He's back. No, not the ghost from the "Poltergeist," but David Krich, also known as Kasper. The 26-year-old, world-renowned choreographer, disc jockey and reality TV star showed Ball State University he could dance during a two-day hip hop workshop last weekend. Krich taught the class at Ball State in 2005 and 2006 and has appeared on ABC's "Dance Fever" and Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance."
The Department of Theatre and Dance decided to sponsor the event after dance professor Sarah Mangelsdorf recently learned Krich returned from Los Angeles and moved back to Illinois because opportunities in Chicago are greater. About 40 people attended the class Saturday and Sunday in Ball Gym's Korsgaard Studio.
A small fohawk and baggy black cargo pants showed Krich's style clothing may have changed, but senior dance major Veronica Day said his quality of his hip-hop instruction remains unaffected.
He began his first class by leading his signature warm-up, which he adopted from one of his first dance teachers. The dance combination is similar to a basic aerobics class, including repetitive, side-to-side athletic movements executed with high energy and fast pacing.
Krich said he teaches the warm-up because people enjoy it.
"It was so much fun, and I looked forward to going to class everyday," Krich said. "I always say I dance because it's fun."
The warm-up was one of the highlights for Day, who also took some of Krich's classes last year.
"I like the fact that it is the same [warm-up] because I already knew it, and I wasn't concentrating on learning it, and I had more fun with it," Day said.
Day said she came to the workshop again this year because there are few opportunities at Ball State to take hip-hop classes, so she and other dancers jump at the chance when Krich comes to teach.
Krich said he sometimes likes teaching master classes to college dancers better than his regular studio dancers in Illinois because they are more receptive and appreciative. He said his classes are essentially a novelty for many colleges who primarily offer concert dance styles.
Some students are trying to make attending Krich's classes less novel and a more consistent part of their training. Junior dance major Brittany Grimm, who is primarily a concert dancer, has traveled to Chicago and other places to take Krich's workshops.
"I like his teaching style because he really breaks it down for the student before he moves on," Grimm said. "His hip-hop has a little more jazz in it."
Krich said he incorporated more classical elements into his dance because he realizes that many "hip- hoppers" are not formally trained and most choreographers use the French terminology at an audition that dancers will need to be able to understand.
The designs of Krich's classes are usually big, intricate movements that have a mechanical but fluid flair. This year he taught his version of fancy footwork in a Chicago-style house workshop, which he defined as dancing that goes on in a club where people feel the music and let the ambiance take control.
Chadae' McAlister, a junior musical theatre and dance major who has a strong hip-hop background, said she looked forward to the class being the more hard-core "house" footwork than she is used to but still enjoyed the workshop.
"I come from the Chicago land area where they do a lot of 'house,'" she said. "This had more of a traditional, funky hip-hop flavor to it rather than traditional house, but it was cool being able to mix up the styles."
Krich said he had to adapt the class to be accessible for dancers of all ability levels.
The patronage at the event represented different races, ages and education levels.
Trudy Yeatts, 49, attended the workshop with her friend's son. Yeatts said she danced from the time she was a child until she was 25 and developed a love for watching hip-hop. Yeatts picked up the choreography, rarely missing steps and received a high-five from Krich.
Patrons agreed that one of the reasons they attend Krich's master classes is because he is funny and personable.
Krich said that although teaching and performing have taken a toll on his body, he still teaches because his students reciprocate his high level of energy.
However, he is unsure how much longer he will continue to perform as a primary means of income.
"I don't know if this is the lifestyle I really want anymore," he said.
Krich said he would like to do another reality TV show such as the "Surreal Life."
"Put me on there with Flava Flav - that will be the coolest thing ever," he said.
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