On his jookin-style move, Jadyn Smooth got the champion. After watching his dance, I have to say I am done. The video above is MP3 v. Jaydn Smooth. Even though you catch a glimpse of it, you will sharply hit why it is called “urban ballet”— performed in sneakers rather than pointe shoes. The dance is about footwork: graceful slides, dizzying toe spins, and impossible-looking ankle breaks. Visually and fundamentally, it is similar to Krumping but just less extreme. The dance encourages people to dig into something positive and constructive. 

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Memphis Jookin is also called “Gangsta Walking” when “Gangsta Walking” 1st stated, it was born from the street and clubs of Memphis as a simple “walk with a bounce,” it is often seen as a form of self-expression and relief from the hardships of living within the inner city. Like Jadyn Smooth, a street dance legend, he dances with his soul when the music starts. 

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Today, several schools in Memphis teach the dance style, and the new generation of jookers meet in "bump sessions" at parking lots and home garages to practice their moves.

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Twelve years ago, Terrance Smith (a.k.a. G-Nerd) started the Memphis Jookin Warz. In this annual battle, dancers have an opportunity to showcase their skills and connect with the jookin community. “We don't have many platforms, so it’s like we had to build this one from the ground up,” Smith says.

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Now Smith, 32-year-old, is part of the “older generation,” watching young dancers like 16-year-old Dra’em Hines—whose dad introduced him to jookin—rise through the scene. “The new generation is bringing originality and just crazy moves,” he says. “They have the ability out of this world.”