Deborah McCoy Oral History

Deborah McCoy Oral History

Popping (Dance)

The Puppets (Crew)

Deborah McCoy has been an active member of the Fresno dance community since the 1970s. McCoy's family migrated to Fresno in the 1920s; however, she spent her early childhood with a foster family just outside of Fresno in Caruthers. McCoy recounts being one of the few African American students in the mostly whte and rural school district. At the age of 12, McCoy was reunited with her biological father and siblings in West Fresno. It was in West Fresno where McCoy was introducted to various dance funk dance forms emerging in and around the area. The McCoy's home became something of a informal recreation center with youth from the community learning and practicing the latest dance moves in their front yard. McCoy eventually teamed up with her brother Ken to form the dance team The Pupperts; together Deborah and Ken perfomred and competed in numerous events around California showcasing a new dance form emerging out of West Fresno: popping. In addition, McCoy excelled academically and did local modeling. McCoy eventually found her calling as an educator helping to teach both dance and modeling to Fresno youth. Today, McCoy is the owner and primary instructor at McCoy hip-hop and continues to perform throughout Fresno and beyond.

Sean Slusser (interviewer)

Oral history interview, 1 digitized recording, Straight Outta Fresno, Fresno State University

Digital publisher: Claremont Graduate University

The Valley Public History Initiative: Preserving our Stories holds all rights, title, and interest, including literary rights and copyright, to the oral histories and documents collected as part of Straight Outta Fresno: From Popping to B-boys and B-girls project. Oral history narrators retain the non-exclusive right to copy, use, and publish their oral histories during their lifetimes.

MP3

English

Sound

sof_0043

Fresno (Calif.)

West Fresno (Calif.)

Caruthers. (Calif.)