What is UP with Noah Farjani?

Meet Noah Farjani, age 9: Hip-Hop Dancer

Noah Farjani plays travel soccer, tennis, and basketball.  He also swims and draws.  But he says he’d give them all up, just to dance.  “I feel happy when I’m dancing,” he says.  “It’s my favorite thing.  I would give up anything to dance.  I like everything about it.”   

Noah has been practicing hip-hop for three years now, and it’s clearly the activity he is most passionate about.  He dances in school during classes, at home hanging out, at the mall when a good song comes on, in New York walking down the High Line, during parties, and in talent shows – basically anytime, anywhere.

“It can be a little horrifying for the mom when you’re out in public and all of a sudden there’s a crowd around your kid because he’s started dancing in the middle of New York City,” says Noah’s mom Nikki.   “We always have music going in the house, so my husband has to watch us dance and listen to our music all day.  He was a professional soccer player, so we of course introduced Noah to soccer.  And he likes soccer the way he likes a lot of things, but he loves hip-hop.”

Noah takes a hip-hop class for an hour once a week, and practices his moves for at least an hour, sometimes many hours, each day.  During the school year, his classmates often ask him to dance during class time, a request that his teachers usually deflect until at least after the lessons are over.

“I started hip-hop when I was in first grade at Nishuane in the after-school program.  It sounded really fun and I just wanted to try it,” Noah says.  “I loved it.  I just like doing the moves and dancing for people.  I love to dance for everybody. It’s so much fun.”

When Noah moved on to Hillside, Angel Williams was teaching the Explorers Hip-Hop class, and Noah immediately became a huge fan of the popular local entertainer and teacher.  Now Noah takes her kids’ hip-hop class at 3Sixty Studio with approximately twelve other kids, including many boys. 

“I just really like Angel,” he says.  “She’s a really good dancer.  She’s my inspiration.  She knows it so well – all the details, she’s just amazing.  We all get it so quickly because she’s such a good teacher.  It’s just something about her.  If other kids want to try it, they can take a free class.  They should just try it if they want to be healthy.  You don’t even feel like you’re exercising.”

As a third grader, Noah danced in the Hillside Talent Show last year, and is already looking forward to next year’s talent show.  “I loved it,” he said.  “I already know what song I’m going to do for the talent show next year.  I want to be a professional dancer when I grow up.  I don’t know yet how I’ll do it, but I know I’m going to figure it out.”

Noah’s FIVE FAVES:

Pizza: Soho

Burger: His Dad’s Moroccan burger (Dad’s a chef) or Elevation Burger

Ice Cream: Applegate Farm’s Mint Chocolate Chip

Book: The Calvin & Hobbs series

Teacher: Mrs. Paolazzi (Nishuane 1^st grade)