By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Hyper Squad Dance Company director Jason Ulep lead his
young dancers to victory in MTV's "Summer Jam" last year.

A dance company with the
enthusiasm of youth

By Tim Ryan
Star-Bulletin

THE Hyper Squad Dance Company probably would have been created anyway, but four 8-year-old girls gave it an early start.

Three years ago, Jason Ulep had quit another dance studio, disgruntled and discouraged, when the tiny dancers who had been his students asked him to teach them a dance number for an upcoming competition.

One problem ... the competition was just a week away. But Ulep and his little hoofers dug in their heels and practiced daily. The girls ended up winning third place.

One of the girls told Ulep the dance company -- Ulep and the four students -- needed a name. She suggested Hyper Squad.

By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
The Hyper Squad rehearses at its Waipio Gentry studio.

"I thank them for getting me to form this company," Ulep said at his Waipio Gentry studio. "They motivated me."

Today, Hyper Squad is some 200 strong with a dozen instructors, most of whom will perform tomorrow and Saturday at Leeward Community College in "My World," a two-hour-plus contemporary dance concert showcasing "all forms of dance," said Ulep, 26.

"This is totally our show," he said. "We want to show people what we can do.

"When we first opened, Hyper Squad was some kind of a joke in the dance community because street dancing and hip-hop wasn't big. No one thought we would make it."

Hyper Squad performs in major dance competitions throughout the year on Oahu, Last year, Ulep said, the troupe took top honors in MTV's "Summer Jam in Hollywood."

MY WORLD Dance presentation by Hyper Squad Dance Company: On stage: 7 p.m. tomorrow; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday Venue: Leeward Community College Tickets: $10, available at LCC box office Call: 676-4973

But Hyper Squad is less about competition than about having fun, Ulep said.

Glenna Nakamura, 14, a student at Mililani High School, joined Hyper Squad shortly after it opened three years ago on the suggestion of a friend.

"When it comes to competitions and performances, Hyper Squad is more about making the children and students happy than pressure on winning," she said. "Jason emphasizes having fun and if we make a mistake it's OK, as long we just do the best we can."

Ulep said most of his students -- average age 10 to 14 years -- want to learn dance so they can perform for audiences. Overall, students range from age 4 into the mid 30s.

"My goal initially is to build students' confidences," he said. "Most of the people we get start off pretty shy, fearful of performing, and they end up performing for thousands of people.

"I think parents are amazed at how much their kids are transformed."

After graduating from Waialua High School, Ulep attended the University of Hawai'i at Manoa where he majored in design. In 1991, Club Supremacy, the dance group in which he performed, won the "Brown Bags to Stardom" teen talent competition.

By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Lead dancer Glenna Nakamura, 14, says she'd like to teach dance.

Ulep turned his talents toward dancing and dance instruction because graphic artists jobs are "so hard to come by in Hawaii." While he was attending UH he was hired by a dance school as a teacher.

Hyper Squad conducts classes 4 to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Classes are pretty much divided into two categories: an open-to-the-public group, and an elite group geared for those who want to perform. The company also has handicapped students.

"They get one-on-one attention and some will perform," Ulep said. "The crowd reaction is incredible."

Dancer Nakamura has aspirations to perform professionally, but for now is content with just taking her classes six days a week.

"Actually, I want to be a teacher," she said. "Jason has shown all of us how rewarding teaching is."

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