Rennie Harris Puremovement
RHPM continues to flourish into our 30th Anniversary Season as we have emerged as the international Hip-hop dance ambassador and surviving senior member in the world of Hip-hop dance theater.
Our goal is to provide audiences with a sincere view of the essence and spirit of Hip-hop, rather than the commercially exploited stereotypes most often presented by the media.
Harris, a North Philadelphia native, founded RHPM based on the belief that hip-hop is the most important original expression of a new generation, with the unique ability to express universal themes that extend beyond racial, religious, and economic boundaries.
In 2007, RHPM and Harris garnered a number of coveted opportunities. Harris was named Artist of the Year by Pennsylvania’s First Lady Judge Marjorie O. Rendell and received one of 50 prestigious United States Artists Fellowships. RHPM was honored to receive one of Philadelphia’s ten “Rocky Awards” for our “absolutely heroic” efforts of producing (3) back-to-back opening nights at the Kimmel Center for our 15th Anniversary retrospective in June.
In a society where Hip-hop is often portrayed as a violent, undisciplined counterculture, RHPM deconstructs popular perception of this medium, expanding and challenging the boundaries and definitions of Hip-hop in general. As Hip-hop continues to be chosen as the modern generation’s medium of expression, RHPM works to honor its history, explore its ideas, and further its contributions to the surrounding community.