Hip Hop Comes Alive @ NFL Youth Center

Tampa, Florida - One move at a time, that's how you build a hip-hop routine.

"Step. 1,2,3,4," shouts instructor DeMario Henry and his young charges at a Jackson Heights Recreation Center dutifully comply.

It takes patience and there are mix-ups. "Everybody kick with your right... I mean left!" But this small group of girls is clearly hip-hop happy.

"It makes me feel good, 'cuz he got good moves and I can teach my other friends moves like that," says 10-year-old Reshayla Longstreet.

So, how does football fit in with a dance class? Well, all these smooth moves are taking place at a NFL Youth Education Town or YET center. For 15 years, the NFL has been donating to Super Bowl host cities to create recreation centers in low-income neighborhoods.

But the NFL isn't choreographing all the moves here; the Patel Conservatory is a dance partner. The conservatory provides instructors and equipment for several YET center programs. "And we're just scratching the surface," says Wendy Leigh from the conservatory. "We have hip-hop classes, media arts, we do recording studio, but we really hope to branch out and do a wider variety of arts curriculum."

By the smiles, you can tell the dance class is a whole lot of fun, but there's more to it than just steps and struts. "It teaches them people skills, teaches them to be bold and to step out and have confidence," says Henry.

Henry says when he was a kid, dance classes like this one kept him out of trouble and he eventually hip-hopped his way into ballet, jazz and a professional career. And, now, with the help of the NFL and the Patel Conservatory, it's his turn to pass on the passion.

"Right, right foot first. Then you do what? Turn!"