• Luminato 2021

Jan ‘Snapp’ Yalda

• Choreography
• Dance

Jan ‘Snapp’ Yalda was born in Baghdad, Iraq and came to Toronto at the age of 5 where he was raised and where he is currently located.

Snapp’s love for dance began at the age of 14. Learning and experimenting with different styles, Snapp quickly discovered his passion for Tutting, Waving, Popping and Dancehall. Snapp was initially introduced to Dancehall during his high school years, making this his first learned style. His school was filled with talented dancers who had the chance to be in Sean Paul’s music videos. Their talent inspired Snapp to join them and start learning dancehall culture and foundation. Snapp’s passion and creativity naturally led him to be intrigued by dance patterns and shapes. This sparked his love for Tutting and pushed him to learn both styles simultaneously.

In 2005 he joined a Dancehall crew called Back 2 Basics. The young crew quickly gained respect and popularity in the city. They performed at many different shows, competitions and they had the opportunity to open up for Chris Brown/Mavado’s show in Toronto. Snapp is very curious and a quick learner. With a will to develop his passion for other styles, Snapp decided to join The Moon Runners in 2010, which took his craft to a whole new level – Traveling, Battles, Competitions, Music Videos, and TV Time (Americas Best Dance Crew, Much Music).

A foundation in the fluid grooves of dancehall applied to the angular styles of Popping and Tutting makes Snapp a unique, respected, and innovative performer/teacher/artist and has brought him global attention. Along the way, Snapp has collaborated with top street dance teachers such as Mr. Wiggles, Frank Boogie, and Pop N Taco. He also had the opportunity to work with artists such as Rihanna, Drake, Mr. Vegas, Vybz Kartel and many more. Snapp’s goal is to eventually open up his own dance studio and continue to inspire people to express themselves through dance.