Our Philosophy
Cypher Side is an urban dance school located in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro, also known as the Twin Cities. The Twin Cities is the most diverse area in the Midwest and a hotspot of urban and hip hop culture. Cypher Side’s founder, Lue Thao, was born in Thailand to a refugee family and raised in the Twin Cities, where he fell in love with hip hop and breakdancing. In 2017, Lue traveled back to the country where he was born to teach dance at an orphanage and in Hmong villages. He was deeply moved by the joy that dance brought to the children. After he returned, he opened a school to share his passion with the community that raised him. At Cypher Side, we are constantly amazed by the transformative power of dance in the lives of our students, their families, and the community.
A “cypher” is an important hip-hop ritual in which dancers circle up and take turns dancing in the center. In the center, a dancer can express themselves and their personal style, as well as respond to another dancer in a type of kinetic conversation. For example, they might show how they were inspired by another dancer, or they might try to compete with another dancer. Meanwhile, dancers at the edge of the circle constantly cheer on the dancer in the center. This creates an atmosphere of mutual encouragement and builds a sense of togetherness.
At Cypher Side, we recreate the energy of a cypher in all that we do. We intentionally foster supportive relationships and cultivate an attitude of continuous growth. Our studio is a place where people can find community and belonging. Unsurprisingly, we’ve attracted students from all backgrounds, including youth, BIPOC individuals, LGBTQIA+ folx, and people with disabilities. Through them, we’ve witnessed the profound and positive impacts of dance. Dance has helped them to overcome mental health challenges and stressors (including bullying), break stereotypes and barriers, reclaim their narratives, show pride in their identity, and build solidarity with each other. As they hone their craft, our students build lifelong confidence, strength, and grit.
We know that dance is particularly critical for certain communities:
Youth: Dance paves the way for youth to lead healthy, violence-free lifestyles and relationships. For Cyper Side owner and director Lue “Finisher” Thao, dance was something that kept him off the streets. In his youth, he had many figures in his life who were involved in gangs. However he was never drawn to that life. Instead, he invested his time and energy into his love for dance and the bonds he created with fellow dancers. Moreover, improving one’s craft requires self-discipline and enhances self-esteem, which is why dancers possess confidence, strength, and grit–qualities that individuals need to succeed. Our youth report that dance helps them refocus their energy on the positive aspects of their life, helping them to overcome mental health challenges, bullying, and other psychosocial stressors. Cypher Side has established itself as a hub for youth dance culture
BIPOC: Dance is a means by which marginalized communities reclaim their narratives and show pride in their heritage. Thus, dance is particularly meaningful for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals. Dance forms such as hip hop and breakdancing have strong roots in 1960s and 1970s Black arts movement, which critiqued the sociopolitical inequalities. At Cypher Side, we believe that “art is for the community.” We show up for and give back to the community whenever possible.
LGBTQIA+: Art has always been a tool of liberation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, Queer, intersex, asexual, (LGBTQIA+), gender nonconforming (GNC), non-binary (NB), and gender expansive folks. Dance allows people to explore who they are and embrace their authentic self. Cypher Side is a place where people who transcend social norms can be their authentic selves.
People with disabilities: We believe that people with disabilities (sometimes referred to as those who are differently-abled) are creators of art. We want to ensure that all people have access to practicing their dance craft. For this reason, Cypher Side offers dance classes for adults with developmental disabilities.
We believe in the transformative power of dance to uplift communities and promote well-being. Dance is about self-exploration, self-expression, self-liberation, and self-discipline. It is also about building bonds, relationships, and community. We know that dance is particularly critical for certain communities: Dance matters, and we are committed to elevating the value of dance and the importance of dance artists. We hope to inspire others to join us in creating a brighter world through dance.