Beyoncé Dancer Returns to Brooklyn Park To Host Hip Hop Workshop
On Tuesday afternoon, North Hennepin Community College students learned to dance from a professional.
Corbin Hunter, a Brooklyn Park native and professional backup dancer, returned to her old stomping grounds to share what she’s learned with the class.
“What I’m going to do is kind of give people here an experience– an LA experience,” Hunter said.
Her love of dance was home grown in Brooklyn Park. Hunter said she was first enrolled in dance classes at age 2 and realized she wanted to do it professionally at 12 years old.
Hunter leads a class in a move during her hip hop workshop at North Hennepin.
“It started just as something to do, to get the kids away from home and get some energy out. It led to me falling in love,” Hunter said. “Dance has, and forever will be, my first love.”
That passion took her to Los Angeles, where she said she spent five years getting her footing. Eventually, she enrolled in an intensive dance course. Shortly after, she earned a spot as a backup dancer for Beyoncé at Coachella, and a spot on Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s “On the Run II Tour.”
She’s since worked as a background dancer with artists like Lizzo and Megan Thee Stallion.
Back in Brooklyn Park, her mom works at North Hennepin. The school invited her back to share what she’s learned. Hunter said she comes back here often to volunteer in the community.
“When I finally got the initial invitation, I was like: ‘Absolutely. Send me the details, I’ll be here,'” Hunter said.
‘Stages of Equity’ Festival
Hunter’s visit is a part of the fourth annual “Stages of Equity” Festival. Kathy Hendrickson, North Hennepin’s interim director of community impact, said it’s a celebration of BIPOC art and artists.
It’s also the first year that the festival is being held throughout the semester.
At Hunter’s workshop, students, staff and community members were all invited to dance and tap into their potential. Hendrickson said events like this are crucial to build confidence and uplift the campus.
“Yes, you can do it!” Hendrickson said. “We all have dreams. But dreams do nothing without actions, or without mentors, as we know.”
Hunter had a dream back in her youth– one that she made a reality. She said when she was a junior in high school, she met Beyoncé and her backup dancers in passing at a show she was performing at.
“I remember walking back, and having Beyoncé and her dancers walk by,” Hunter recalled. “I said, ‘I’m going to dance for you one day!'”
Hunter’s story provides a small piece of inspiration right back where she started in Brooklyn Park. She said she hopes people realize their potential.
“We, as a collective, can do it all!” Hunter said. “I don’t like that people put us in boxes of what is accepted; what we should be doing. Like no, I can do whatever I want.”
The next Stages of Equity event is coming up on the evening of March 22 with a performance from Tu Dance Company.
More information about the programming is available on North Hennepin’s website.
