BROOKLYN, NY — Micheal Paul starts his day like most other New Yorkers do: He wakes up at 7 a.m., showers, gets dressed and drives to work.
The big difference is that he is driving to the Bedford Avenue L train station, where he will get on the train and announce, “It’s showtime!” before performing flips and other impressive tricks for commuters going to and from Manhattan.
Paul, who grew up in Crown Heights, has been performing on the subway every single day — with very few breaks — for the past 11 years, he told Patch.
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The response from commuters varies from car to car, but when Paul gets a crowd that responds well, he said it reminds him of his purpose.
“When there’s a good energy, it makes me feel like I’m not doing this for no reason. That’s all I can say,” Paul, 28, said. “If I’m stressed, if I have an attitude, I will go dance on the train so that I can forget about it. It’s a big stress reliever for me.”
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For Paul, performing on the subway is like a live-action business card — commuters who’ve seen him perform have booked him to dance in music videos and even appeared on MTV with Emmy-nominated actor and producer Anthony Anderson, he said.
His dance routine changes from day to day, but it always includes a variety of moves from a style called Lite Feet, he said.
Like break dancing, Lite Feet is an explosive, high-energy dance form that evolved alongside hip-hop. The main difference is the footwork — in Lite Feet, the quick footwork has a weightless quality.
However, over the years, his routine has evolved to include more daring tricks on the poles and handrails because those make more money, he said.
“It’s fun, it keeps me in shape, it makes people happy, but it’s really about the money — I’ve got to make money,” Paul, who is raising a toddler, said.
For the past 10 years, Paul has performed regularly with friends Nijul Jennings, Wilburt Smith, and Malik Hymes.
Hymes, a 28-year-old from East Flatbush, said they often dedicate their performances to their friends who have died.
“We do this for the brothers that are no longer here with us. We are still dancing and staying positive for y’all,” Hymes told Patch.
Paul said each dancer makes around $150 per day during the week and $300 per day during the weekend. Lately, the E train has been better for business, he said. A few times, he’s even been handed a $100 bill.
“I used to like the L train a lot when I was younger, but as of right now, I dance on the E train every day, from Queens Plaza to Forest Hills and back,” Paul, who recently moved to Far Rockaway, said.
Paul has a rigorous schedule. He performs on the E train between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily, he said. After that, he picks up his toddler from preschool and then performs for another three hours on the L train between Bedford Avenue and First Avenue.
For his fellow performers, his work ethic is inspiring.
“He’s a great leader. He knows how to lead and reach the goal he wants to reach,” Hymes said about Paul.
And, perhaps most importantly, they’ve never kicked anyone in the face.
“Those guys are from the Bronx,” Hyme said.
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