Harry Weston grew up in Santa Cruz, California, surrounded by West African dance and drumming, his first artistic inspirations. He fell in love with hip-hop dance culture at age 15, changing his life and setting him on a path of creativity, community engagement, teaching and mentorship. In 2008, he moved to Los Angeles to attend UCLA, and graduated with a Bachelor of the Arts Degree in World Arts and Cultures with a concentration in Dance, as well as a Minor in Civic Engagement. While at UCLA, he participated in a number of artistic and teaching endeavors. In 2009 he was invited to dance professionally with the internationally renowned hip-hop dance company, Versa-Style, whom he also managed from 2012-2016, and is now serving as Partnerships Manager. In 2010, he inherited and directed an after school hip-hop dance program at Abraham Lincoln High School in East LA, before passing it off to two alumni in 2014, who still direct the program today. And in 2012, he created his own work, "Without Fear," exploring the emotional complexity of the grieving process, premiering in the department's undergraduate showcase, "WACsmash." His work was later featured at the prestigious John Anson Ford Amphitheater in 2013 at Los Angeles’ premier street dance theater showcase, The J.U.i.C.E. Hip Hop Dance Festival. He also was fortunate enough to serve as Head Counselor for the UCLA Dance/Performing Arts Summer Intensive each summer during his time at UCLA, which he has now Co-Directed for the last two years. Harry has continued his work as a professional artist throughout his ten-year tenure in Los Angeles, touring as a principal dancer with Versa-Style in places such as India, Israel, and Scotland, and competing in prestigious hip-hop freestyle dance competitions such as Battle of the Year (Israel), Step Ya Game Up (New York), Bust A Move (Montreal), and Last One Stands (Vancouver).
You can read about his work as a 2018-19 ACTIVATE Fellow Arts Education East Los Angeles here:Link to Project Materials