Inspiring expressions: BART hip-hop dancers show us their moves

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Regular BART riders are used to getting an eyeful during their commutes. Much has been made recently of the transit system's darker side whether it be biohazards, open drug use, or the latest trend of posting to social media to shame people's bad behavior.

But it's not all negative. Recently while riding BART one afternoon, we had the fortune of being graced by the presence of a couple of hip-hop dancers. They're a pretty common sight, perhaps we've even seen this same pair before, but with such a good vantage point. we were inspired to start taking video. 

We posted the video to KTVU's Instagram account and the pair was recognized by their followers and identified by friends. We reached out to learn more about them, their styles of dance, and learned a lot about both Malcolm Jefferson of Oakland and Christopher Davis from San Francisco. 

Both are dedicated to their craft and are affiliated with dance collective-- Best Alive, and have a positive outlook. They said what they get out of dance is that it's really "all about love" and sharing their talent. 

Jefferson, a hip-hop freestyler, said many hip-hop dance moves are actually inspired by cartoons, citing Bugs Bunny's Egyptian caricature "tuts" as an inspiration. 

"When I move, when I dance, it's me telling my story," Jefferson said. The 20-year-old said his mentor "Mikey Disco" has been a huge inspiration. "He kind of took me under his wing. He's just been helping me develop." Just this past week he and his mentor went to Los Angeles to compete and meet an international crowd of dancers. 

Davis, 26, who is more of a contortionist in his style, explained "TURF-ing," which is an acronym that stands for "Taking Up Room on the Floor." You can really see what he means by that in our Instagram post that shows exhaustive aerial moves combined with some floor work. 

"When I dance, it's a way that I can express myself that I can't put into words," said Davis. 

We filmed this inspiring pair in Oakland's Chinatown. Check out our full profile, including their dance moves. Maybe they'll make your day on your next BART ride. And don't forget to tip the dancers!