Jay Tan’s love for dance began at 15 when he participated in a cultural festival that incorporated various art forms to promote peace. From there, he dabbled in both Modern Contemporary and Hip Hop for two years, before fully immersing himself in Hip Hop and its culture. Since then, Jay has directed 2 dance companies in Singapore, served as a director for Hip Hop Connxion Chicago, and founded an Indiana based kids Hip Hop dance company ‘Jaywalkerz’. Jay has also provided artistic direction for the opening ceremony of the first Youth Olympic games held in Singapore, as well as produced, and directed a 2 hour long dance musical that was based loosely on the game ‘Clue’. Today, Jay is a producer and storyteller at Microsoft, and continues to be passionate about mentoring the next generation of changemakers through hip hop. He believes that dance is a powerful tool and language to leverage in building a strong community of youth who will propel society forward in the many decades to come. Jay’s classes focus on students discovering their innate qualities through movement, connecting deeper with their bodies, and honing their individual voices. He constantly strives to ensure that students feel safe enough to take risks and fosters an environment that spurs his students’ creative energy in new directions.