E-mail a friendJune 21, 2005
Journalist John Merrow discusses the demise of higher education in the U.S. Urban dancers Tommy the Clown & Dragon say kids leave their issues on the dance floor during clownin' and krumpin' battles.
John Merrow
John Merrow
Peabody Award-winning journalist John Merrow is President of Learning Matters, Inc., a nonprofit corporation that produces The Merrow Report on PBS and NPR. He's a former high school teacher, who began his public broadcasting career at NPR with a show about school finance. He also covered youth and education on The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour and at The Learning Channel. In his latest documentary on PBS, Declining By Degrees: Higher Education At Risk, Merrow takes a look at education in America.
Tommy the Clown & Dragon
Tommy the Clown & Dragon
Featured in the theatrical documentary Rize, Tommy Johnson (aka Tommy the Clown) and one of his crew dancers, Jason Green (aka Dragon), will no doubt become well-known outside of their South Central L.A. neighborhood. The founder of Hip-Hop Clowns & Entertainment, Tommy created 'clownin',' the urban dance phenomenon, which began as a response to the '92 Rodney King riots. While wearing clown makeup, young people participate in 'clownin'' and (the more aggressive) 'krumpin'' competitions as an alternative to gang activity.