From Engineer to Educator.
A UC Berkeley electrical engineer who discovered hip-hop dance — and spent the next 25+ years proving that anyone with the right system can learn to move.
The Unlikely Beginning
I wasn't supposed to be a dancer. I was an Electrical Engineering and Computer Science student at UC Berkeley — analytical, logical, and athletic. Then I tore my ACL.
Sidelined from snowboarding that winter, I flew back to Taiwan to visit family. A friend introduced me to three guys who had become household names there: the LA Boys. Originally from Los Angeles, they had won major dance competitions in Taiwan and headlined their own shows. I sat down with the oldest brother, Jeff, and heard how they got their start.
That conversation changed everything. As an Asian American, I had spent years feeling the pull toward a "safe" path — doctor, engineer, something respectable. Watching these guys own a stage cracked something open: logic and creativity weren't opposites. I could have both.
Learning From the Best
My first real instructor was Gary Kendell — one of the most gifted dancers I have ever seen. From the moment I watched him move, I knew I needed to learn from him. Gary was already being hired by major artists to choreograph and perform — including what we now call K-pop artists, before that term even existed. He became my big brother in dance.
In 1999, I connected with Pop'in Pete and Skeeter Rabbit of the legendary Electric Boogaloos — the originators of popping and Electric Boogaloo style. They took me in not just as a student, but like a little brother. I learned not only technique, but the history, culture, and spirit behind the movement.
Competing at the Highest Level
In the early 2000s, I formed CaliStyles — a crew built around Electric Boogaloo-style movement that competed and performed across the Bay Area, including as featured guests at UC Santa Cruz.
I was also a senior member and choreographer of Mindtricks — a Bay Area crew that became one of the most respected in the region. Several founding members of Mindtricks went on to form Jabbawockeez, who won MTV's America's Best Dance Crew and today headline their own show at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. One of my CaliStyles crew members, Bionic, went on to become a principal dancer in Michael Jackson ONE, the Cirque du Soleil production in Las Vegas.
Later, I formed DS Players. In 2007, we entered Body Rock — one of the most prestigious international hip-hop dance competitions in the country, drawing over 15 crews from across the US and abroad. We took 1st place.
After Body Rock and a series of competition wins that followed, America's Got Talent casting agents took notice. DS Players was invited to audition for the 2010 season in Los Angeles. We performed to a packed theater.
25+ Years of Teaching
I have been teaching hip-hop dance at Bay Area community colleges since 2002. What started as one class became a career spanning eight institutions, thousands of students, and every level of experience — from complete beginners to competitive dancers.
Beyond academia, I've taught at corporate campuses including Google and LinkedIn, fitness chains including 24 Hour Fitness, and multiple dance studios throughout the Bay Area. I currently co-direct Get Down Dance Studio in San Jose, California.
My Teaching Philosophy
Dance teachers often say it's hard to teach analytical, left-brained people how to dance. I disagree — and I've spent 25 years proving it.
My background in engineering isn't separate from my teaching — it's the core of it. I break movement down into logical, repeatable steps. I explain the mechanics behind every groove. I give students a system, not just inspiration.
“Dance is not a gift. It is a skill. And every skill can be taught — if you have the right method.”
Ready to start?
Begin with BeatFirst — the free rhythm trainer. No dance experience required. No judgment.