Throwing My First Independent Jam: Reflections, Lessons, and Wins
Reflecting on my first independent, self-funded jam titled "Give Me Your Energy"
On August 31st, I threw my first jam independent of any college, titled "Give Me Your Energy."
Anyone who knows me as a promoter knows that my experience with jam-throwing has been deeply connected to the University of Maryland and its breaking club, B-Terps. I organized seven jams during my three-year presidency as a student, and I later helped with three more jams in 2023 & 2024 as a staff advisor.
In light of that, earlier this year I started to think about what it would be like to throw my own, self-funded jam.
While I have a deep love for college jams and for B-Terps, I wanted to see what it would be like to organize an event outside of the university system; without the bureaucracy, without the university-mandated venues, and with the freedom to express as much creative vision as I wanted (or as much as my bank account would allow me haha).
What followed were an exciting, but intense few months of planning and organizing, all without the help or financial backing of a university. But in the end, the jam was a huge success, and was everything I envisioned. Below are some key reflections from the process:
Understanding the cap of the jam venue
One of the most stressful aspects of organizing this jam was the limited capacity of the venue. When I first envisioned the event, I expected it to be a chill, local gathering with a modest turnout, considering the relatively small prize money and scope. So, I told the venue I was expecting about 50-60 attendees. But as the event drew closer, I realized that an average local jam could easily exceed that number just with staff and competitors, let alone factoring in spectators.
The venue I chose had a strict 100-person capacity due to fire hazard regulations, and I had to push to even get that cap. This was a new challenge for me, as most of the venues I had worked with at universities were much larger, and I didn’t have anyone keeping track of attendee numbers. This became stressful, especially when we had to hand out wristbands to every guest, and we even had to turn some people away at the door.
Due to my own lack of preparation, I only discovered the strict capacity two weeks before the event, and by then, it was too late to find another venue. Fortunately, the venue owner was flexible in allowing me to hit the 100-person cap. In hindsight, I should’ve estimated the attendance more accurately and planned for the size of the venue more carefully. Lesson learned: always have a clear idea of how many people will attend and plan accordingly for the space.
The line outside was unintentional, but great
Since everyone had to fill out a waiver to get into the venue, there ended up being a line outside of the venue for people to get in. At first, I was worried, but a lot of people told me afterward that it was actually kind of cool, that it ended up creating suspense and excitement and that people were catching up and talking outside. While I don’t think I’ll intentionally create a line at future jams, it was cool to see how much it added to the anticipation.
Judge call outs are fun
We were running a bit behind schedule, so we didn't have any time for Judge showcases as we planned, but funny enough every single judge got called out in the cyphers. This was also something I didn't plan for, but it was fun to see each judge get called out (for different reasons) and for the judges to show the competitors and onlookers why they were chosen to be in the hot seat.
I should've booked more time
One of my biggest regrets was not booking an extra hour for setup. There were way more things to take care of than I anticipated: setting up the DJ table, speakers, lighting, signage, and marking the battle area. I didn’t account for how much time each of these tasks would take, and I didn’t ask enough people for help beforehand. Huge shoutout to my volunteer, John Hwang, as well as the judges and DJ for stepping up to help with the setup. Unfortunately, this delay pushed back the start of the event by almost 20 minutes.
My advice for future events: Always account for at least an hour of setup time, and try to enlist more volunteers to help with the heavy lifting. This rule of thumb will save a lot of stress.
The finals tiebreaker was insane
Typically, the energy tends to dip towards the end of the jam. People who lost in the top 16 start to leave, others step out to get food, or they’re just worn out from hours of dancing. I did my best to keep the schedule tight so the event didn’t drag on too long, and I think this helped maintain the high energy right up to the hype battle that the Finals ended up being. The Final battle was Dunes Crew vs. Old Dirty Basement, a contrast of Clean foundational power and blow-ups from Dunes versus Clean foundational footwork and flow from ODB (Prolix & Pipes). The finals ended in a tiebreaker, and the crowd brought the energy. When the crowd started chanting when the Lean Rock beat dropped, I knew that the tie breaker was going to be insane. I'll let the clip speak for itself (the insta clip is more hype, but the YouTube video is a better angle).
I loved my line-up
Everything about this jam was intentional, but I'm especially proud of the people I brought on board: the DJ, the judges, and the exhibition battle.
Super Sol is a talented young DJ from VA who I’ve worked with at smaller, free jams. I wanted to give him the opportunity to spin at a bigger, competitive event, and I knew he had the skill and the ear to keep the energy alive throughout the night.
I’ve known both All In Flow and Eso for years and have great respect for their craft in breaking, and especially for Eso’s expertise in jam organizing. I've seen them evolve from young breakers entering the scene to competitive dancers who win jams, so having them judge my own was truly special.
Church, for me, is a hometown hero. When I first came to Maryland for college, I looked up to him as a bboy, and that admiration hasn’t changed. He’s always been supportive of UMD jams, and it was incredibly rewarding to bring him on as a judge for my own event.
Lifty and Ohno are both friends of mine, each with contrasting styles of footwork, so organizing an exhibition battle between them was a no-brainer. Their exchange of styles added something unique to the event, and it was a moment that lived up to the hype I imagined.
What felt different this time was the freedom in my choices. I didn’t have to consider what was best for B-Terps or what would draw the largest crowd. I could just hire who I wanted to work with, and that made this jam feel truly special.
It was all worth it in the end
One of my biggest reflections was that jam throwing is hard, but worth it all in the end. It’s a largely unappreciated art, and most people attending don’t realize the amount of work that goes into making the event happen. But honestly, I was overwhelmed with gratitude from the breakers and audience members who came up to me afterward. Some said it was the most fun jam they’d ever attended, and others expressed how much they appreciated me organizing an event when the local DMV scene had been quiet for a while prior. One of my friends showed me a text from his student's Mom, saying that their whole family had a great time.
If you're throwing a jam for profit, clout, or anything self-centered like that, you're throwing it for the wrong reasons. Jam throwing is hard work. It's got to be out of a love for breaking, and a love for the people. Why else would you spend so much time, money, and energy on it - money you could be investing in your own dancing, or in your family and career?
The best part of throwing a jam is seeing people enjoy themselves—watching them dance, connect, and knowing that I helped create the space for that. That feeling makes it all worth it.
Throwing my first jam without a university’s backing was a tough challenge, but one I’m incredibly glad I took on. I learned so much, and I’m excited to apply those lessons in the future. My reflections aren’t just about improving the jam process; I genuinely had an amazing time, loved watching the battles, and reconnected with old friends. My itch to throw a jam has definitely been scratched, so while I can’t say when my next event will be, I can promise you that there will definitely be one.
Finally, if you've made it this far, I just want to say a huge 'Thank You!' Keeping up with this blog isn’t always my top priority, but it's something I do want to continue whenever I can make the time to write. I hope you've enjoyed reading my thoughts and reflections, and if you'd like to see more in the future, consider subscribing!
Peace and Blessings,
Nick Kim