LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Filipino breaker and trailblazer Ronnie Abaldonado is carrying on the legacy of his legendary and award-winning dance crew in Las Vegas while paving the way for the next generation of dancers in the Las Vegas valley.
Abaldonado just celebrated 30 years of taking part in breaking, or breakdancing, which is an energetic and athletic style of street dance. In the 90s, he helped form the Full Force Crew, quickly carving a name for himself in the competitive world of breaking.
"When I started my crew, Full Force Crew, back in 1995, we were predominantly all Filipino, and through the years, we started recruiting new members, and even some of my crew members have kids that are now basically representing our crew, and a good number of us are all Filipino," Abaldonado said. "Filipinos definitely play a big role in the growth of the Las Vegas community, but also in the breaking community because in the hip hop culture, there's a lot of Filipino dancers, DJs, that made a scene globally."
Now, he's continuing his crew's legacy through the studio he cofounded, Distrct Arts. Since 2012, the studio has offered breaking classes, hosted dance competitions, and provided other dance lessons for kids.
"Our focus is on the youth because when I was that age, we didn't have access to anything like this. We're all self-taught, me and my crew, just practicing in our garages, practicing in our living rooms, so the fact that we have a voice now, we've done so much in the close to 30 years of our dance careers and winning TV shows and being able to give back to the community. So now that we had the opportunity to open up a studio, we did it for the newer generation," Abaldonado said.
He calls it a cultural hub that helps not just kids but also offers open space for adults to practice dancing and connect with each other.
"We have our mantra here: 'empowering dancers, impacting lives and connecting to the community.' So a lot of times, if we ever get lost or forget our mission, we look to that motto," he said, pointing to the message emblazoned on the wall in his studio.
Distrct Arts is located in the southwest valley, which has seen incredible growth, especially when it comes to the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. The CEO of a new local small business development center called the AAPI Chamber said Filipinos especially are flocking to that part of town and setting up shop.
"The population of the Filipinos is really the largest among the Asian community, and the growth is ever-booming. They are finding their way to Las Vegas, and as they find their way to Las Vegas, they too are starting their own businesses," said CEO of the AAPI Chamber, Catherine Francisco.
Abaldonado is part of a rapidly growing and diversifying community of Filipino entrepreneurs finding new and meaningful ways to contribute to the valley.
"We're a gamut of talented people who also give back and are part of the community," Francisco said.
Abaldonado is speaking at the Rooted & Rising LV, the AAPI Chamber's first Filipino-American Entrepreneurship and Leadership Summit, on Nov. 3 from 3 to 9 p.m. at the Assembly at Uncommons. Click here for more information and to register.
