Oakland's Temescal Street Fair

From neighborhood streets to major stages, turf dancing has become a powerful expression of Oakland's creativity, storytelling, and community. This weekend dancers from across the region will compete in the Turf Inc Dance Competition as part of the Temescal Street Fair alongside music, food, fashion, and family entertainment. Joining us now to share the how the competition works and why the Temescal Street Fair is the perfect place to spotlight this art form, Kandi Martinez, co-director Temescal Street Fair, and Johnny Lopez, Turf Inc founder, along with some of the dancers here. And boy, I'm telling you, first of all, the festival, 20 years going, that's pretty big. Yes, thank you so much. We're very excited. And Johnny, you know, turf dancing is something that people may not know about. Yeah, so it's been around since the early 1998, and we took over in the early 2000s. And, you know, we have one of the dances that just landed from China last night. So it's something that we've been, you know, working and, you know, getting our culture out to the world. Right. It's been around. I've been looking at some of the videos. You think you could do that? No. I'm a salsa dancer. Thank you. Thank you. It looks like you have to be in really good shape, Johnny. Yeah. I mean, at least very flexible. I mean, you would think so. I mean, we have OG Mike that's, what, 63 years old, and he's still getting on with us. So, I mean, there's no gap on ages right now. Let me check my knees. First of all, let me ask you about the festival here. Why has it been so successful for 20 years? Sometimes street festivals don't make it. Yours has made it 20 years. Yes. Yeah. We're really, really honored to be celebrating this milestone. Turf Inc is celebrating the 14th anniversary. So almost as long, right? Yeah. Almost as long. And then also I just want to acknowledge we're celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Black Panther Party. The Black Panther Party has incredible roots and legacy in North Oakland and specifically Temescal. So we're folding that in and we're celebrating lots on Saturday. Why do you feel this is important for Oakland? Because lots of times, unfortunately, we talk about Oakland and some of the challenges. So this is something that we're talking about that's positive. Yeah. So we take a lot of pride into getting to welcome people to the Temescal, bring people together. I think that art, culture, music is their natural stewards of public safety. That's really how we're building community. We get to spotlight our small businesses. We get to provide platforms for our local artists. It's something I really believe in. It's a neighborhood we advocate for and fight for and love and root for every day. And there's great food. Yes. That part. You know that. I know that part. I know that part. Johnny, do you have your dancers here? Yeah. So we have a guy that he goes by the name of Entry. Don't be shy, brother. He just came back from China. I've known him since he was 12. Now he's close to 30s. And I mean, he took over the world now and he's based out of the Bay Area representing Turf Inc. Those are some nice kicks on him, Johnny. I mean, this is... Actually, your shoes don't slouch. Hey, come on. I got Dr. Martens. He went to a Nike show. I didn't know they make platform. Yeah, come on. Look at his shoes. Come on, man. Sponsored by Nike, man. Johnny, you've been dancing for a bit. I've been dancing since I was 12. I'm 37, so you can make the math. So I've been doing it for over 25 years and 14 years with Turf Inc. and preserving the culture in Oakland with Turf. And we have dancers that have been there from the beginning. And it's just the beginning for us. So we're just trying to share what we'd like to do in Oakland and how positive it is for the youth and community. And we're doing it at the Mesquite Street Fair. Let me ask you something. Someone's got to see this. You're going to do a demo in just a little bit. Yeah. Someone's going to see this and say, I want to do that. How do they do that? Easy. Follow us on Turf Inc. Send us a message. We've got the website, www.turfinc.com and just get in contact with us. We have dance programs. We have dance competition all year around and we stay busy. So we're easy access. Everybody's welcome. Yeah. So we've had the younger kids join us in the studio and now we have one of the adults here. So we have the baby, now you have the veteran. And then you have like a 63-year-old dude. Oh, gee, Mike. Yeah. Okay. So, all right. Ms. Martinez, you want to stand over here with me? Yes, I do. Are you going to come learn from us? What's going on? No, we're going to watch. We're going to watch first. We're going to watch. You know what? I will see how it looks and if I think I can wade into the waters, I will. All right, let's get it. Let's go. Let's go. They're treating the chicken on checks for the four corners on them. No, not a flex at all. That does Kevin. I've been rapping big, getting a lot of ways to catch up. I'm just now been dead. No kidding. For real Williams. You know what? You see some feel in it. Been going 18 since Captain Cotillion. We did it for the ethanol and hit the millions. Hey, who's stealing steps? Say F, we billing. It's nothing that they feeling. I'm trying to beat around the corner. Just know why you did it. I mean, I'm saying I will be all right. With the running back, maybe talking all night. If you wouldn't just here's but you know, I don't mind it. I don't front, baby. Let me get behind it. Temescal Street Fair is July 11th from 11 to seven. You'll see more of this. You might even see the youngsters and the oldsters there too. Mornings on two will return after a short break.