.png)
We do not own Hip Hop!
This is a certification course for an Education Method..
In other words, this is a certification for an effective way to educate in Hip Hop & related genres. This is not THE certification for Hip Hop. Out of respect for the veterans/pioneers who trained me, and my many colleagues who have their own effective approach to Hip Hop education, I never attempt to claim ownership over Hip Hop. I will never try to tell you that this is the way it must be done, or that I am solely responsible for offering you the title of " Trained Hip Hop Teacher". I am here with a fully realized program to train you and help you understand the many angles of education and Hip Hop.
This program is a seasoned and well established format for making movement in Hip Hop, Breaking, Popping(and more) make sense. Furthermore, it is a massive course that teaches you how to understand and pursue more Hip Hop training. Beware the individuals that claim ownership of Hip Hop. It's bigger than that! The most important thing we can do is offer methods for teachers. Options. That is why this program is called "The Comix Method" and not "The Hip Hop Certification Program". This course is a result of the way I've taken decades of training under my mentors, and found success.
If you're here, it's very likely that you are looking for a way to improve your knowledge/educational approach. If you want a program that will guide you and educate you in a long term, highly detailed way...then let's get to it!
How It Works
The Comix Method: Resources
$399/year
This is everything you need for building or refreshing your Hip Hop curriculum. Resources grants you access to the Certified HQ and Resource Library of this site. Although this is not certification, it is a massive library of tutorials and downloadable files for you to use in your classroom. Some of the material includes:
-
Hip Hop Technique, Terminology Tutorial Videos
-
Breaking Technique, Terminology Tutorial Videos
-
Popping Technique, Terminology Tutorial Videos
-
Warmup Tutorials
-
Choreography Composition Tutorials
-
PDF Files: Games
-
PDF Files: Skill Trees
-
PDF Files: Class Lessons
-
PDF Files: Skill Checklists
Purchasing the Resources gives you annual access to the training material. This material is free for one year for Comix Method certified teachers, and half the price for each year after!
The Comix Method: Certification
$699.00(One Time Purchase)
Certification is a training course, plus everything else all in one. This course, powered by Thinkific, is a text/video based course that you can take at your own pace online at any time.
Purchasing the course gives you LIFETIME ACCESS to the course material.
Passing the course gives you ONE YEAR of valid certification which grants you additional perks:
-
Free access to all John Comix webinars.
Value: $150-$250/year
-
Access to the COMIX METHOD: RESOURCES section of this site at no additional cost. This includes an ever-growing set of tutorial videos for your continued training in the Resource Library, and downloadable files regarding class lessons, games, skill trees, checklists and so much more in the Certified HQ.
Value: $349/year
-
Access to additional thinkific courses on Hip Hop education.
-
Free one on one consultation with John "Comix" Barrella.
-
Free Curriculum for your classroom.
-
Free feedback on all of your choreography.
Renewal
Certified members can renew their subscription to keep their access to current and upcoming material for a fraction of the regular subscription price.
Resources Renewal Fee(For Certified Members): $199/year
The Comix Method is an education method designed by street dance educator John Comix Barrella. This program is designed to offer solutions to common problems in hip hop education & fill in the gaps where key knowledge is missing in dance schools.
Where many dance programs rely on a combo heavy approach to Hip Hop class, certified teachers train for a restructuring of the Hip Hop experience. One where much like other genres in the dance studio, history, technique, dance terms, & studies of related genres become the foundation for hip hop training.
Getting Certified means taking the official training course. Once you pass the course, you'll have all the perks a certified member receives. This includes 1 year of free access to online resources that live on this site, free access to all johncomix.com webinars, and one on one consultation.
What is
The Comix Method?
This program certifies you in a Teaching Method for Hip Hop.
Partners & Scholarships
Are you here because you saw this program on the website of a partnered program?
The Comix Method has discounts available to members of particular programs and scholarships available for others. If you're here to claim your member discount or scholarship, send an email to TheComixMethod@gmail.com today to get your registration started!
None of us owns Hip Hop. There are decades of hip hop history and a long list of pioneers and veterans that hold their place in this art form's culture. Furthermore, the range of cultures that develop and represent hip hop each have their own standards and practices. It would be impossible for an individual to represent hip hop in such a way that they would call their approach the official approach to teaching. For that reason, I specify that this method is an effective option for dance education. The certification course has been structured to inform on key facts about hip hop history and to teach a developed system that works with an understanding of long term education. By certifying, dance teachers gain the knowledge necessary to use my "John Comix Approach" for teaching hip hop and related styles. Therefore, teachers are certified in what we call The Comix Method.
This is Authentic Hip Hop Information delivered in a Dance Studio Setting.
An approach that combines both worlds without diluting either one.
By prioritizing foundational techniques and experiences that often get dismissed as "old school" , certified teachers have the opportunity to bring their students deeper into the world of hip hop than ever before. Each dance instructor that implements this education method gains access to a plethora of techniques and an inside look at how to bring them into their own classroom lessons or choreography.
.png)
All of the elements that form this program have been present in countless programs/events over the last decade. From Dance Conferences to Ted Talks, podcasts to performances, & teacher training events to choreography workshops, professionals just like you have been learning about this method for years. Now, we get to dig even deeper and certify YOU to do the work that propelled my work forward in countless ways.
.png)
When an individual of any profession has gained certification, they have proven that there has been time spent, knowledge obtained, or skills acquired for a particular job. Like any course you may take in any kind of school, certification courses start out with a collection of all the necessary components for earning the title of "certified". Depending on the profession, types of certification range from preferred to necessary in order to perform certain jobs. Other types of certification are simply a bonus and act as a highlight of additional skills an individual has that makes them exceptionally proficient in a job.
.png)
Dance certifications and degrees are wonderful additions to our past experience when we are considered for a new job. Certification programs that continue to offer guidance and resources are also ways to keep members informed with the latest developments in dance or any given field. Some dance teachers seek out certification programs specifically for the knowledge they can gain. Other dance teachers are seeking a new title to add to their arsenal of skills. Regardless, each certification is made to expand on your offerings in the dance world, and this program is no different. No matter which way you intend to utilize certification, it's the information you've acquired that will help you elevate your work.
.png)
.png)
I felt an urgency to help train teachers around the world, and that's exactly what I did. By doing guest appearances, hosting training seminars, & developing online resources for teachers, I've been able to assist in the development of quality information in the dance studio.
...But why is that necessary?
As time goes on, the call for accurate representation of street dance has grown louder. For every teacher out there that wants to understand hip hop better and has never had access to training in the background & techniques associated with it, there should be a pathway to a better understanding. There should be a way to grasp the fundamentals of hip hop when a teacher is willing and gaining such knowledge has been difficult to find. I've never wanted to simply tell a teacher that they should not be teaching this style. Not when they actually want to do it right. I've never wanted to tell a dance studio not to offer hip hop when there are no qualified teachers. Not when they want it in their studio and wish they could offer it properly.
Furthermore...
Some dancers out there have grown up understanding and training in hip hop, but their skills are restricted to knowledge & dance skills. When these teachers enter a studio setting, they sometimes have trouble adapting their work to a dance education format. Restricted to combos or insufficient ways to deliver technique, some street dancers lose out on opportunities simply because they haven't developed a completely independent skill - how to teach.
.jpg)
That's why I began training teachers.
There are standards for education & choreography development. There are also standards for true hip hop dance development. When these worlds collide, some aspects of hip hop that make it authentic representation can come into conflict with the dance studio model. On the flip side, dance studio structure & school year expectations can diminish certain necessary aspects of hip hop dance. More specifically, the expectation of the role hip hop class is supposed to play in the dance studio can water down the potential of hip hop education. In most cases, it is the dance studio structure that takes priority and we end up sort of doing our best to make it feel kind of close to hip hop. So when I began training teachers, I sought to develop methods for combining both worlds without having to dilute either one. Whether your strengths lie in hip hop knowledge or in childhood education, my methods have been helping people like you for the last decade.
The classes I host & the resources I offer have always operated as a one way system. I give you the information you need to do what ever you choose with it. The Comix Method is about taking it a step further. We're going to dive deeper into this kind of information and discuss the Why and the How with much greater detail. Using the certification course, you'll train and be tested on this sort of knowledge. Your relationship with this program will help you elevate your own classes to a place that respects both hip hop and education together.
Using the Method
Implementing This Method Means:
Knowing the history & pioneers of any dance style used in your class.
Regularly teaching foundational movement to your classes
Being open & honest about your area of expertise as well as areas you have not trained in.
Prioritizing technique.
Not structuring class as a combo-heavy experience.
Continuing your education in any style you teach.
Making sure your students know how to describe any genre they perform.
It also means not to..
Strictly use socially relevant/popular music to appeal to student preferences over foundational or genre-appropriate music genres.
Base all of their standard training choreography on jazz/hip hop fusion, commercial dance, tik tok dances, or other genres/trends that are not rooted in hip hop.
Rely on adult/sexual themes, lyrics, portrayals, or movement when crafting choreography.
Sound like your kind of program?
Jump to FAQs
Get some quick questions answered right now before you get started!
New Lessons, New Content. Always.
Dance Teachers can register for this program any time of year. Certification resources are available to you for 1 year from the date of course completion. Throughout the entire year, certified teachers receive regular updates to the available content in the Resource Library. The content in the library changes throughout the year and new content is added each year. As long as you have an active membership, you will continue to gain access to more techniques, dance terms, free choreography samples, dance games, & the massive discounts on workshops or consultation only available to certified individuals.
The Work Never Stops
As the world of dance education is ever-changing, new conversations & alternative ideas are always in the works to make sure our classes remain effective. You will find that the available content each new year will constantly be evolving.
Once an individual's certification year has expired, access to the latest in the resource library as well as all other perks expire along with in. Not to worry! Certified teachers get the resources for HALF the price of the annual fee. It is SIMPLE to renew membership & CHEAPER for every returning teacher. Want the biggest discount available? Teachers that provide video examples of any lessons or choreography implemented within this program get the lowest recertification rate possible!