Hip-hop central: Old Sacramento dance center puts its unique twist on arts scene

Old Sacramento’s Greathouse of Dance doesn’t exactly blend in with the area’s nostalgic, touristy shops. In an area known mostly for its Old West history, Greathouse of Dance is making history of its own. Drop by on an otherwise quiet weekend day and some of the best dancers in the world might be popping and locking.

Los Angeles dancer Kenneth Lavis, who performs under the name KLeeN, came to a recent show to stay locked in on what’s happening in the Northern California dance scene.

“Sacramento is actually rich in the culture of street dancing,” he said. “There’s a move called ‘The Sac’ in popping and it’s a foundation move. So I need to know about these guys. I need to know what they’re doing.”

The studio, which primarily teaches hip-hop classes, was founded by Brandon Greathouse. He’ll have major dance stars drop by; the winner of “So You Think You Can Dance” or a choreographer for a top pop artist might be hanging out in his studio.

Wearing a red jersey emblazoned with “Sacramento” on the front, Greathouse said he’s surprised by the success of his studio, which also has a location in Truckee.

“Me just tucking away in a corner making beats and teaching and dancing and having fun is giving people more opportunities than I ever could have imagined they would ever have,” he said.

“Dance kept me grounded. It kept me sane. It kept me motivated to do something and motivated to do something bigger than myself. Because me and a bunch of the people around me eventually went on to do amazing movement.”

Greathouse’s message is clear: This is Sacramento’s thing. David Royster, known in the dancing world as “Super Dave,” looked around the studio as he answered a question about what it means to him. A train sat behind him at the California State Railroad Museum. Sure, Old Sacramento’s got trains and cheap T-shirts. But what it should really be known for is dance.

“It’s nice to have a seat at the table, so to speak,” he said. “We’re here. We’re not going nowhere. It’s nice. And for it to be acknowledged would be a great thing.”

Learn More

Greathouse of Dance is online at https://greathouseofdance.com/classes/.

This story was originally published February 3, 2022 at 5:00 AM.