From Engineer to Educator.
Meet Ceech, a hip-hop dance instructor based in San Jose, teaching adults throughout the Bay Area and online. A UC Berkeley engineer turned educator, he has helped students learn through clear, practical instruction since 1998.
The Unlikely Beginning
I wasn't supposed to be a dancer. I was an Electrical Engineering and Computer Science student at UC Berkeley: analytical, logical, and athletic. Then I tore my ACL.
Sidelined from snowboarding that winter, I flew back to Taiwan to visit family. A friend introduced me to three guys who had become household names there: the LA Boys. Originally from Los Angeles, they had won major dance competitions in Taiwan and headlined their own shows. I sat down with the oldest brother, Jeff, and heard how they got their start.
That conversation changed everything. As an Asian American, I had spent years feeling the pull toward a "safe" path: doctor, engineer, something respectable. Watching these guys own a stage cracked something open: logic and creativity weren't opposites. I could have both.
Learning from mentors
My first real instructor was Gary Kendell, a dancer whose teaching shaped my approach. From the moment I watched him move, I knew I needed to learn from him. Gary was already being hired by major artists to choreograph and perform, including artists from Korea before the term K-pop was widely used. He became my big brother in dance.
In 1999, I connected with Pop'in Pete and Skeeter Rabbit of the Electric Boogaloos, the originators of popping and Electric Boogaloo style. They took me in not just as a student, but like a little brother. I learned not only technique, but the history, culture, and spirit behind the movement.
Competing at the Highest Level
In the early 2000s, I formed CaliStyles, a crew built around Electric Boogaloo-style movement that competed and performed across the Bay Area, including as featured guests at UC Santa Cruz.
I was also a senior member and choreographer of Mindtricks, a Bay Area crew. Several founding members of Mindtricks went on to form Jabbawockeez, who won MTV's America's Best Dance Crew and later headlined a show at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. One of my CaliStyles crew members, Bionic, went on to become a principal dancer in Michael Jackson ONE, the Cirque du Soleil production in Las Vegas.
Later, I formed DS Players. In 2007, we entered Body Rock, an international hip-hop dance competition that drew crews from across the US and abroad. We took 1st place.
After Body Rock and a series of competition wins that followed, America's Got Talent casting agents took notice. DS Players was invited to audition for the 2010 season in Los Angeles. We performed to a packed theater.
Teaching Since 1998
I started teaching dance in 1998 at fitness clubs and dance studios, then began teaching at Mission College in 2002. Since then, I have taught thousands of students, from complete beginners to competitive dancers.
I earned my Master of Arts in Kinesiology from Fresno Pacific University in 2016. Combined with my engineering background, it informs how I break movement into clear, practical steps.
My college teaching has included hip-hop dance at Mission College, West Valley College, and Cabrillo College, plus weight training at Gavilan College. I taught hip-hop at Gavilan from 2018 to 2020.
Beyond academia, I've taught at corporate campuses including Google, fitness chains including 24 Hour Fitness, and multiple dance studios throughout the Bay Area. I am co-founder of Get Down Dance Studios in San Jose, California. Growing up in the dance community, I learned early how to make every dollar stretch. That mindset led me to build Krazy.Deals, where I share the best promo codes and deals I find. Here's how it started.
Want to work together in person? Explore my private hip-hop dance lessons in San Jose for studio details, pricing, and a free phone consultation.
My Teaching Philosophy
Dance teachers often say it's hard to teach analytical, left-brained people how to dance. I disagree. I have been helping analytical learners understand dance since 1998.
My background in engineering isn't separate from my teaching. It's the core of it. I break movement down into logical, repeatable steps. I explain the mechanics behind every groove. I give students a system, not just inspiration.
“Dance is not a gift. It is a skill. Skills can be taught when the method is clear and the student practices.”
Ready to start?
Begin with BeatFirst, the free rhythm trainer. No dance experience required. No judgment.