- Hello everybody.

I'm Satori Shakoor.

Welcome to Detroit Performs Live from Mary Grove, where Detroit's talented artists take the stage and share insights into their creations.

Today's episode is curated by our partner organization Jit Masters.

We'll see performances by JunesFlow, Shawescape, and the Jit Masters themselves.

It's gonna be an energetic evening.

So get up and get moving, on Detroit Performs Live from Mary Grove.

- [Narrator] Funding for Detroit Performs is provided by the: Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, The A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Foundation, Gregory Haynes and Richard Sonenklar, The Kresge Foundation, The Michigan Arts and Culture Council, The National Endowment for the Arts, the DeRoy Testamentary Foundation, and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

(energetic music) - Welcome to Detroit Performs Live from Mary Grove.

I'm here with Michael Smith owner of Jit Masters.

Welcome Michael.

- Oh, well, thank you.

- So tell us about when you first started Jit Masters.

What was the concept?

What was the mission?

- Well, when I first started, it was really just me showing my my daughter, she's a dancer and I was really just trying to show her that her dad used to dance.

I went to the high school for performing arts, Here in Detroit, and it was one of those things where I was just trying to show her, but it transitioned into me just really just trying to get my health together.

And it ended up turning that my old passion was, was dance.

- Okay.

- And I was like, well, let me talk to one of the studio owners that used to be an old teacher of mine.

- Mhm - And I knew if I would teach, I would have to be there for whoever was gonna come.

And then also in doing that it re-sparked a passion that I had in high school.

- Why do you think jit dancing is important to the city of Detroit?

- I would say that it's spiritual really, in a sense.

It sparks a lot of energy and passion amongst everybody that's around.

And everybody is full of joy.

And you know, it's one of those things that everybody's just, regardless if you know how to do it or not, it just, you you get excited about it.

It just does something to you.

- And what performances are we seeing today?

- You're gonna see my performance crew.

So, not only do we have a ton of students from age seven to seventy at Jit Masters but usually after they kind of get, you know, going we actually invite some of the people into our performance crew.

And you're also gonna see Shawescape Renegade.

And JunesFlow, I think that Shawescape and June were ideal candidates to kind of make this well-rounded as far as the music.

So, it's the art it's, you know, the way that it makes us feel is Detroiters, the way we go hard on things.

- Thank you, Michael Smith.

Thank you for Jit, Masters.

Thank you for all you do.

- Oh yeah.

Thank you.

- And now we're headed to the stage to see JunesFlow.

- Detroit performs.

Welcome to the show.

My name is JunesFlow ♪ Back when seven miles we lit ♪ ♪ cars bumper to bumper ♪ ♪ east Jefferson was off the hook ♪ ♪ I mean Jefferson was smothered ♪ ♪ but then you hit the bridge ♪ ♪ crossed over to Belle Isle ♪ ♪ We've been on the rock for two hours ♪ ♪ but only drove a mile ♪ ♪ Been working hard all week ♪ ♪ couldn't wait to get to Friday ♪ ♪ And my CD player Anita Baker ♪ ♪ Guy Jodeci and Sade ♪ ♪ Aw, man's your system bumping, ♪ ♪ your speakers sounding loud.

♪ ♪ But these fifteens in my trunk, ♪ ♪ said they came to show it all down.

♪ ♪ Now dances come and go.

♪ ♪ We know they changed like the weather ♪ ♪ but we started something decades ago.

♪ ♪ We can't, nobody do it better.

♪ ♪ And I would never lie to you.

♪ ♪ It ain't that easy to get, ♪ ♪ but pay close attention.

♪ ♪ Detroit long lived Jit.

♪ - Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

(music continues) - Somebody out there said this, ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ Let me hear y'all ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ The 1 time for the culture ♪ ♪ 2 times for the love ♪ ♪ 3 times for all a falling soldiers ♪ ♪ the greats up above ♪ ♪ I'm a slave to the drums ♪ ♪ Mama, look what I become ♪ ♪ I try looking for competition ♪ ♪ but there seems to be none ♪ ♪ 6 AM in the morning ♪ ♪ we don't stop to the sun ♪ ♪ It's coming up my number's up ♪ ♪ And we just here to have fun ♪ ♪ You might not believe it ♪ ♪ You might not even buy it ♪ ♪ but when you see the people move ♪ ♪ you might go home and try it ♪ ♪ I knew it like I was psychic dope ♪ ♪ since flip phones and sidekicks ♪ ♪ The rhyme here is classic ♪ ♪ and the moves you see are timeless ♪ ♪ And I would never lie to you ♪ ♪ It ain't that easy to get ♪ ♪ paying close attention ♪ ♪ long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ Somebody said Long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ Ah Long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ what up sonic ♪ Long live jit ♪ ♪ Long live jit ♪ ♪ Long live jit ♪ what up Juju ♪ Long live jit ♪ ♪ Long live jit ♪ ♪ Long live jit ♪ ♪ Detroit performing for you ♪ ♪ Uh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah ♪ Uh uh one more time ♪ Long live jit ♪ ♪ Long live jit ♪ ♪ Long live jit ♪ ♪ Long live jit ♪ ♪ Long live jit ♪ ♪ Long live jit ♪ One time for yourselves.

One time for Detroit dance culture.

Once again, shout to Detroit performs.

My name is JunesFlow.

♪ Yeah yeah ♪ ♪ Long live jit ♪ need some more mic ♪ Long live jit ♪ ♪ Come on, come on.

♪ ♪ The club was lit last night.

♪ ♪ I mean, everybody was there.

♪ ♪ Adult DJ no drama bottles everywhere.

♪ ♪ But then the music has fed up ♪ ♪ and everybody formed this circle.

♪ ♪ The younger dude told the old school watching it easy.

♪ ♪ I won't hurt you.

♪ ♪ The younger dude had the moves.

♪ ♪ That was a shock of big Sean with the old school began.

♪ ♪ The dude made everybody turn.

♪ ♪ They cameras on his feet was going crazy.

♪ ♪ I mean, how fast can they get?

♪ ♪ I seen this dance before back home.

♪ ♪ We called this the jit ♪ ♪ Jit jit jit jit jit jit jit jit jit jit jit jit jit ♪ ♪ Let's go.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Let's go.

♪ ♪ Hold up.

♪ ♪ It's something that I can explain.

♪ ♪ You just gotta see it done.

♪ ♪ We used to battle for money ♪ ♪ but now we just do it for fun.

♪ ♪ It's like a secret society.

♪ ♪ Pass down through generations.

♪ ♪ You get your routine down.

♪ ♪ We'll see if you are ready for graduation.

♪ ♪ And everybody's waiting ♪ ♪ while that pace is earthquakin ♪ ♪ We all do it a little different.

♪ ♪ So there is no relation ♪ ♪ and your feet be going crazy.

♪ ♪ I mean, how fast can they get ♪ ♪ Seen the dance before ♪ ♪ In Detroit we call this the jit ♪ ♪ Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on ♪ ♪ come on, come on, come on, come on.

♪ ♪ Yeah.

Yeah.

♪ ♪ Let's go.

Let's go.

Let's go.

♪ ♪ jit jit jit jit jit jit jit jit jit jit jit ♪ ♪ Shout to the east side.

♪ ♪ West side, up side, Southwest ♪ ♪ East side, west side, north side ♪ ♪ Southwest east side, west side.

♪ ♪ North end.

♪ ♪ Southwest.

Yeah ♪ ♪ Detriot culture come on ♪ ♪ jit jit ♪ ♪ jit jit ♪ ♪ jit jit ♪ ♪ jit ♪ ♪ Let's go.

Let's go.

Lets go now ♪ ♪ One time for the ladies in the house now ♪ ♪ one time for the ladies in the house now ♪ ♪ here we go now ♪ ♪ let me see your foot work.

♪ ♪ I said, let me see your foot work.

♪ ♪ Come on, come on.

♪ ♪ Jit.

Jit, Jit, Jit, Jit ♪ ♪ East side west side Southwest ♪ ♪ East side west side Southwest ♪ ♪ East side West side North end Southwest ♪ ♪ all over the globe ♪ ♪ Long live jit ♪ ♪ Long live jit ♪ ♪ Long long jit ♪ ♪ long live jit ♪ ♪ one time ♪ What up doe Let's go Juju (music continues) ♪ jit jit jit ♪ ♪ Detroit Detroit Detroit Detroit ♪ ♪ Somebody say Detroit ♪ Somebody say long live jit peace Detroit performs.

My name is JunesFlow.

We out - Wow.

Wow.

Wow.

Wow we Did it give you energy?

It gave me energy.

I just feel woo.

And I'm sitting here.

I'm honored to be sitting here with JunesFlow.

- Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

- Thank you for being here.

- Me too.

Me too.

- I gotta calm down.

Calm down.

- I know a little bit.

- So tell us about the dance form Jit, how you got involved, and what is your Vision?

- It's it's started in, in like the seventies shout to the Jitterbugs techno ghetto tech beats is what is pretty much done to and me being an MC it felt pretty natural to just try to provide new music for the dance culture.

- And what would you say your role as the MC is with the dancers?

- Mine is just, again, just to provide new music to a lot of the people in the dance culture.

It is definitely more than just a dance like it's coming off of, of, of techno and ghetto tech and predominantly the urban cities, urban areas of Detroit.

And, but it's spread out.

I mean, it's all cultures involved now.

It is sometimes release a lot of guys.

Talk about how they're going through something.

Dance is what, what helps them get through it?

- Like therapy?

Yeah, like therapeutic and for the city of Detroit it's a new generation now, you know, shout out to Jit Masters though, because they are teaching kids.

It's good for the fact that Detroit gets to see Detroit dance culture with present day music, new music.

- And what, what do you write about?

- So there's a song called the Circle, uh Long Live Jit 1 that was for me personally influenced by going to a particular Sunday event shout to Ron hall, shout to Dotso.

but they had a weekly event where it was just straight dancing.

They used to just get around a circle and go crazy.

That was the vision of one song.

Long Live Jit is the title song from the first album Long Live Jit.

And we did budget.

Both of those or actually one song was produced by Mark Cooper.

And the second song was produced by DJ EDT.

- So thank you JunesFlow for being here and sharing your art.

And now we're going to the stage to see Shawescape.

(techno music) (techno music continues) (music continues) (music fades) - We're back from the stage from an exhilarating performance and I'm here with Shawescape.

- Thank you.

Thank you.

- Welcome.

Oh my Goodness.

- Thank you for having me appreciate it.

- All right.

All right.

So tell us about your career as a artist, as DJ and as a musician for the group - In short, I'm an Detroit electro artist and kind of been producing the sound since about, maybe about 2008 or so, but I've always kind of been in the events of things.

It's a sound that's kind of been around since like the eighties and the nineties and whatnot.

And as far as the group, I used to dance and Michael Smith actually reached out to me to come out and come and perform with them.

- Okay, and what is electro?

- So electro is one of those things.

A lot of people would describe as a, a sound of the future.

It's a funky feel, very urban.

A lot of us kind of describe it as something that's just kind of beyond as far as sound like, you know, when you hear it, you know your imagination just kind of goes.

- So what did you perform today?

And what was the message behind it?

- Specifically my record off my 3rd EP with Keith Tucker, Reconstruct Your Mind, and the message behind you know, when I was making that particular album we were coming out of 2020.

So, you know, just that statement alone.

But I was going through a time of kind of reevaluating myself, reevaluating myself reevaluating the people behind me reevaluating what I was doing with my life how I looked at things perspective, my perception, and a lot of how I looked at a lot of things changed, you know during 2020 and after 2020.

- Thank you so much Shawescape for joining us.

- Thank you.

- And now we're headed to the stage to get some more energy from Jit Masters ♪ Blow killers, work it out.

♪ ♪ Blow killers hit it hard blow killers work it out ♪ ♪ Blow killers blow killers work it out ♪ ♪ Blow killers hit it hard blow killers work it out.

♪ ♪ Blow killers, blow killers, work it out.

♪ ♪ Blow killers, hit it hard, blow killers, ♪ ♪ Work it out, blow killers, blow killers ♪ ♪ Work it out blow killers hit it hard ♪ ♪ Blow killers work it out blow killers blow killers ♪ ♪ Work it out blow killers hit it hard blow killers ♪ ♪ Work it out blow killers blow killers work it out ♪ ♪ Blow killers hit it hard blow killers work it out ♪ ♪ Blow killers blow killers work it out blow killers ♪ ♪ Hit it hard blow killers work it out blow killers ♪ ♪ Blow killers work it out blow killers hit it hard ♪ ♪ Blow killers work it out blow killers blow killers ♪ ♪ Work it out blow killers hit it hard blow killers ♪ ♪ Work it out blow killers blow killers work it out ♪ ♪ Blow killers hit it hard blow killers work it out ♪ ♪ Blow killers blow killers blow killers blow killers ♪ ♪ Blow killers blow killers blow killers blow killers ♪ ♪ Blow killers ♪ (music continues) ♪ Blow killer work it out blow killers ♪ ♪ Hit it hard blow killers work it out ♪ ♪ Blow killers blow killers work it out blow killers ♪ ♪ Hit it hard blow killers work it out blow killers ♪ ♪ Blow killers work it out blow killers hit it hard ♪ ♪ Blow killers Work it out blow killers blow killers ♪ ♪ work it out ♪ ♪ Blow killers hit it hard blow killers work it out ♪ ♪ Blow killers blow killers work it out blow killers ♪ ♪ Blow killers work it out blow killers blow killers ♪ ♪ Work it out blow killers hit it hard blow killers ♪ ♪ Work it out blow killers blow killers work it out ♪ ♪ Blow killers hit it hard blow killers ♪ ♪ Blow killers work it out blow killers hit it hard ♪ ♪ Blow killers work it out blow killers ♪ ♪ Blow killers work it out blow killers hit it hard ♪ - That performance was by Jit Masters.

And I'm excited to be back here with Michael Smith.

And what is your vision going forward?

- I think about that all the time, because its forever changing as we kind of, you know, get further and further because we were just trying to, you know keep the, the dance, just not from dying, including myself.

Right?

So now we're, we're going into where we're doing performances all over the place.

You know, we've been in some of the most major stages in Michigan and beyond.

So just being able to figure out ways to to maybe even internationally get this dance abroad and more mainstream I'm trying to cultivate these kids to be able to do what I'm doing, you know?

So, so it doesn't die.

So they're able to teach a big part of what we do is we help people mentally like with different it wasn't just physical health, but mental health.

I've had students that have issues with respect for themselves or just, you know personal issues that they've had growing with.

And I've talked to some of the parents and they've they've told me stories of how, since they've been with us how they've seen their kids change in school how they interact with other kids.

And this is something I wanna see grow beyond just, okay we wanna just dance, but how are we helping our youth?

- And how do we find your classes?

- You can Google Jit Masters.

You can go to Jit Masters dot com.

We're on social media, on Facebook, IG, YouTube Twitter under Jit Masters LLC, or Jit Masters.

And then we, we travel.

So like even in teachings, you know whether it's the boardroom or you got a school we come to you guys and we do whether it's performances or we do teachings.

We do it all.

- Thank you so much Michael Smith for bringing the performances here today and thank you for watching.

And we will see you next week at Detroit Performance Live for Mary Grove - Funding for Detroit performs is provided by the Fred A and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation.

The A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Foundation, Gregory Haynes and Richard Sonenklar, the Kresge foundation, The Michigan Arts and Culture Council, The National Endowment for the Arts, The DeRoy Testamentary Foundation, and buy contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.