The Wondertwins, identical twins Billy & Bobby McClain, started dancing at the age of 8. The childhood beginnings started as they would imitate a weekly dance show called “Soul Train” and by 9 years old they were doing their “Wondertwins show” for family events such as cookouts and barbecues. At 10 years old they won their first dance competition, which was judged by the legendary rapper KURTIS BLOW. Later that year, Billy and Bobby were recruited to join Boston’s first professional street dance crew, “The Funk Affects,” a group that influenced and inspired the early success of New Edition and New Kids on the Block. They spent 7 years with the company, gaining recognition by opening concerts for big names like Run DMC and LL Cool Jay, to name a few. In their early teens they were giving monthly hour long shows for the community with opening acts such as New Kids on the Block, who would later co/choreograph elements of the Wondertwin’s Magic Summer Tour and produce a song for their album.
Today, the award-winning duo street dance pioneers from Boston have headlined Jacob’s Pillow “Unreal Hip Hop” & Inside/Out Dance Festival, Brooklyn Dance Fest, Detroit Jazz Festival, Institute of Contemporary Art, Rochester University, Southern Vermont, Dance Festival, Colby College, UraGano Italy, Concepto Vimen Mexico, TedX Talks Boston, Dance The Yard, DanceNOW Boston, DanceNOW NYC Joe’s Pub, Dixon Place, The Dance Hall and The Music Hall Loft. They are six-time winners of Showtime at The Apollo Theater and performed a record 16 appearances on the Apollo Stage. The Wondertwins have also appeared with Maurice Hines’ “Club Harlem” at the Apollo Theater and toured internationally with Bobby Brown’s “Don’t Be Cruel” world tour and Purple Rain’s Apollonia’s “Since I Fell For You” tour in Singapore. They received the “Pioneers of Dance” Award in 2013 by Origination.
The Wondertwins will be coming over to Woods Hole from The Yard on Martha’s Vineyard to give a talk entitled “Hip-Hop in the 21st Century (and Before)”.