About Danzel...

Danzel Thompson-Stout, an Assistant Professor of Dance at California State University, Long Beach, is a master teacher of the Umfundalai technique and a working professional dancer in both the entertainment and battle industries. His movement practice is rooted in street, club, and afro-diasporic dances, where he uses dance as a means of reclaiming Blackness through play and highlighting the resilience of marginalized people and their cultures.

     With a deep commitment to both preservation and innovation, Danzel values kinesthetic imagination and play in his teaching, choreography, and performance, emphasizing footwork, floorwork, polyrhythmic, polycentric, and holistic movement. His industry credits include performing on the national leg of Usher’s Past, Present, Future Tour, while his battle accolades include 1st place wins at SDF: House Dance Forever (1v1 House), Versa Style 21st Hip-Hop Dance Festival (1v1 House), Step Ya Game Up (1v1 House), Freestyle Session Worldwide 2025 (2v2 Open Style), and Freestyle Session Worldwide 2024 (1v1 House). These accomplishments reflect his ability to move fluidly between academic, commercial, and underground spaces while remaining deeply committed to the cultural legacies that shape his artistry.