Ariston Ripoyla aka B-boy Remind is a THEIF

Hello Everyone-
I am writing this today out of respect for the SF Hip Hop DanceFest as well as the dance community at large. Do you know that feeling when you just have had enough of being kind and patient and understanding?

Well thats where I finally am today. It has taken about 5 YEARS for me to get there.. Many people would have gotten there MUCH sooner, but being the motherly "love all" type, I have been waiting with optimistic hopes that this person would do the right thing.

Heres the deal. I tried to book Ariston Ripoyla aka B-boy Remind about 5 years ago for the SF Hip Hop DanceFest. He accepted the offer to perform and received a check from us in the amount of $600 to purchase his own airfare from Montana to San Francisco.

Unfortunately, he later sent us an email stating that he no longer would be coming to SF to perform and .. well you might have guessed by now... he never returned the money!
At the time I new he was expecting a baby, so I did not press him. I have sent him reminders occasionally throughout the years and have NEVER gotten ANY response from him. I know he was living on a reservation somewhere in Montana which made communication with him somewhat difficult so I just remained patient.

When I first met him, he seemed to be a conscious individual who spoke about things of moral integrity and truth. I would have never guessed that he would take money that was so badly needed by the SF Hip Hop DanceFest. Many of you know, the SFHHDF is arts funded and donations and ticket sales is how we stay alive. There is no corporate funding involved. The SFHHDF pays for each and every dancers travel expenses to perform for Bay Area audiences.

So why now, you may ask?
I simply am done. I will lay this to rest after now.
However I did want the community to know.

Make your decisions yourselves when opting to hire this person ...

WITH LOVE and RESPECT
Micaya