Mayor Darrell Steinberg Joins Award-winning Sacramento Nonprofit Studio T Arts & Entertainment to Honor International Dance Icon Popin’ Pete at Inaugural Legends of Dance
The inaugural Legends of Dance Workshop presented by award-winning Studio T Arts & Entertainment and sponsored by Red Bull North America paid tribute to dance legend Popin’ Pete in Sacramento’s McClatchy Park on Saturday. Kicked off by welcoming remarks from Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, the outdoor workshop featured instructional segments led by Popin’ Pete, Baltimore dance champion TSU Terry, and renowned dance prodigy Sarah “Lil’ Mini” Phoenix. Community members of all ages and ethnicities gathered in unity under the summer sun to honor the dance icon and celebrate the launch of his student-designed website, PopinPete.com, and his Patreon training platform.
“Today is part of the recovery,” expressed Mayor Steinberg in his opening remarks. “If we all choose to invest in all the good and great that are our young people, in Sacramento and our country, we are going to have so many great things to celebrate.”
Inspired by Studio T Founder Tamaira “Miss Tee” Sandifer’s commitment to celebrating groundbreaking performing artists, the event was conceived to protect and support legends of dance history. Popin’ Pete is the epitome of a dance legend, having revolutionized hip hop culture in his work during the 80s and 90s with megastars such as Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Chris Brown, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani, Mya, and The Black Eyed Peas. Pete was a regular on the worldwide hit show Soul Train, appeared in movies like the 1984 classic movie Breakin’, and is a second-generation member of the famous Electric Boogaloos, joining the group in 1978.
Popin’ Pete reflected on the celebration by saying, “the legends workshop was a great experience for me, making me feel great about who I am in this dance world. The kids and young adults on the staff are all professionals; these kids not only do production but they are great dancers well on the path to greatness, learning skills that can help them function greatly in this world. Teaching my class was super fun, all the students did a great job, and I enjoyed meeting Mayor Steinberg! Miss Tee and her wonderful staff put on an important event, this is just the beginning of making new history….lets do it again!”
“This event started as a dance workshop and quickly became more,” shared Studio T Arts Founder Miss Tee. “It’s a celebration of each other, our culture of creative expression and our hip hop dance heritage. Having our Mayor welcome us, support us, and dance with us not only brings more excitement to the day, it emphasizes how important the arts are to uplifting our communities.”
Having spent more than 30 years immersed in the world of dance, Miss Tee has dedicated her life to being a champion for the development and confidence of every child. Through her tireless advocacy, she has mentored over 5,000 youth in school districts and underserved communities throughout Northern California and virtually across the globe. Centered around dance, this work has included fostering educational partnerships and enrichment programs related to physical, as well as mental and emotional health. In 2021, these efforts were expanded to include the Studio T Arts Production Studio, featuring several training rooms to teach participants how to capture and edit video, website development, graphic design, branding, podcasting and social media marketing.
Celebrating the official launch of PopinPete.com and his ‘Dance With Legend Popin Pete’ Patreon course membership built by the students, Studio T Arts brought dance lovers up close and personal with the icon for a high-energy day of dance that culminated in an exhilarating freestyle cypher. The event was produced in partnership with Sonya Marchand and Deborah Byrd of P413 Productions, Inc. and Johnathan “JR” Reid of 7th Tribe Productions, Inc.
For more information on the program, volunteering, or to provide support, please visit StudioTArts.org or follow on IG, Tik Tok, YouTube, and Facebook @studiotdance, @studiotarts, @sweetteetime
About Studio T Arts & Entertainment
Founded by Tamaira “Miss Tee” Sandifer in 2005, Studio T Arts & Entertainment provides social services job skills through the performing and visual arts to aid youth and their families in developing confidence, community leadership, and a desire to thrive beyond their perceived limitations. Originally established as an elite training facility specializing in hip hop and urban dance instruction, Studio T’s graduates have traveled the globe working with artists like Justin Beiber, Jennifer Lopez, Usher, Britney Spears, Selena Gomez, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Beyonce and many others. In addition to being featured in movies, music videos, commercials, and on television shows like America’s Got Talent and So You Think You Can Dance, Studio T alumni have won international and regional Hip Hop dance titles and were voted “Best of Sacramento.”
For more information on Popin’ Pete, visit:
Popin’ Pete Official Website: PopinPete.com
Popin’ Pete on Patreon: patreon.com/PopinPete
To donate, and learn more about Studio T, visit:
@studiotdance on Instagram@studiotdance
on TikTokStudioTDance
on FacebookStudioTDance.com
