MAs dancer Christian Brown says, the term “all styles” has several connotations. One is a literal, essentially phonetic definition that refers to a dance philosophy that allows its practitioners to incorporate a variety of styles into their performance. The other association, he says, refers to people who don’t practice at all.

But the 26-year-old Pittsburgh native would never be associated with the latter definition. He rattles off an impromptu list of more than a dozen unique styles he’s learned through classes, workshops and boot camps. His hard work has landed him a spot in a commercial for streaming platform Twitch, dancing alongside music icon Madonna and competing in dance competitions across the country. Brown is currently working on a pilot for a show called “All Style” with his mentor Jordan Taylor. The show will introduce aspiring dancers to the art form that changed his life.

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“Dance has made me a free soul. When I dance and when I see others dance, I see their true self and I see my true self come to life,” says Brown. “It almost feels like flying. It just separates us from the earth and makes us feel really free when we move.”

Brown, who goes by his stage name JiTa, attributes much of his success to Taylor’s help and mentorship. Taylor grew up in Newcastle, Pennsylvania, a small town about an hour north of Pittsburgh. He discovered his love for television and film at an early age and began pursuing a career after graduating from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh with a degree in digital media production. His resume includes a job as an AV technician for a major cruise line, a 14-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers, a job as a senior video producer at Carnegie Mellon University and a recent job at Ansys, a Pittsburgh-area software company.

But as much work as Taylor has put into his career, he has also been equally committed to mentoring young people. He says he had such a supportive and fulfilling childhood that he was surprised when he moved to Pittsburgh and found no similar support for young people there.

“I’ve mentored all kinds of kids, but I would go out of my way to mentor young black men. I feel like I don’t fit the stereotype of a black American, and I wanted to show other young men that they don’t have to be either,” Taylor said. “It’s rewarding to work with young people, to teach them something and see them grasp it and get better and better, to help them figure out how to express themselves creatively – that’s one of the most important things a person can do.”

Taylor began working as an art teacher for children through various programs, teaching them to make music and create videos. He met Brown through an organization called Steeltown Entertainment. While teaching JiTa film and television skills, Taylor noticed JiTa’s passion for dancing and he would mimic YouTube videos with his friends and classmates. Taylor purchased a dance class package so Brown could pursue his interests, and the then 16-year-old jumped at the opportunity and got started right away.

JiTa was eventually discovered by a dance company in New York, received a scholarship to Point Park University in downtown Pittsburgh, and later joined a company called Lost Culture Dance Crew, where he was given numerous opportunities to showcase his talent across the country. He was known for his ability to pick up on things quickly.

He recalls a moment when he and a close friend and colleague he met through dancing, Nasir Muhammad, took a heels class (a course that teaches dancers how to portray sexiness and swagger).

“When we took the class, Nas wasn’t comfortable with some of the female moves. I took some of the guys aside and taught them a new combination (in addition to) the combination the teacher was teaching,” JiTa explains.

“As the teacher taught me, I learned the combination and at the same time thought of another one for the boys to make them more comfortable,” he continued. “This experience was an eye-opener for me. Since I started dancing late, it helps to have a photographic memory to produce something after seeing it only once.”

Taylor began using his resources to make videos of JiTa. He received funding to shoot a music video of Brown dancing and used another grant to bring Brown to Los Angeles, where he connected with some of his favorite dancers. He chronicled the experience and used it as the basis for “All Style,” the upcoming web series.

Taylor describes the new show as a dance version of Anthony Bourdain’s travel and cooking shows. The series will see the duo visit dance schools that specialize in different styles – three dance forms per episode in each city. With Jordan behind the camera, JiTa will host and have an instructor teach her new moves in each dance style while showing viewers the music and fashion that goes along with that dance form.

Filming on the first episode will begin this fall in Pittsburgh. JiTa will be sent to a ballet class, a West African dance class and a hip-hop dance class. The goal is to get the show on a streamer like Netflix or a TV network, but Taylor says he’s OK with it continuing as a web series in the meantime.

“This should be for anyone who wants to learn how to do this, for anyone who thinks it’s impossible or they can’t dance,” says JiTa. “The places I’ve chosen can teach the viewer something, so they can move some furniture in their living room and try it with me, or even write it down in a notebook.”

JiTa was able to pursue dancing during his teenage years despite struggling with turbulent circumstances at home, causing him to grow up quickly before moving in with a friend’s family. He says his difficult circumstances motivated him to focus his efforts on dancing so he could build a better life for himself.

He’s received offers to perform on television shows such as So You Think You Can Dance, but for now he’s content honing his skills at a ballet studio in Pittsburgh. Eventually, he’d like to start his own studio that will connect closely with the larger Pittsburgh community by creating “an environment of safety and love,” similar to the Lost Culture Dance Crew.

In the meantime, JiTa and Taylor are getting to work on “All Style”. Beyond the current season, Taylor wants to visit both larger cities and smaller towns and later take the series abroad for international seasons. With their talent and deep friendship, there are no limits to what they can do.

William E. Ketchum III is a reporter and editor covering the intersection of music, culture and society. His writing has appeared in VIBE, Vulture, GQ, Complex, Billboard, Guardian, NPR, MTV, XXL and Ebony.

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