Boston-based dancer, choreographer and wildly popular teacher Marcos Aguirre has made a name for himself with his own style of hip hop. He incorporates jazz and modern elements into high-powered routines that pack his classes at Jeannette Neill Dance Studio. “Whatever comes out of my body, I don’t fight it,” he says. “My classes are high-energy cardio with definitely some sass in it. I always get sassy.” Aguirre has shown off his smooth moves on “So You Think You Can Dance,” BET’s “106th & Park,” Kat De Luna’s “Whine Up” music video and MTV’s “MADE.” His most passionate project is the Wrush Dance Crew that he founded last year, which is currently making waves in the Boston area. His music choices for class are as diverse as his choreography, but the following artists have been known to make repeat appearances on Aguirre’s playlists. DT
Artist: Britney Spears
Album: Blackout
“Britney is my number one that I use for everything. I basically started dancing because of her music. I was shy growing up, and she made me unleash. The Blackout album is just so dance. Everything’s very up-tempo, so I like to use it for my warm-ups.”
Artist: Missy Elliott
Album: Miss E… So Addictive
“This is just such a hip hop–inspired CD with songs like ‘Get Ur Freak On’ and ‘One-Minute Man.’ It’s great for jam-packed choreography. Missy Elliott is so amped that it never gets old for me. Even if it is from 2001, it always seems so new and fresh.”
Artist: Timbaland
Album: Shock Value
“Timbaland’s beats are insane. He’s very clever with them. If you take the time to really listen to what you’re dancing to or what instruments are involved, you can just hear so much. It inspires me to do different things with my dancers.”
Artist: M.I.A.
Album: Kala
“You can’t really hear or understand what she’s saying, but it’s all about the beats to me. I use a lot of her songs for shows because I like to be original and use music that not everyone uses. When you use something different, you’re forced to do something different.”
Artist: Lady Gaga
Album: The Fame
“Lady Gaga is so unique in the scene right now. Her energy is amazing and her music is so inspiring. Every song gets you out of a bad mood—‘Just Dance’ explains it right there. If I’m not feeling happy or I’m an emotional wreck, I just dance.”
Artist: Aaliyah
Album: Aaliyah
“Aaliyah sings like an angel. I never get sick of her music, and it just makes me want to dance. She was lost way too early and was so ahead of the game. I love to let her music live on, so I use it as much as I can.”
Photo by and courtesy of Evgenia Eliseeva
