Kennith Allen Thomas was introduced to Hip-Hop freestyle at a very young age around family and friends at local house parties. By the age of 18, “Mr. Kenny” was introduced to the funk styles that helped create our hip-hop culture today (lockin’, poppin’, etc.). From that point, Thomas wanted to further his dance education in Hip-Hop and take it seriously as a career.
In 2003, Thomas helped create his first dance group, Faceless INC., which is now a non-profit organization and a local out-reach group in the town of Willingboro, NJ.
In 2005, the four young men of Faceless (Kennith Thomas, Brice Johnson, Derek Gaines and Joshua Polk) linked up with Marcus Tucker, Andrew Ramsey and Renee “Smiles” Collazo (Chosen Dance Company, illadelph phlave, MTV’s ABDC season 2 Phresh Select), to create the group Face Da Phlave Entertainment. With this group, Thomas started to find his place in Hip-Hop as a dancer/choreographer. While learning and training in all styles of Funk Dance and Hip-Hop dance from James “Criket” Colture, Marcus Tucker, and Andrew Ramsey, Thomas performed annually on BET’s 106 & Park Live, Summer camp tours, ABC’s Visions Interview, ABC’s Philadelphia July 4th Parade, and at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.
In 2009, Thomas took what he learned in his previous groups and formed his own company – In Da Clutch Entertainment, LLC. In their first year, the group had performed up and down the East Coast, in several dance competitions, tri-state summer camp tours, and was featured in movies and TV shows including Step Up 3D, ABC’s Ugly Betty and Street Grind TV.
Since 2004, Thomas has expanded his horizons as an instructor, teaching over 400 students each year in five studios across New Jersey. Thomas is also a successful playwright, writing his first theater piece “REFLECTIONS” in 2005. The play was performed for two years in over 50 Middle- and High Schools on the East Coast. He was similarly successful with “FRONT STREET” in 2008, “LIFE-STORIES” in 2009, and “A FALLEN TRUST” in 2010.
The theater pieces are successful because of their unique combination of a powerful message and Hip-Hop dance. Thomas takes real-life situations experienced by himself or close friends and puts them on stage (i.e. drug & alcohol awareness, parents partying with teens, gang awareness, peer pressure, etc.). These topics have made Thomas successful dealing with our young generation.
His goal is to take his talent in dance and inspire others to succeed in life – going with his company’s mission statement – “WE DELIVER, YOU SUCCEED.”
See one of Mr. Kenny’s classes in action:
