Meet Jit Happens

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jit Happens. Them and their team share their story with us below:

Jit Happens is a dance collective that was founded in 2019 by Gabrielle “Queen Gabby” McLeod. It consists of members Marcel “MoTown Cel” Bonds, Deha “Sae Cheeze” Brownleaf, Malaino “Asap” Ross, and McLeod. Our journey began when Marcel and Deha wanted to learn how to Jit, and Gabby began training both in the native Detroit dance style. Soon after, they decided to come together as a group to help push the culture forward in their respective lanes. After a year of being together, Malaino joined and provided a needed spark to the already energetic group of dancers. With much dedication to their training, creating content, and adapting to Jit being a lifestyle and not a hobby, Jit Happens soon emerged as a force within the Detroit dance scene. Our goal is to educate others about the culture and history of Detroit’s signature dance style. Jit defines the characteristics of the city of Detroit, and our plan is to continue to shine light on our hidden gem and bring it to the platform that it deserves. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has definitely not been easy. Although we are all natives to Michigan, half of our group has been located in different areas of the country throughout our tenure. Gabby is bi-coastal, sharing time in Los Angeles and Marcel is currently on tour with the Universoul Circus. That makes it difficult to have a consistent training schedule with all members present and limits the time we have to create content together. As with any collective group, we have our ups and downs with our different personalities coming together. Regardless of any situation, we all have the same goal and that makes us strong as a family. Also, with doing a style that is still on the rise, we have had to put an immense amount of effort into exposing Jit to the masses. Which can be exhausting on your mind and body, but our love for the craft makes all the hard work worth it. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Jit Happens is a dance collective that specializes in Detroit Jit, a dance style that was created for our city and by our city. We are known for bringing a new and youthful energy to the Jit culture. We also are a crew who focuses on keeping Jit’s traditional techno roots, but also expanding the dance by performing to contemporary rap music of today. Our style is fresh and invigorating while preserving the rich history that’s within Detroit Jit and Detroit Techno. We are most proud of the discipline we have to sticking to our plans and goals, our crew members’ personal growth as dancers, our contributions to the growth of Jit, and our resilience to keep this dance form alive. What sets us apart from others is that we have a different energy that allows us to connect with the OGs before us and the younger generation after us, who will be leaders of the culture in the future. Our work ethic also makes us stand out – for the short time we’ve been together we’ve accomplished a lot for ourselves, our city, and our culture. We are a team that stands fully behind our namesake, and we intend to continue to make Jit happen. 

What are your plans for the future?
Our plan for the future is continue to build Detroit Jit within the city that birthed it. We have began teaching in the Detroit Public School system, and plan to expand to more schools to create a bigger outreach to the youth. This will help create the next crop of Jitters, who can put this style on the forefront and carry on its legacy. We also strive to make Detroit Jit known worldwide, by exposing it through various channels such as social media and live performances. The world deserves to see the magic that this dance possesses, and with the right moves being made this dance style will captivate the world. Our goal to keep Jit rooted in its Detroit energy while sharing the gift of this dance with others across the globe 

Contact Info:

• Email: detroitjithappens@gmail.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/jithappens
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVLeVaQ1Z-FSIVemM_HJFkw/featured

Image Credits
Aaron Cross