Str8jacket Blog
World of Dance is Just the Beginning for Alison Merrill
As a dancer who has studied ballet, jazz, and modern since the age of four, Alison Merrill never expected to break into hip hop and perform with a professional dance crew on national television for millions of viewers.
This is a cross post from IVY Magazine
As a dancer who has studied ballet, jazz, and modern since the age of four, Alison Merrill never expected to break into hip hop and perform with a professional dance crew on national television for millions of viewers.
It was not until her early twenties that Merrill discovered hip hop, gravitating towards the creative energy and inclusive culture that emanated from the community. Within two years of independent training, she was able to make her way onto two of Boston’s hip hop companies, CONcept ARTists and Static Noyze, going on to perform at Monsters of Hip Hop, RAW Boston Artists, Elements, and Sony Music.
Merrill, bottom row, second from the left, backstage with her hip hop team Str8Jacket at World of Dance Season 3 on NBC.
Fast-forward three years later, Merrill is now a member and Training Captain of Str8Jacket, a competitive hip hop team based out of the Bay Area, with a mission to promote creativity, grit, and growth. This year, the team competed on Season 3 of World of Dance on NBC after winning 1st place at World of Dance Bay Area. After working on the show with personal idols like choreographers Tabitha & Napoleon D’umo and gaining feedback from renowned performers like Jennifer Lopez, Ne-Yo, & Dereck Hough, Merrill felt inspired to continue creating at a higher level.
Most recently, Merrill choreographed her own concept video for Bedby Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj. She explained, “What I really want to do is transport the audience to a different world and make them feel like they’re a part of something that is fun and all-consuming.”
Through her work, Merrill strives to cultivate a welcoming space for all. Str8tJacket itself is a no-audition team, honoring the fact that hip hop embraces all different styles, bodies, and levels of performance. Anyone is allowed to join and train with them and those who show the most dedication and skill are brought onstage. To her, this serves as a refreshing contrast to ballet, where she notes that starting at a young age, being predisposed to a certain body type, and having enough money are often prerequisites that are prohibitive to many.
Alongside her involvement in dance, Merrill also serves as the National Growth Director at IVY, constantly energized by the diversity of talented members and strong arts programming.
Merrill celebrates the joy of dancing at the IVY Winter Gala with her boyfriend Sam Kahane.
A memorable experience at the IVY San Francisco Improv Workshop gave her a new perspective on the creative collaboration process. In one exercise, a member was instructed to hold a pose until another person tagged them out with a new pose. At first, people hesitated to jump, crippled by their own fear. But when the instructor asked them to reframe their intentions from a place of support, they moved more quickly and were able to generate more fun and eccentric poses. Inthat moment, Merrill realized that she could incorporate that mindset into dance. By putting her teammates first and making it her mission to support them, she could unleash tremendous creative power and deliver more astounding performances.
Merrill is grateful that her own mission of educating others and exposing them to the arts aligns so closely with IVY and that the company has allowed her to pursue her artistic passions vigorously. As Merill continues to grind away with Str8Jacket, rehearsing four nights a week and performing across the country, audiences can look forward to her second concept video coming out in June, an under wraps project that promises to be edgier, darker, and more hard-hitting than the last.
Meet Str8jacket from NBC World of Dance Season 3
Str8jacket prides itself on being a no-audition dance crew, accepting anyone who is willing to put the time and effort in to becoming the best they can be. They strongly believe in providing the right tools for dancers and people as long as they have grit, discipline, and a positive attitude and are proactive in teaching the team about various topics in order to gain more skills outside of just dancing.
This is a cross post. Original post can be found here
Str8jacket prides itself on being a no-audition dance crew, accepting anyone who is willing to put the time and effort in to becoming the best they can be. They strongly believe in providing the right tools for dancers and people as long as they have grit, discipline, and a positive attitude and are proactive in teaching the team about various topics in order to gain more skills outside of just dancing. This welcoming approach has paid off as Str8jacket placed second in the 2018 World of Dance Championships and took first at the WOD Bay Area competition. Now they are here to win it all this season and show America that they have what it takes.
Hometown: San Mateo, CA
Members: 14
Ages: 18-30
Style: Hip-Hop
Division: Upper Team
Social: @str8jacket_ / @jc_str8jacket / @alanchung01 / @alisonbmerrill / @andreaguzayy / @darbear / @cat.uray / @_gussi_ / @hikaruurata / @kenbreezy_/ @angryjazzhands / @nattyyy_8 / @nic_not_nick / @stephanieeechen / @timothyxsimon / @jaelyn_koyama51
NBC World of Dance Season 3 begins Tuesday, February 26 at 9/8c with a 2 hour premiere and continues Sunday nights starting March 3. Watch as the best dancers in the world compete for a $1 million prize. Don’t miss exclusive interviews, performances, and more from the definitive source for all things World of Dance.
Elizabeth Spurbeck
Managing Editor
Elizabeth Spurbeck is a dance teacher, writer, and marketing professional who specializes in content + digital marketing and herding preschool-aged ballerinas.
Meet Str8jacket’s Andrea Guzman!
Andrea Guzman has been dancing with Str8jacket since the beginning of 2017. Her first performance with Str8jacket was during their America’s Got Talent Season 12 Audition, and her most recent accomplishment with the team includes making her set-choreographer debut for Str8jacket’s Evolution UDC “50’s Diner Set”.
Andrea Guzman has been dancing with Str8jacket since the beginning of 2017. Her first performance with Str8jacket was during their America’s Got Talent Season 12 Audition, and her most recent accomplishment with the team includes making her set-choreographer debut for Str8jacket’s Evolution UDC “50’s Diner Set”.
Andrea has a dance background of jazz, tap, and contemporary which she began in high school. She auditioned for her high school’s hip hop dance team her Sophomore and Junior year but was rejected both years. This made it very hard for her to see the team perform at rallies, games, and other school events because dance was what she loved most about school. Finally in her Senior year, she finally made it into the hip hop team, and she has been improving her craft ever since.
What Andrea loves most about Str8jacket is being surrounded by people who are constantly inspiring her to be better, the sense of family, the love, and the HYPHINESS.
Fun Fact: In 7th grade, Andrea learned all the lyrics to “Look at Me Now” by Chris Brown ft Busta Rhymes and during her Senior Prom, she rapped the entire song in a dance cypher. 😂😂😂
Check out some more of Andrea’s work here:
** Str8jacket is currently hosting a variety of Summer Fundraisers so that they can perform and compete at BET Experience 2018, World of Dance Championships 2018, and World of Dance Bay Area, 2018. Visit the links below to help donate**
Meet Str8jacket’s Executive & Artistic Director, JC Caoile!
JC co-founded Str8jacket in the summer of 2012. From the beginning, JC believed Str8jacket should be founded on hard work, discipline, creativity and passion. He made Str8jacket a no-audition team because he wanted dancers of diverse backgrounds and also because of his ideology that every dancer has the potential to become skilled with discipline and passion.
JC co-founded Str8jacket in the summer of 2012. From the beginning, JC believed Str8jacket should be founded on hard work, discipline, creativity and passion. He made Str8jacket a no-audition team because he wanted dancers of diverse backgrounds and also because of his ideology that every dancer has the potential to become skilled with discipline and passion.
Now 6 years later, this ideology helped Str8jacket win the audience with a standing ovation at World of Dance Bay Area 2016 with our “Revolution Set”, place 1st at World of Dance Los Angeles 2017 with our “Steampunk Set”, place 1st at World of Dance Bay Area 2017 with our “Oni Set”, and compete in America’s Got Talent Season 12. All while Str8jacket is able to continue its mission of giving back to the community.
Did we mention JC is also founder, Executive and Artistic Director of Str8jacket’s youth team, Krazy8??? Watch their debut set at Collaboration and Breakthrough 2018 here!
While JC loves the challenge of creating competitive sets, his true passion is actually in creative production. He hopes to in the future be able to create a live dance production similar to Cirque Du Soleil and create more meaningful concept videos.
View some of JC’s other work here:
** Str8jacket is currently hosting a variety of Summer Fundraisers so that they can perform and compete at BET Experience 2018, World of Dance Championships 2018, and World of Dance Bay Area, 2018. Visit the links below to help donate**
Click links below y'all
Meet Str8jacket’s Gustavo Morales!
Gustavo (“Goose”) Morales has been an on-and-off member of Str8jacket since 2013!
Gustavo (“Goose”) Morales
Gustavo (“Goose”) Morales has been an on-and-off member of Str8jacket since 2013! He choreographed the fan/ waacking (“faacking”) piece for their winning 2017 World of Dance, Bay Area “Oni” set, also competed with Str8jacket in America’s Got Talent Season 12. He is best known for his style mixed with femme, waacking, contemporary, and just overall sasssssssssss.
View some of his work here!
Also, if you haven’t seen his iconic death drop in the Oni Set, check it out NOW!
Fun fact: When Gustavo isn’t doing Str8jacket, he performs and teaches colorguard! He’s so cool!
** Str8jacket is currently hosting a variety of Summer Fundraisers so that they can perform and compete at BET Experience 2018, World of Dance Championships 2018, and World of Dance Bay Area, 2018. Visit the links below to help donate**
Support us on GoFundMe
Meet Str8jacket’s Nic Sanon!
Nic ("not Nick") Sanon joined Str8jacket in the Summer of 2017 just in time for their World of Dance Championship routine. His very first practice he learned flexibility drills and a contemporary piece from Str8jacket’s Gustavo Morales and knew right away this team would be a great for him.
Nic not Nick Sanon
Nic ("not Nick") Sanon joined Str8jacket in the Summer of 2017 just in time for their World of Dance Championship routine. His very first practice he learned flexibility drills and a contemporary piece from Str8jacket’s Gustavo Morales and knew right away this team would be a great fit for him.
Nic is best known for his amazing stage presence and facials. It’s hard to not notice his charisma on stage! Here are just a few examples!
DAMsf : The Superhero Edition
Str8jacket | Dv8 EnCounter Culture 2018
Okay, Niiiiiiiiiiicccc
Nic is also just overall a super strong and versatile dancer. From femme to hard hitting to feely pieces to HipHop fundamentals, Nic knows how to KILL the dance. Check out some of his work here!
Also peep his ADORABLE surprise promposal to his girlfriend HERE.
Fun fact: Nic graduated from highschool this weekend! CONGRATULATIONS, NIC!!!!! Way to be!!!!!!
** Str8jacket is currently hosting a variety of Summer Fundraisers so that they can perform and compete at BET Experience 2018, World of Dance Championships 2018, and World of Dance Bay Area, 2018. Visit the links below to help donate**
Support us on GoFundMe