Babatunji Johnson

Babatunji Johnson was born in Portland, Oregon and grew up on the Big Island of Hawaii. Though never formally trained as a child, Babatunji was always moving his body to the beat. At the age of 15, he discovered the art of hip hop. Following over a decade of self-taught street performance, he has developed a unique approach to various styles of hip hop such as breaking, popping, and krump. While cultivating his own movement language, Babatunji simultaneously trained in ballet, modern, and contemporary. Babatunji has performed with Lines Ballet, Post Ballet, SFDanceworks, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Misty Copeland. In 2015 Babatunji was given a Princess Grace Award, as well as a Chris Hellman Award for his outstanding achievements and promise in the world of dance, and in 2024 he was given the Gerbode Dance Award.