Hip-Hop Dance with TwinNation

Move and groove with the dance stylings of TwinNation at the Gantt! Accomplished dancers and twin brothers, Sanwone and Santae Benjamin, lead a high-energy class where all are welcome.

Through these sessions, students learn the basic techniques of street dance and how to synthesize elements of groove, musicality, texture, footwork, personal expression, and individual improvisation. This class is structured for beginners, but all levels can attend!

With generous support from the David and Nicole Tepper Foundation

TwinNation are twin brothers, Sanwone and Santae Benjamin, from Charlotte, NC who started dancing in school talent shows. They received their big break at the 2015 Breakin' Convention in Charlotte and the twins taught dance classes at Blumenthal Performing Arts for eight years. They performed in the 2021 Super Bowl Halftime show with The Weeknd, America's Got Talent, and the Charlotte Hornets. The brothers also curate community events for dancers and youth in the Charlotte region.

LaTanya Johnson’s rhythmic journey blends the art of movement and storytelling through voice, theater, and visual arts.

Johnson choreographed and provided movement coaching for many productions including, A Raisin in the Sun, Seven Guitars, Ain't Misbehavin’, The Bluest Eye, For the Love of Harlem, A Soldier's Play, and The Piano Lesson. She has worked with Theatre Charlotte, On Q Productions, Free Reign Theater Company, and Brand New Sheriff (BNS) Productions. In 2016, Johnson curated a dance series in celebration of the Gantt Center’s 40th Anniversary, entitled "Catch the Dance".

Johnson’s conservatory training includes Philadanco (Philadelphia Dance Company), Historical New Freedom Theatre in Philadelphia, and Urban Bush Women Summer Leadership Institute, to name a few. She is the founder and artistic director of the Sycamore Project, a Charlotte-based “artivist” initiative using the arts to advocate and promote social and environmental justice.