John agesilas
John grew up with African music, jazz, disco, and funk. At the age of 13, he discovered hip-hop and groundbreaking B-Boying, and it was clear: he was destined to be a dancer. At the beginning of his career, John was one of the founders of the jazz dance groups AJDJazz and Southern Roots Jazz Dancers, and later a member of the Fusion Allstars collective. He danced and choreographed for international artists such as Earth Wind and Fire, Jocelyn Brown, Sister Sledge, the Metropole Orkest, the New Cool Collective, and Donna Summer. With dedication and passion, John built a career in dance and music, even in sectors that may be considered unconventional for these art forms.
He worked as a choreographer for Nike, Adidas, Vivienne Westwood, Evisu, Bjorn Borg, and Paul Smith. In collaboration with Mojo theater, he created the jazz theater show “Intrepertationzz,” and he was the MC and one of the founders of the Risk Sound System collective. With RSS, he collaborated with renowned DJs and producers. He co-produced two house hits: “The Sound Is Yours” (remix, Kerry Chandler) and “Grow” with AtJazz.
John is also a DJ, organizer, booker, and partner of ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event). John’s own dance festival, Summer Dance FOREVER, is currently one of the largest dance festivals in the world. In addition, John teaches at the Amsterdam University of the Arts and collaborates with the ROC of Amsterdam to create an associate degree program in urban/theater.
John has a distinct vision for the future of dance, which he will represent with the opening of his own school: FOUNDATION. It aims to bring back the social aspect to the dance floor, strengthen stage presence on stage, and elevate the skill level in the battle culture. It’s about bringing together the knowledge of the past and the creative approach of the present.
Looking back on 34 years of achievements, you could say he is somehow coming full circle and returning to where it all began, with the conclusion that hip-hop culture hasn’t changed his life, it started it!
We often forget where the developments began or lose sight of the fact that this culture is an instrument for social change. I want to bring back this awareness and show that hip-hop culture resides at the roots of creativity. Whether it’s through dance, film, art, fashion, or any other creative field, hip-hop culture is relevant.