. >> reporter: enter homer hans bryant whose multicultural dance studio in chicago became like edwardsshow it, big hit. up, nice. close, elevate -- >> reporter: 13 years ago, ryans took a daring step, creating a unique new form of dance he called hiplet, a vibrant mix of ballet and hip-hop that builds on classic techniques. >> when i opened my school in 1990, i said to myself, how do i capture african american kids in 1993, '94? and i went to a rap concert. at the rap concert, lots and lots of teenagers. audience singing everything and rapping and having a good time. and i walked away with this. if i could put rap and ballet together, to keep kids engaged, because they have the rap kids, i would come off with a hit. ♪ >> reporter: with dancers up en pointe, wearing tights and leotards, fused together with its polar opposite. >> we're trained in tradition. but we're dipped in versatility. they can do african en pointe, latin en pointe, jazz, contemporary, they can do anything en pointe. >> reporter: brian's goal was to make a diverse space for ballet dancers of all colors, shapes, and s