tech, a subcategory of gloving which I have created multiple building block foundations for these styles that many people utilize today. Despite being a female in this male-dominated field, I am recognized as one of the best in the world and have had the opportunity to judge online and in-person events for finger tutting, as well as be apart of and choreograph commercials, music videos, and advertisements showcasing my skills.
Bonebreaking
I've been practicing bonebreaking for 8 years. In 2015, I attended my first dance event where I took two bonebreaking workshops. I was immediately drawn to it, but resources on it were scarce. So, I relied mainly on friends in the style who were willing to share their knowledge of how to stretch. With hard work, and dedication I taught myself every bonebreak and even came up with new ways to execute them using leg flexibility. I also created new stretches and resistance exercises to build the strength and flexibility needed to perform them. In the world of bonebreaking, I am known not only for combining bonebreaking with modern dance but as female in this male-dominated style, I am considered one of the best mastering the most advanced breaks. I have had the honor of judging events and being featured in music videos, live performances, commercials, and advertisements, all of which showcase my bonebreaking skills.
Modern dance
I began my modern dance training in 2016 at Pasadena City College. Over the course of three years, I progressed from beginner to advanced levels and studied various techniques, including José Limón, Martha Graham, Lester Horton, Doris Humphrey, and Charles Weidman. Today, I primarily focus on Horton and Graham techniques, which serve as the foundational movement for my dance style. I also incorporate tutting, bonebreaking, liquid, and animation dance into the style, and I am best known for my innovative fusion of bonebreaking and modern dance. I continue to train in modern and contemporary dance through private lessons with some of my favorite dancers, constantly pushing the boundaries of the fusion between street and classical dance.
Animation
Eight years ago, my dance journey began with Animation dance as one of my major styles. As a sub-style of popping, I have taken multiple classes with various teachers and am self-taught through online resources. I have explored and learned various techniques such as robot, dime stops, vibrating, slow motion, and waving. Today, I still utilize these techniques in my dance and mix them with others like Martha Graham's modern dance technique carving, with animations waving. I have experience teaching this style and guiding beginners towards their desired direction. Additionally, I have had the opportunity to showcase my skills in this style in my work.
Contact Shaype
If you're interested in private lessons or online courses, or would like to inquire about promotional or commercial opportunities, please don't hesitate to contact me below. I'll be happy to provide you with my resume and any additional information you may need.