Angie Bunch (second to the right) with dancers at Shock at the Park.
San Diego local Angie Bunch was already a professional dancer in her 30s when she became excited about a cutting-edge new dance style: Hip Hop.
At the time in the ‘90s, hip hop dancers were largely independent without groups that could be incorporated into theaters or formal performances. With Bunch’s theatrical background, she knew she could manage a dance troupe that could simultaneously sate her interest in the burgeoning dance style. At the time, she was a Nike-sponsored Dance Athlete with expertise in jazz and musical theater.
“My rep said, ‘Oh, sure, Angela, I didn’t know you did hip hop. Let’s do this.’ I go, ‘No, I don’t. I’m going to,’” Bunch recalled.
With Nike’s permission, Bunch founded a brand new hip hop dance group that brought together street dancers to perform intricate choreography. Without Nike’s permission, Bunch publicized that this was a Nike-sponsored dance troupe, a mistake she laughs about today. With a recognizable name like Nike, her auditions were flooded with talent. She chose 20 dancers to make up the group that then had no name since Nike did not want to be associated with the troupe, only Bunch herself.
After several months of training and choreography, it was at a shared meal following a practice that the unnamed hip hop dance team came up with its eponym. A charismatic dancer noted that he was breaking bread with such a diverse set of people he probably would have never interacted with outside of their shared love of hip hop dance.
“It’s culture shock,” he declared. The members immediately said that was the name Bunch had been looking for. The dancer ran down the street to a pay phone to call Bunch and tell her they finally had a name: Culture Shock.
Thirty years later, Culture Shock is no longer just one adult dance team based in San Diego. Dance teams of all ages are based in cities across North America. Classes and other educational opportunities have been added. Interest from younger siblings caused new troupes to form: Mini Shock, for six-to-nine year olds, Mighty Shock for dancers aged 10-13 and Future Shock for teens under 18. Culture Shock also turned aside ideas about who can perform hip hop with its other team, Afta Shock which gives aging dancers a chance to be creative and perform.
“It is such a joy to share that space, that self expression together,” Bunch said.
About 125 San Diego-based dancers get spots on the teams at annual auditions. Classes, practices and rehearsals are held in a studio in Old Town that had to shut down for COVID-19 but is open again.
Culture Shock has trained dancers who became professionals as well as people who just enjoy dancing. Bunch noted that recently several alumnus were a part of Rihanna’s halftime show at the Super Bowl. “They are definitely entertaining the world.”
While the founder is still active in Culture Shock, the brand grew beyond Bunch. The first five years in particular were marked with explosive growth as hip hop formalized as a dance genre and incorporated new styles like breaking. She remained in San Diego and currently serves as the artistic director of the local chapter.
“I only saw Culture Shock. I didn’t see it expanding from there. I just kind of rolled with it. Why would I be surprised? Dance is a form of communication for so many people and it doesn’t matter what age they are,” Bunch said. “It became something far, far bigger than I ever imagined.”
Bunch is no longer able to dance due to extensive foot and ankle surgeries, but her artistic vision still guides the chapter. Prior to COVID, she fulfilled a longtime dream of producing a hip hop Nutcracker. For several winters, the group flipped the historic ballet with modern dance and pop culture references as well as playfully changing many of the genders and relationships in the story.
Other outposts in Oakland, Los Angeles, Atlanta, D.C., Toronto and more have had cultural impact in their own cities. While each chapter has their own events and performances, they all gather together each year for an October Showcase. The year’s showcase is returning to San Diego in honor of the group’s founding 30 years ago. Talented hip hop artists from across the country and Canada will perform at Mandeville Auditorium at UCSD this fall. The anniversary showcase will include alumnus performing some of the most impactful choreography from Culture Shock and demonstrating historic styles.
Before then, Culture Shock dancers will perform for free at Liberty Station in May so everyone can have a chance to see the teams dance.
Bunch has also written a new show she hopes to produce next year as a “send off.” Bunch might give up her office and formal title after celebrating 30 years with the group, but has no plans to ever stop being involved in Culture Shock or visiting the dance center on Hancock Street.
“My heart’s here and I love the space,” she said.
