Choreographer Rennie Harris on Hip-Hop Roots and Reaching Young Audiences

Philadelphia choreographer and Pew Fellow Rennie Harris is known for innovative street dance: bringing social dances rooted in hip-hop culture to the concert stage. In this interview excerpt, Harris talks about the thematic underpinnings of his production Losing My Religion and the impact of his creative residency at Penn Live Arts, which included engaging high school students in community dance programs. Harris says making young theatergoers feel seen “is everything.” Filmed on March 20, 2026 at Penn Live Arts, Philadelphia Highlights: 00:00 Taking a “humanitarian” approach to street dance theater. 02:02 The impact of an artist residency at Penn Live Arts. 04:58 How hip-hop dance makes young theatergoers feel seen. ----- Subscribe to the "Pew Center for Arts & Heritage" Channel HERE: https://bit.ly/3pfhGqW Follow "Pew Center Arts" on Instagram HERE: https://bit.ly/3pbEsju Like "Pew Center Arts" on Facebook HERE: https://bit.ly/3rM9ccO Get the latest Fellows news, Questions of Practice videos, and upcoming Center-funded events. Subscribe to our newsletter HERE: https://bit.ly/332Fh5Q To learn more, visit our website HERE: https://bit.ly/2HbuH4S ----- The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage (the Center) is a multidisciplinary grantmaker and hub for knowledge-sharing, dedicated to fostering a vibrant cultural community in Greater Philadelphia. The Center invests in ambitious, imaginative, and catalytic work that showcases the region’s cultural vitality and enhances public life, and we engage in an ongoing exchange of ideas concerning artistic and interpretive practice with a broad network of cultural practitioners and leaders.