Chris Cortez Director

 

Cortez is the product of one of the first in school hip-hop dance programs that took place at Spring Woods Middle School. The program provided three hours a week where he learned choreography, performance skills and new dance skills.  He was  guided by his instructor Kathy Wood. Kathy was the director of Fly Dance Company, a non profit organization that provided dancers an alternative activity by organizing performances, concerts , and outreach shows around the community.  It was a dance company he later became apart of, and had the chance to educate over 100,000 students about the positive impact of hip-hop on the youth. This was also the year he was introduced to Y.A. (Youth Advocates) which is a non-profit organization that helps by offering a positive community for at risk youth. Y.A. was known as the mecca of break dancing that brought the community together through dance.  As a child, witnessing such a positive environment inspired him to give back to the community by becoming  a member of AmeriCorps & Neighborhood Centers  through Youth Advocates. This was the beginning of the Hip-Hop culture leading Chris's life into a quest of providing hope and health to the youth that once was him.         

 

Chris Cortez also became an internationally known B-Boy (Break Dancer). He has traveled worldwide since 1998, performing, competing, instructing,  and educating the youth about the art of B-Boying & Hip-Hop and its positive impact. Chris successfully organized 11 dance events and competitions in Houston to support and bring a positive message to the community he grew up in. He has also been apart of the world famous Houston Rockets Launch Crew for nine consecutive years . Chris has  had the pleasure of traveling with the Rockets organization to the China games in Beijing & Guangzhou, the All-Star Game in 2011 and most recently the games in Taiwan and the Phillipines.           

 

Now, as the Founder of Healthy Hip-Hop and the current director of Fly Dance Company, he is pleased to announce the growth of his after school program “Healthy Hip-Hop”. Healthy Hip-Hop is an expressional dance class that promotes healthy, mental, and physical lifestyles for the youth of today. Healthy Hip-Hop's mission is to empower the youth through the art of dance and help children build healthy and positive lifestyles for the future.