MMA is closing..

Its 11.20am on a Friday morning and I can't help but feel the need to share how my life has developed thanks to the Melbourne Music Academy (MMA)
When I first started hip-hop dancing in 2007 I was rehearsing on the streets looking at reflections from window shops and using portable speakers that worked with batteries. I took one class a week and it was proving to be a fun little hobby every weekend.
A few months later I was asked to become apart of 'Delinkwentz', a tight group of break dancers who's morals surrounded the ideals of family like friendship. Not long after one of the Delinkwentz key leaders got a phone call from a gentle man named 'Reuben'. He was interested in linking Delinkwentz to his dance school MMA. We had heard of this school, but what the hell would they want with our crew?

A meeting was set up and a few members, including myself, went down to find out what this agreement would be about.

Reuben's idea was to have MMA as Delinkwentz home ground. This meant free training space in exchange for our good word to other dancers and Breakers in the hope that we would encourage them to come down and train at the academy. Also, when competing in competitions we would mention MMA as sort of advertisement for the school. It all seemed in our favor, so it was shaken on and Delinkwentz began training at MMA.

Around this time 'Alpha Delinkwentz', the hip-hop group associated with the Delinkwentz was training hard and recruiting members for various competitions. This was linked to the once off group 'Random Select'. Through this group I started working with members of the 'Vikings', a well recognized hip-hop crew who made an impression on me from a young age and were a big reason I wanted to start my own crew. It also linked me to my amazing boyfriend Lee.
From there everything seemed to just fall into place. Alpha Delinkwentz was growing stronger and becoming recognized, competing in various comps such as 'Raw', 'Get Krumpd', 'Groove' and 'Battlegrounds'. Delinkwentz were training hard competing in comps and becoming very respected, but the lack of training together was becoming a concern.

My love of dance was growing. It wasn't just a hobby anymore. It's something I decided I want to do for the rest of my life.

Although Random Selected started and ended in 2008, the creation of another group was in the midst. At the beginning of 2009 this new group was official. Our first show at the Chinese New Year festival saw the first performance of 'The Collektive'.
So much has happened in such a short amount of time and none of it seems possible without MMA having been there to take me off the streets. I knew that the academy wouldn't be open forever but I never thought it would close so soon and have such a big effect on the dancing community. I realize that it will re-open at a new location, but something about that place just makes we feel at home. I have not only grown as a dancer but as a person in between those walls. Some of the greatest experiences of my life were from opportunities given to me from people I met in that school. I can never give thanks enough to the people who make MMA what it is. But the true is, MMA was so amazing because of all the love surrounding the people who became apart of it. I truly hope that this passion and love is carried onto the next building that is graced with the title Melbourne Music Academy. It was a lot to live up too.