Hip-Hop professor at Fresno State inspires students

Dance empowerment is a non-profit organization that uses dance to help keep kids physically active, away from drugs and violence and in school. Wayne Bryan Hurley created this dance team and has had much success as his team has grown throughout the years.

It has helped students like Brandon Torres who says he’s not the man he used to be.

”I made a lot of mistakes,” Torres said. “I did a lot of stupid stuff in my life. I really do feel like dance and this group that I surrounded myself with really did helped me get out of that and just helped me see the light out of the tunnel. It’s why I am the man today, for reals.”

Hurley has helped many kids who have come from rough backgrounds get out by dance. Hurley started his dance career in Fresno at a young age and was influenced by his mom, who played a lot of music around the house. He’s been dancing for 25 years. His goal is to share his message with the community.

“I always told myself that once I got further into my dancing, I wanted to create a program that’s going to give kids the opportunity to give back to the community and showcase their skills,” Hurley said. “And I just came up with Dance Empowerment one day and took it for a ride and been riding it ever since.”

If you are thinking about joining a dance group, Hurley says he will welcome anyone to his team.