The 818 Session is a krump circle that takes place every Wednesday at midnight in a Ralphs parking lot in North Hollywood. It is the subject of my thesis, and the focus of my L.A. Story Project for JOUR 599 with Sasha Anawalt. For this specific project, I will be looking at the ways these dancers reimagine public space for alternative, creative purposes. Seen by some as a form of protest, the dancers (mostly black and Latino youth) perform and release in and occupy a space that is designated to promote capitalism and commerce. Over the next few months, I will post content journaling my time at the sessions, making observations, and hopefully, raising issues of interest to a broad range of people.
Below is a 15-minute documentary that my classmate and I made last semester, which serves as an introduction to the 818.
The 818 Session 