By Maria Villa
Staff Writer
Living in the San Francisco area, 19-year-old Adrianne Valencia had big dreams and goals to accomplish, such as getting her education and having a career in art.
However, while Valencia was attending San Jose State University majoring in animation and art, one day she realized that she was not following her true passion.
Valencia realized that her hobby of hip-hop dancing was something she found more interesting, so she decided to give up everything and drop out of SJSU in order to follow her dreams of dancing.
“I dropped out and did a change that needed to be made,” Valencia said.
In 2012, Valencia began to follow her dreams of hip-hop dancing by attending Sacramento City College, where she got the best of both worlds. Now attending a school that gave her the opportunity to get an education, as well as do what she loved. She joined the dance organization SAC Modern and she continued her hip-hop training under hip-hop dance crews Press P.L.A.Y.
Valencia was also provided an opportunity to do more training in San Diego, as well as with the Super Galactic Beat Manipulators.
In 2015, Valencia received her associate degree in communications and was accepted into California State University, Dominguez Hills where she continued her education.
“I was never enrolled in any of the dance classes, but I did go to a lot of concerts and showcases. [However,] it never crossed my mind to be enrolled in any of the classes,” Valencia said.
In the spring of 2017, Valencia received her bachelor’s degree in communications, emphasis in media studies.
After graduation, she decided to go back to her hometown where she was contracted by the Jabbawockeez Trybe to professionally dance and asked to go on tour with them. She traveled with the Jabbawockeez Trybe on tours to Las Vegas, China and Universal Studios Horror Nights.
Valencia was invited to teach a master hip-hop class at her alma mater, CSUDH, where she got the opportunity to choreograph a dance class. Marco Carreon, a dance professor at CSUDH opened the doors to his class for Valencia, where she taught many students a dance hip-hop routine.
Now 25, Valencia is an inspiration to many dancing students here at CSUDH.
“My biggest advice and recommendations is to not stop what you love to do,” said Valencia. “A lot of people told me I couldn’t do it but I did.”
