Step into
Freestyle Lab: NYC

Hip-hop is a culture, a movement, and a platform.  A means for seeing, celebrating, confronting, and conversing about the world. Hip-hop is a way of life.

Freestyle Lab by WorldStrides is a weekend of workshops and rehearsals with featured artists in the hip-hop industry.

You will then perform on two of the most famous stages in the world—The Apollo Theatre and Carnegie Hall!

This experience goes beyond the beat to immerse you in this American art form with a story as powerful as its sound. Celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop in its birthplace, New York City, with hands-on, icon-led instruction that culminates in a legendary performance onstage at Carnegie Hall exploring the evolution of hip-hop.

October 14-17, 2023

Don't stall-save those moves for the dance floor.

Featured Artists

The Q Brothers

DJ Reborn

DJ Webstar

Andaluz
The Artist

Deshawn
Da Prince

DJ Obi

Your Mix, Your Way

At Freestyle Lab, you're the DJ. Choose the track that speaks to you-music, dance, or art & culture-and in no time, you'll be in NYC learning, sightseeing, and collaborating with others who share similar interests.

What's your passion?

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music and vocals
Music, Beats, Production, Scratch, Vocals, MCing, Freestyle

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Dance
Breakdancing, Locking & Popping, Stepping

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Art & Fashion
The Pillars of Hip-Hop, Fashion Styles, The Sneaker, Street Art, Tagging, Digital Art & Production

What to Expect

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Instruction from industry legends and the brightest up-and-coming talent

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A once-in-a-lifetime performance onstage at world-renowned Carnegie Hall alongside your fellow artists

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Exclusive sightseeing tours around New York City

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Accommodations at The New Yorker, a historic Midtown Art Deco hotel

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Panel Discussion about hip-hop careers with professionals across the industry

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Hands-on-training in your area of interest

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An exclusive tour of the Universal Hip Hop Museum, the first of its kind

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Your Own Amateur Night at The Apollo

Learn by Doing

Don't just learn about hip-hop. Become a part of its history. Freestyle Lab was born from a thirst for culturally relevant, hands-on training.  Here, you'll break through boundaries, stereotypes, and developing and leaving your legacy along the way.

Dynamic workshops and engaging panels led by some of the industry's most well-respected names will immerse you in an unforgettable three days of hip-hop masterclasses. Check out a few of the incredible sessions available to join.

Curious about what the days will look like? Check out the preliminary itinerary.

The Famous Apollo Theater

Rehearse at the Apollo Theater

Since opening its doors in 1914 and introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo has played a major role in the emergence of jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, and soul-all quintessentially American music genres.  A catalyst for new artists and audiences, the Apollo is a partner in the projection of the African American narrative and its role in the development of American and global culture.

If you are interested in participating in one of the Apollo's signature Amateur Nights, you are in luck!  We are producing our own Amateur Night!  Participants will have the opportunity to perform live on the Apollo Stage. The historic talent competition has launched the careers of countless legendary artists, like Ella Fitzgerald, Luther Vandross, Lauryn Hill, H.E.R., Machine Gun Kelly, Jazmine Sullivan, and more.

Freestyle Takeover
at Carnegie Hall

Paying tribute to hip-hop's roots in the Bronx, Freestyle Lab unites poppers, lockers, b-boyers, freestylers, beatboxers, rappers, and artists of all kinds for an all-out performance on one of the world's biggest stages.

Carnegie Hall holds a special place in the hearts of performers everywhere.  This versatile venue goes far beyond its roots as a classical music hall, doing its part to legitimize hip-hop as an art form by playing host to groundbreaking artists like Jay-Z and D'Nice over the years.

During your time in New York, you'll learn how to take your hip-hop performance from the street to the studio to the stage.
Immersive skill-building sessions across New York City are designed to prepare you for an original production accompanied by some very special surprise guests!

Stay on Beat.

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