All of this beautiful space around you is space for you to dance in and explore
Popmaster Fabel at Cornell
Jorge Pabon, better known as Popmaster Fabel, is a Puerto Rican American who is the trifecta in the hip-hop world as a dancer, graffiti artist, and scholar. Fabel was born in Spanish Harlem New York, in 1965 and shows much of his roots through the art form of hip-hop. The artist grew up in a city of vibrant hip-hop culture, where he went from tagging with the notorious gang, The Savvy Samurais, to breaking with the dance crew Wiggles. “His pioneering individuality has been showcased internationally since 1982“Popmaster Fabel came to produce the first Off-Broadway hip-hop musical, performed at the Kennedy Center, and hosted a 2-on-2 B-Boy Battle at The Trinity International Hip-Hop Festival in 2007.
He [Popmaster Fabel] mostly practices what’s known as the electric boogaloo style of popping – ‘jerky moves combined with smooth flows.’
Popmaster Fabel at Cornell
GhettOriginal, a production company co-founded by Fabel created the first hip hop musicals, “SO! What Happens Now?” on September 7, 1985, and “Jam on the Groove” in 1977. The key highlight of Pop Master Fabel’s career though was his feature in the movie “Beat Street”,alongside his fellow Rock Steady crew, a film that follows the lives of brothers and friends through various elements of hip hop, which debuted in 1984. Directed by Stan Lathan, the movie gained a lot of recognition and became one of the fundamental movies in hip-hop.
Popmaster Fabel went on to win the Bessie award for choreography in 1991 for his cult classic movie “Beat Street” and was shortly after nominated for best choreography at the Drama Desk Awards in 1996 for his performance in “Jam on the Groove”. He went on to perform at the Kennedy Center, and Boston Ballet and consulted for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
After attending The Trinity International Hip Hop Festival in 2004, Popmaster Fabel cofounded a non-profit Tools of War ,an organization that brings Hip Hop back to the parks of New York City
I’m just completely excited to share my first love – dance forms associated with hip-hop culture – and spread the knowledge and spread the richness of the culture, everywhere and anywhere but especially at an institution of higher learning,
Popmaster Fabel at Cornell