Image Credit: jlinemusic / Instagram & Upperman Middle School / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
Last year, The Tennessee Conservative reported that New York based dance crew J-Line took time out of their “Dirty Pop Party” tour to perform at an elementary school in Lebanon, Tennessee.
James Linehan, accompanied by his back up dancers, appeared at Sam Houston Elementary School in April 2023 under the name Vital Dance Crew to perform songs that left some of the children watching “uncomfortable” and parents later said that their children came home saying that the dance moves were inappropriate.
Sources now tell us that Linehan has rebranded the school assembly arm of his business endeavors having recently performed at a Putnam County school under the name Echo Dance Team.
Parents of students at Upperman Middle School in Baxter, Tennessee, tell a similar tale, that of children coming home after watching the performance, calling it “weird,” and having had no prior knowledge of the event. Children told their parents that the dancers used inappropriate dance moves and that they felt uncomfortable and wanted to walk out.
Echo Dance Team was hired to present an anti-bullying and kindness message but parents say there was no mention of the event in the newsletter, or on any other channel through which the school usually communicates. However, last year’s anti-bullying speaker was promoted extensively and all were aware ahead of time.
Linehan’s “Dirty Pop Party: Fall 2024” dates had J-Line performing an 18-and-up show in Nashville on November 7th. The group appears to schedule school performances under another name close to where they will perform every year.
Of Note, Instagram has restricted Linehan’s profile to 19 years and up.
The Vital Dance Crew website is no longer active, but in a promotional video that has since been taken down, Linehan stated that the group charged $795 for their program combining dance, music – this year’s playlist included Miley Cyrus and Billie Eilish – and motivational speeches that allow students to relate to Linehan and his dancers as “peers.”
In 2022, Linehan and his dancers gave the assemblies at schools simply as J-Line.
In this video from a Branson, Colorado, school fundraiser page from last year, the group is clearly labeled as Vital Dance Crew. The same graphic is used in the group’s new website for Echo Dance Team.
Echo Dance Team’s website has testimonials from schools that mention the group by name as Vital Dance Crew.
J-Line also posted a video to Instagram last year dressed in the same outfits that they used for a recent school presentation on November 5th at an elementary school in Indiana.
It didn’t take long for Upperman students and parents alike to find J-Line’s social media accounts which contain many images not appropriate for young children to view.
Parents have asked why a group can come into the school and sing songs that mock Jesus in the lyrics, but someone from a church would not be allowed to speak.
Last April, a Missouri school district canceled two performances by the group after complaints from parents. According to students who attended earlier presentations, Linehan told students to follow him on Instagram and Twitter (now X) which led to students looking at inappropriate photos of Linehan before the assembly had even ended.
By October of last year at least, the group had begun representing themselves as Echo Dance Crew but Linehan was still asking students to follow him on social media channels.
A statement from a school in Texas said that Linehan did not announce his social media handle with high school students during the presentation but gave it out to teens afterward with whom he spoke.
Upperman Middle School Principal Jessica Etheridge wrote to parents on Wednesday regarding “concerns” that were raised after parents found out about the Baxter assembly after the fact.
“Your concerns are valued, and we are taking steps to ensure parents are informed in advance for all future speakers,” wrote Etheridge.
Etheridge also clarified that the decision to hire Echo Dance Team was school-based and that the PTO shared no responsibility in making that choice. Parents say that it was Etheridge specifically who made the request that the PTO fund the group’s presentation.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
One Response
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