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TMM Adventure Tour 2024: Recap of June!

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The Advocate Feature: Performers Take Children Through History of Dance, Musical Genres at Library Program

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The TMM Project show at the Denham Springs-Walker Branch of the Livingston Parish Library System ends with a second line. Some of the second liners join the four members of the TMM Project for a wave goodbye as the show concluded following an hour-long performance.

The TMM Project comprised of, from left, Torrez Va’Shaun Hypolite, Kenrie Martin, Nick Sedita and Terrance Michael Morgan, performed at the Denham Springs-Walker Branch of the Livingston Parish Library System on Saturday, June 15. The group offered lively dance and music revue that brought much clapping and cheering from the audience.

Abigail Stueber joins Torrez Va’Shaun Hypolite dancing a hip hop number during a performance by the TMM Project at the Denham Springs-Walker Branch of the Tangipahoa Parish Library System on Saturday, June 15. Several children were invited to join the dancers during the show.

Torrez Va’Shaun Hypolite, left, a member of the TMM Project, offers dancing instructions to Waylon Varnado who was asked to come up and perform with the group.


The history of several musical genres and dance was brought to life June 15 as the TMM Project visited the Denham Springs-Walker Branch of the Livingston Parish Library.

The audience was treated to lively, educational, interactive and humorous music and dance performance offered by the TMM Project.

The True Mission Matters Project is the creation of Terrance Michael Morgan, who started the educational music and dance revue about six years ago in Acadiana, the home base of the four performers.

Joining Morgan for the show were Torrez Va’Shaun Hypolite, Kenrie Martin and Nick Sedita.

Morgan, Hypolite and Martin were whirlwinds of movement as they danced their way through the performance while keeping a constant conversation going on with the audience. The three demonstrated a variety of dances that included jumps and falls along with intricate steps and even some stunts that involved jumping over one another.

Morgan explained at the outset that the four are involved in arts in education and that they entertain at schools, in libraries, at fundraisers and other venues where they are afforded the opportunity to share lessons about music and dance and in some cases, life lessons.

The quartet has performed at Jazz Fest in New Orleans and at other concert events in different states.

“We want to welcome people of all ages to the world of music and dance. We want our audiences to have fun and to be entertained while we teach them about the joy and fulfillment that can come through music and dance,” Morgan said.

For the Livingston performance the four spotlighted jazz, hip-hop, break dancing and what was termed street music and dancing. Martin on saxophone and Sedita on drums provided the only live sound but they made plenty of music with only the two instruments.

Throughout the performance the audience was considered part of the show. The dancers brought children up to join in a several numbers and the show ended with a rousing “second-line" that involved all who cared to join in the happy procession.

All that jazz

An explanation and examination of jazz was the first offering of the afternoon. As Martin blew a snappy tune on the sax Sedita would respond with beats on his drums and cymbals. When the music stopped, Hypolite explained that jazz was all about improvisation; musicians talking to each other through their instruments.

“Jazz includes many different musical forms and gave birth to others. Music associated with jazz are blues, ragtime, spirituals and even military marching bands,” he said.

To demonstrate the latter, he led the audience in a dance that included saluting and use of what he called “jazz hands.” Several children joined the dancer as he showed time some special steps associated with dancing in jazz halls of old.

The history of street dancing then moved west to Los Angeles where a dance style known as “locking” was invented by teenagers who later became performers on “Soul Train,” the dance show that entertained millions on television each week. The name “locking” came from a part of the dance when the dancer would “lock” into a certain position before starting to move once again.

Lessons in hip-hop

Hip-hop music, Hypolite explained, was born 50 years ago. He said that hip-hop was born of the generation that also spawned graffiti as an art form. “Maybe graffiti doesn’t agree with everyone, but it is art and some of it is even moving art, what you see on the sides of boxcars. It was all part of the culture,” he explained.

Break dancing was the next genre demonstrated by the four. Morgan called up a half-dozen children for a lesson on basic break dance moves. He and Hypolite then offered a polished performance that included jumps over each other that elicited claps and cheers from the audience.

In a salute to Juneteenth, Morgan said Juneteenth was, “all about freedom and the celebration of everyone being free.” He pointed out that many African Americans made great contributions to the nation’s music and dance legacy. He then asked the audience to name their favorite African American musicians. The audience responded with a litany of names that have become part of the nation’s music treasury.

The show ended with the second-line that gave all who wished the opportunity to be part of the show.

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TMM Adventure Tour 2024: Summer Tour Across The State!

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June 1 - West Baton Rouge Branch Library - 10am, 11am
June 3 - St. Rose Branch Library - 2pm, 3pm
June 3 - East Regional Branch Library - 6pm
June 4 - Paradis Branch Library - 2pm, 3pm
June 4 - West Regional Branch Library - 6pm
June 5 - Cecilia Branch Library - 11am
June 5 - Breaux Bridge Branch Library - 3pm
June 6 - Parks Branch Library - 11am
June 6 - St. Martin Branch Library - 3pm
June 7 - Crowley Rice Theater - 2pm
June 8 - Children’s Museum of Acadiana - 11am
June 10 - Judge George W. Armstrong Library - 11am
June 11 - Vidalia Branch Library - 10:15am
June 11 - Ferriday Branch Library - 2pm
June 15 - Denham Springs-Walker Branch Library - 1pm
June 19 - West Baton Rouge Camp - 10am
June 21 - Academy of the Sacred Heart - 9:30am
June 21 - Paula G. Manship YMCA - 1:30pm
June 24 - Loreauville Branch Library - 10am
June 24 - Lydia Branch Library - 2pm
June 25 - Armand J. Brinkhaus Community Library - 2pm
June 26 - St. Gabriel School - 10:30am
June 26 - Plaquemine Library Main Branch - 2:30pm
July 6 - Children’s Museum of Acadiana - 11am
July 8 - Rapides Parish Main Library - 10am
July 8 - Libuse Branch Library - 2pm
July 9 - Hineston Branch Library - 10am
July 9 - Boyce Branch Library - 2pm
July 10 - West Baton Rouge Camp - 10am
July 10 - Robertson Branch Library - 10am
July 10 - Martin Branch Library - 2pm
July 11 - St. Bernard Parish Library - 11:30am
July 12 - Westside Branch Library - 10am
July 12 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch Library - 2pm
July 17 - Summer at McGehee - 1:30pm
July 24 - Hamilton/South Caddo Branch Library - 10am
July 24 - Broadmoor Branch Library - 4:30pm
July 25 - Hollywood/Union Ave. Branch Library - 10am
July 25 - Mooretown Library Branch - 4pm
July 26 - North Caddo Branch Library - 10:30am
July 26 - Cedar Grove/Line Ave. Branch Library - 3:30pm
July 27 - North Shreveport Branch Library - 11am
July 27 - David Raines Branch Library - 2pm
July 31 - West Feliciana Parish Library - 11am
TBD - SPAR - City of Shreveport

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Pam Atchison joins our HALL of H.Y.P.E. as our 4th Award Recipient!

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Truly honored & blessed for the ArtBreak Festival experience. We had the privilege to present our Stay H.Y.P.E. Award to an arts in education icon Pam Atchison. Special thank you to the president of the Shreveport Regional Arts Council Mr. Henry Price & their entire staff. You guys are amazing!

Mrs. Pam Atchison

Check out footage from the press conference from the ceremony below!

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318 Forum Magazine Feature: True Mission Matters

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Shout-out to 318 Forum Magazine! We appreciate you highlighting our mission at this year’s ArtBreak Festival.

Shreveport Regional Arts Council

#Arts #ArtsEd #ArtBreak #TheTMMProject


Originally posted TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 2024

TRUE MISSION MATTERS

BY 318 Forum

YOU GOT RHYTHM, YOU CAN SING, YOU’VE GOT A VOICE —EXPRESS YOURSELF!

The founders of ArtBreak have believed since the first festival in 1984 that the lives of students could be improved through the Arts—visual, literary, performance, film, culinary, fashion and more. It’s a belief shared in the founding principles of (TMM), Louisiana’s premier performing Arts in Education collective and the star attraction on the McDonald’s Gilley stage throughout the week of ArtBreak 38. TMM is on a mission to improve the lives of today’s youth by promoting positive youth development through dance, speaking, and more.

TMM was started by Acadiana native Terrance Michael Morgan to encourage self-expression and creativity. The TMM Project artists have reached 750,000 students since 2021 and millions over the past decade performing interactive programs that feature a live DJ and saxophonist. These performers creatively combine upbeat musical instruments such as the bass drum, Cajun drum, and tongue drum with unique street dance styles including waving, breaking, house, and step-dancing to inspire children to explore their creativity and talent and to foster a sense of confidence and enthusiasm for artistic expression.

“We are extremely honored that we were chosen to headline this year’s ArtBreak Festival,” says Morgan. “We will be performing our Get H.Y.P.E. - How You Prepare Everyday program. We’ll be using live music, Dj, and dance to get everyone hyped up for ArtBreak.”

Founder Morgan is a self-taught dancer doing mostly free-style (Improvisation) where he was introduced to hip hop dance style of B-Boying. This led to him becoming a member of local dance groups around the community. His Parc Jam at Festival de International in Lafayette, LA has become an internationally known event. Morgan was a featured headliner on the Children’s Stage at New Orleans’ Jazz Fest. He has appeared on NBC’s America’s Got Talent, Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance, and has performed live at the infamous Apollo Theatre in New York City. He was awarded the Louisiana Volunteer Service Award by Louisiana’s Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser in 2019.

“We are extremely honored that we were chosen to headline this year’s ArtBreak Festival,” says Morgan. “We will be performing our Get H.Y.P.E. - How You Prepare Everyday program. We’ll be using live music, DJ, and dance to get everyone hyped up for ArtBreak.”

TMM will perform for 2nd & 3rd grade students on the McDonald Gilley stage throughout the week and for ArtBreak Family Festival on Friday and Saturday.

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TMM Headlines ArtBreak 2024 - The South's Largest Student Arts Festival!

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We are beyond grateful to be headlining the largest student arts festival in the South - ArtBreak 2024! ArtBreak showcases each school’s visual, literary, cultural, and performing arts programs.

To read the official statement from the festival see below:
VIA @artbreaksb on Facebook:

"YOU GOT RHYTHM, YOU CAN SING, YOU’VE GOT A VOICE—EXPRESS YOURSELF!"

The founders of ArtBreak have believed since the first festival in 1984 that the lives of students could be improved through the Arts—visual, literary, performance, film, culinary, fashion and more. It’s a belief shared in the founding principles of True Mission Matters (TMM), Louisiana’s premier performing Arts in Education collective and the star attraction on the McDonald’s Gilley stage throughout the week of ArtBreak 38. TMM is on a mission to improve the lives of today’s youth by promoting positive youth development through dance, speaking, and more.

We'll be posting about the project all week long, so make sure to keep your eyes open for new posts!

TMM will perform on both of the McDonald Gilley stages throughout the week and for ArtBreak Family Festival on Friday @ 7:30 pm and Saturday @ 5 pm.

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AcA's 2024 Arts Experiences for All in Lafayette Parish Elementary Schools!

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Extremely grateful for the opportunity to perform at all of the Lafayette Parish Elementary Schools through the Acadiana Center for the Arts (“AcA”) 2024 Arts Experiences for All program!

The AcA’s annual program ensures that every student in Pre-K through 5th grade receives an in-school experience and field trip in all art forms. To find out more about the AcA, visit: AcadianaCenterfortheArts.org

In addition to visiting elementary schools across the parish performing our interactive Arts in Education program to get students hyped up for LEAP testing, the TMM Project was also proud to present our 3rd Annual Stay H.Y.P.E. Award (How You Prepare Everyday) to the students, faculty and entire Cougar Community at Evangeline Elementary and induct them into the HALL of H.Y.P.E. to celebrate their success of achieving the most gains in the previous year for LEAP scores!

Congrats again to the Cougars! To learn more about our Stay HYPE Award, see past winners or nominate someone for the award, click HERE.

The TMM Project
The True Mission Matters Project

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