MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The jookin dance style began in the late 80’s and 90’s on Memphis’ hip-hop scene. Originally called gangsta walking, it’s an early version of the some the popular dances seen today.
“It started out like a line dance in today’s society like the Hit Dem Folks or the Woah,” said Ryan Haskett, a member of the Memphis Jookin dance organization.
Jookin’s quick movements and bounce came from the popular hip-hop music of the Delta region. Jai Pro Armmer, a Memphis Jookin member, began filming the dance in the early 2000’s and put some of the first popular videos on platforms like Youtube. He made sure to associate the dance style with the name and the city.
“That’s one of the main reasons we made sure to call it ‘Memphis Jookin.’ I ain’t want no city to take credit for this dance style,” Armmer said.
The dance style has evolved. It can now be seen in countries all over the world and has been made popular by dancers like Memphis native Lil Buck. Complicated toe stalls, ankle breaks, glides and push toes impress onlookers while dancers appear to ballet dancers in sneakers.
“You can call it the urban ballet,” said Terrance “G-Nerd” Smith, a self-described jookin pioneer. “We’re doing the same thing they’re doing except we’re doing it in Air Force 1’s and Jordan’s and it still looks smooth.”
Like any dance, Memphis Jookin is about putting your own flair on the style. DRA’EM, a 19-year old Memphis native has made a name for himself for his own moves.
“With Memphis Jookin, it’s just about your personality. Some people got a chill laid back personality and when they dance it’ll be like, ‘oh he’s smooth,’” DRA’EM said. “It’s just a you thing, some days you’ll be up and you’ll be turnt when you dance, like real lit.”
The city was put on the map for it’s dance flair recently when Red Bull came to town for their Dance Your Style event. Dancer Jadyn Smooth won the event and a trip to Washington D.C. for the national finals. To see Memphis Jookin recognized by a organization as big as Red Bull wasn’t validation, but appreciation for the style.
“For us, for me, for people that were in the event that were from Memphis, it was seriously about time that even Red Bull took the time out to recognize our style,” Smooth said.
“By Red Bull coming down and doing what they does with us. That says a lot about what Memphis Jookin has become,” Armmer said.
“They recognized how beautiful it is. How intense it is. How difficult it is, they recognized the dance for what it is and not just as a fad dance or a trend dance. They recognized it as art.”
The Memphis Jookin organization and dancers of the style are sure to put their own spin on the style, but know that as it evolves, it will be important to stay true to the style. OGs like G-Nerd mentor the younger generation of dancers.
“Being one of the pioneers of this thing. You’ve got people now, you’ve got Jadyn, you’ve got Dra’em and others that are killing it right now. I just tell them to stay true to the style and the actual essence of Memphis because that’s where it came from,” G-Nerd said. “We, of course, want it to expand worldwide and it’s already done that, but we definitely want the real feel of the essence of it.”
DRA’EM is a second generation gangsta walker. He knows he walks on the shoulders of giants like his father.
“My dad is a gangsta walker himself and there’s been plenty of times I just walk up to you man, I’m so thankful, because what you done laid out and the path that I walk just created so many opportunities for me as an individual and my team and me and all of us,” DRA’EM said.
Memphis Jookin will go on tour in 2022 starting on February 11th at the Orpheum Theater. From there they’ll head to the west coast through California and then hit the east coast before finishing the tour in Miami.
"Learning about Memphis Jookin is like learning about the DNA of Memphis,” Haskett said. “It means the world to me because, when you learn about Jookin’ and the dance style you have the ability to express what it means to be from Memphis and that’s something that’s incredibly powerful.”
Memphis Jookin can be found at Memphisjookin.com and on social media at @MemphisJookin.