Culture Shock: A 15-Year Reflection on History, Dance and Love
The Second Era, 1998-2002

Culture Shock’s second era begins at the end of 1997, when founder Angie Bunch acquired a pro-bono lawyer, Kenneth Wood Esq. to help Culture Shock attain a non-profit status, which would be very important in later years. Around the same time, Bunch began to see international interest in Culture Shock develop, starting with Canada and France, then moving on to Italy, Switzerland and Portugal. Touring and teaching with Nike, Bunch and guest Culture Shock San Diego dancers helped spread the fire, and international dancers were immediately hooked on Culture Shock. The United Kingdom would join the bandwagon later in 2000, and at the same time, interest within the United States was spreading as well, in particular to Atlanta, Chicago and D.C.

Back on the home front, the San Diego team was still rehearsing wherever they could find space. Luckily, in late 1998 things changed dramatically. Bunch got a phone call from a Peninsula Athletic club director who wanted her to look at an available space that would be “perfect” for Culture Shock. In reality, the building was a cavernous dump: an old dirty bike lock held the decaying front doors together, a horrid carpet covered the length of the dirty gymnasium floor and cobwebs from early civilization occupied every corner. But Bunch had a vision and was immediately rooted. (To read more, check out Dance San Diego's November/December 2007 issue!)