I was a part of the Catalyst B-boy scene from 2005 - 2007, and made lifelong friends as a result...Catalyst never really leaves your spirit though you may physically leave it.
Catalyst is a nonprofit lead by Joel Stigale that provides a place for the 4 elements of hip hop to exist. Not the commercial hip hop you may be thinking about, I'm referring to it in its original form: B-boying (breakdancing), DJing, Graff writing (Graffiti) and Emceeing (Rapping). This is not a dance studio, this is a true hip hop cultural gem that means much more.
When I started there was only one that met at a church in Pembroke Pines on Saturday nights. I would go to practice breakin' and as a result met a lot of people whom I began to practice with the other 6 days out of the week and got a lot better.
B-boy crews and b-girl crews formed out of these connections, now some of them have become entertainment companies, dance training academies and a lot of professional dancers who make a full time living off their talents.
After those years at Catalyst I was able to move to NY and teach breakin' full time. I earned my b-girl name Destany which later turned in to the better fitting Destanation. Getting your b-boy/b-girl name is a part of the culture that is significant. Funk band Fusik played live and DJ Magic kept the original breakbeats and hip hop flowing. There's always battles and events hosted here, even now.
I was there as it transitioned into no longer Pembroke Pines but Miami Springs twice a week. Now there's locations in Homestead and West Palm Beach.
This is a ministry that gave a lot of us a positive outlet and laid a foundation for the rest of our lives. Significantly, we would stop everything during the evening and Joel would talk to us about God. He would be honest and speak in a way we could understand/relate to leading a lot of us to a closer relationship with God.
There are not many places like Catalyst and it has the best fitting name because it sparked a true change for the better in so many people's lives and still does. read more