'Jerking' Migrates From California All the Way to Inwood

 

Slideshow

Four friends from Washington Heights and Inwood hope to win a poster contest featuring their version of the dance "Jerkin." From left: Ricky Gonzalez,13; Justen Reyes, 14; Steven Herrera, 11; John Rivera, 16.

DNAinfo/ Carla Zanoni

Justen "Jflip" Reyes, 14, a student at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Inwood, does a back flip.

DNAinfo/ Carla Zanoni

The "pin drop" is John "Cube" Rivera's, 16, signature move. He attends Norman Thomas High School in Murray Hill.

DNAinfo/ Carla Zanoni

Rivera does "the heart," one of his personal touches on "Jerkin."

DNAinfo/ Carla Zanoni

Ricky Gonzalez, 13, attends Academy IS 52 in Inwood.

DNAinfo/ Carla Zanoni

Gonzalez and Steven Herrera, 11, are cousins and attend school together at Academy IS 52 in Inwood.

DNAinfo/ Carla Zanoni

Gonzalez and Herrera dance together.

DNAinfo/ Carla Zanoni

"Jerkin" is a style of dance that was first made popular in Los Angeles, California.

DNAinfo/ Carla Zanoni

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Four friends from Washington Heights and Inwood hope to win a poster contest featuring their version of the dance "Jerkin." From left: Ricky Gonzalez,13; Justen Reyes, 14; Steven Herrera, 11; John Rivera, 16.

Photo Credit: DNAinfo/ Carla Zanoni

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By Carla Zanoni

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

INWOOD—“Jerking,” a dance craze that spread through Los Angeles late last year, has hit the streets of northern Manhattan.

Four Inwood and Washington Heights middle and high school students are hoping their jerk moves will win them a spot on posters advertising their favorite sneaker brand, Vlado

Justen “JFlip” Reyes, 14, John “Cube” Rivera, 16, Ricky “Ricky Reckless” Gonzalez, 13, and Steven “Stevo” Herrera, 11, will participate in the dance-off on June 26.

“Jerking” is a slightly awkward and spastic, yet no less acrobatic, dance that originated on the West Coast with hip hop performers “New Boyz” and their song “You’re a Jerk.

The Washington Heights and Inwood crew said they like to practice at the top of the 215th Stepstreet, between Broadway and Park Terrace East, because it provides great acoustics and room to dance.