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Updated 5/16/2019

Wondertwins

  • M

    MA

Institution/Business Type: Performing Group

Billy and Bobby McClain are identical twins who grew up in Boston, Massachusetts in the 70s. Their dance career started on a very small stage at the age of 6, performing for family members at cookouts.  But has ended up much larger as they have performed on stages all over the world.

Two years later they had their first real show at the Cyclorama in the South End. Wearing matching silk, brown sweat suits they finished their first contest with a win, judged by none other than the legend Kurtis Blow.

By age 10 they were asked to join Boston’s first professional street dance crew, The Funk Affects. During this time they opened up for some of the biggest names in hip-hop history; Run DMC, LL Cool J, KRS One, and Afrika Bambaataa, to name a few.

After 7 years with the crew, Billy and Bobby branched off to become “The Wondertwins.” The Wondertwins have had many notable accomplishments including Bobby Brown’s “Don’t Be Cruel” US/UK tour, Apollonia’s  (Purple Rain) UK tour. They were the opening act for EPMD, Public Enemy, and Queen Latifah. They have also appeared on television shows Good Day New York, Evening Magazine, and The Jenny Jones Show.

The Apollo Theater holds many fond memories for Billy and Bobby. In 1989, Mc Lyte invited them to dance on stage during her show at the Apollo. Shortly after this they won “Amateur Night/Showtime at the Apollo” six times. Last year the twins were able to go back to where it all started at the Apollo Theater, this time with their names on the marquee, sharing the stage with the legendary Maurice Hines Jr. and his show “Club Harlem.” 

Some more recent accomplishments include: winning The Pioneers of Dance Award, being selected for The Boston Globe Magazine’s “25 Most Stylish Bostonians of 2011,” and in 2015 touring their wildly successful full lenth show, "To Hip-Hop, with Love."

Over the years The Wondertwins have created a distinctive style all their own, with the technical facility of hip hop, the sophistication of the glory days of the Cotton Club, the flash of Rat Pack era Las Vegas, and elements of vaudeville, robot, tap, and mime.

Billy and Bobby are entering their 19th year of working as advisors and teaching dance in the Boston Public School system.

Former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre executive director Judith Jamison has praised The Wondertwins as “absolutely beautiful, strong, powerful, and electric…made for Broadway” and Maurice Hines noted that the identical twins "dance in the same spirit as the great brothers of dance before them.”

 

 

THE WONDERTWINS RESUME

 

- 1989 Toured with Bobby Brown U.S/U.K World Tour

- 1989-1991 Performed with hip-hop and R&B icons: KRS One, Public Enemy, Run DMC, Patti LaBelle, Luther Vandross, New Edition, and Heavy D, among others

- 1991 Toured with Apollonia - from Blockbuster Hit "Purple Rain"

-1992-1994 Opening act for Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch and CC Music Factory

-1993-Present Site Directors for Project RISE, an educational summer program (dance and academics) for at-risk inner city youth between the ages of 7-17

- 1994 Choreographed dance for pop icons New Kids on the Block, and produced music.

-2010 “Guardians of Dance” with Brian Greene, Buddha Stretch, Link EFC, Damon Frost, Future Ninja, SYTYD's Princess Lockeroo, Hurricane Lock

- 2011 Featured as Boston Globe's 25 Most Stylish Bostonians

- 2011 5 Star Review from Dance Mogul Magazine for their documentary “FindingThat Moment”

-2011 Pioneers of Hip-Hop dance Award East Coast

-2011 “Guardians of Dance Elements of Freedom”, with Javier Ninja, Archi Burnett, Wackeshia, Future Ninja, Salah

-2011 “Sybarite, Love is Love” New York City with Tweet Boogie, Kelly Peters

-2012 Lifetime Achievement Award for street dance in Dance Mogul Magazine

-2012 Featured in Dance Mogul Magazine, Innovation Dance Magazine & The Movement Foundation NYC

-2012 “ClutchFest”, with StoryBoard P, Brice Locker

-2012  “Uragano Dance Festival”, Italy with I Am ME Crew, Les Twins, Blondy

-2012 “Concepto Vimen”, Mexico- Judges and Showcase

-2012 “Choreographers Carnival,” New York City

-2013 “Choreographers Carnival,” New York City

-2013 Judge and guest performers for “Prelude Hip-Hop Dance Championships Boston”

-2013 Guest performers “Prelude Hip- Hop Dance Championships New York”

-2013 “Tap The Yard 2” Residency on Martha’s Vineyard

-2014 featured dancer’s in Maurice Hines Jr.’s “Club Harlem” at the Apollo Theatre, sold-out performances

-2014 NBC News feature with Apollo Theatre’s executive director, Mikki Shepard

-2014 NPR’s The Artery article, “Boston’s Wondertwins And ‘Unreal Hip-Hop’ Are Among Jacob’s Pillow Attractions”

-2014 Jacob’s Pillow headiners in “Unreal Hip-Hop Dance Festival,” 6 sold out shows

-2014 “Tap The Yard 3” Residency on Martha’s Vineyard, headliners

-2014 Detroit Jazz Festival with David Berger’s Orchestra, Kevin Mahogany, Margot B, and Ted Louis Levy (Tony Award Nominee)

-2014 Dauphin County Cultural Fest with R&B legends, Con Funk Shun, Harrisburg, PA

-2014 “An Evening with The Wondertwins,” full length evening performance at The Music Hall Loft Portsmouth, NH

-2014 Joe’s Pub DanceNow series

-2014-2016 Dance Expo’s “Hip Hop Ambassador” touring 8 countries

-2015 Master Class/Workshop at The NYSDE Winter Conference NYU New York, New York

-2015 Fort Point Channel Dance “An Evening of Movement, Art, and Theater” Boston, MA

-2015 “To Hip-Hop, with Love” full length evening performance at Oberon Cambridge, MA

-2015 Brooklyn Dance Festival, NYC

-2015 "To Hip Hop, with Love" full evening performance REGENT THEATER Arlington, MA

-2015 Barn Celebration Bangor, Maine

-2015 Detroit Jazz Festival, Detroit MI

-2015 "To Hip Hop, with Love" Colby College, Maine

-2015 Masterclass Colby College. Maine

-2015 TED Talks Somerville, Ma

-2015 ArtsEMERSON Boston,Ma

-2015 The Dance Hall, Kittery,ME

*Fees for performances negotioable depending on circumstances and time alotted 

Find Me

Billy Bobby McClain
Job Title: Dancers
Phone: 857-399-5181
Address:
15 Channel Center Street #402
Boston, MA 02210

Social Media:

Additional Content:

About

Overview

Institution/Business Type:

Performing Group

Legal Status:

Nonprofit - Unincorporated

Overview

Institution/Business Type:

Performing Group

Legal Status:

Nonprofit - Unincorporated

Disciplines

Primary Discipline:

Dance - Hip Hop

Additional Disciplines:

  • Theater - Variety / Vaudeville

Activities and Services

Activities and Services:

  • Performance / Concert / Reading
  • Workshops / Demonstrations / Master Class
Seasons Active: spring, summer, fall, winter
Events Per Year: 6

Communities

Populations Engaged:

  • Adults
  • Families
  • General Public
  • Nonprofits
  • School Groups
  • Teens
  • Youth-At-Risk

Geographic Reach:

  • Town / City
  • State
  • Multi-State Region
  • National
  • International

Media Gallery

I Have Worked With

Affiliations and Accomplishments

Awards

Awards:

  • Pioneers of Dance Award, awarded by Origination

Awards

Awards:

  • Pioneers of Dance Award, awarded by Origination

Artist Info

Touring Artist

NEST Eligible Artist

Technical Requirements:

  • Sound system
  • lights
  • floor space
  • Props

Fee Range:

$1,000 - $10,000

State of Residence:

Massachusetts

Minimum Number of Performers:

2

Maximum Number of Performers:

2

Touring Artist

NEST Eligible Artist

Technical Requirements:

  • Sound system
  • lights
  • floor space
  • Props

Fee Range:

$1,000 - $10,000

State of Residence:

Massachusetts

Minimum Number of Performers:

2

Maximum Number of Performers:

2