The Black Student Union (BSU) held an assembly on Tuesday Feb. 4 in honor of Black History Month. The whole school assembly featured performances from Menlo students, along with the East Bay dance group the Turf Feinz, that explored freedom of expression in honor of Black History Month.
The BSU kicked off the event by performing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also dubbed “The Black National Anthem.” Club advisor John Norris, who sang Lift Every Voice with sophomore Mathew Mayalya, said that the song has become a tradition for the BSU. “It’s good [for the visibility] of the BSU. [Singing it] lets students get out there,” he said.
Sophomore Joshua Christian also took to the stage, performing an open-verse poem titled Thoughts of a Teacher, in tribute to the late Menlo History Teacher Mark Aquino. Norris said that the BSU had meticulously planned to give Aquino an honorable tribute at Tuesday’s assembly, out of respect for his support toward the club.
After a brief musical interlude from performers in Menlo’s musical, “The Wiz,” Upper School Athletics Coach Deric Thompson walked onto the gym floor to introduce the Oakland Turf-dance group called the Turf Feinz.
The Turf Feinz entered the gym wearing dark sweatpants, tan hoodies, and masks covering their faces. Each member did an unprompted, freestyle dance, one that matched their personality and showed the expressiveness that turf dancing is renowned for.
“Turfing” is a fairly new type of dance that rose to prominence in the Bay Area roughly 20 years ago. Originally coined by dancer Jeriel Bey, “turf” is an acronym for Taking Up Room on the Floor. Today, turf is a medium for self-expression that blends hip-hop with fluid, contortionist-like movements to create a smooth dance rhythm. “[For] those that don’t know how to express themselves, and worry about what others think about them, [the Turf Feinz] are an example of how you can block out that noise,” Thompson said.
From featuring at halftime shows for the Golden State Warriors and the San Jose Earthquakes, to featuring in Kendrick Lamar’s Squabble Up music video, the Turf Feinz have gained a name for themselves with their style of dance.
Menlo’s collaboration with the Turf Feinz was made possible by Thompson, who has personal connections to members of the group. “[I’ve] known these guys since 2019 [and I’ve] worked with them in numerous events,” Thompson said.
Thompson has an especially strong connection with Turf Feinz member Chonkie, who created the viral Smeeze dance move. Performed by NFL players, commercial actors and video game characters, The Smeeze became so popular that Thompson helped Turf Feinz trademark and copyright the name.
Thompson said that the Turf Feinz enjoyed performing at the assembly. “They love Menlo. And you know, [they] just really admired […] our culture here.” Thompson believes Menlo could collaborate with the Turf Feinz in the future.
