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ENROLLED ORIGINAL
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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
26-41
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
May 6, 2025
To recognize, honor, and celebrate the life of Marvin “Slush” Gross for his contributions to the
Barry Farm community, the District of Columbia, Go-Go culture, and the global dance
scene.
WHEREAS, Marvin “Slush” Gross was a native Washingtonian whose life embodied the
strength, spirit, and cultural fabric of the District;
WHEREAS, Mr. Gross was not only a beloved neighbor and friend, but also a cultural
cornerstone in his community, known for his generous spirit, his sharp wit, and his unwavering
dedication to the people and neighborhoods that shaped him;
WHEREAS, Mr. Gross was born on June 13, 1982, and grew up in the Barry Farm
community in Southeast DC;
WHEREAS, Mr. Gross danced from the day he was born, catalyzing a new era of dance
within the Go-Go world that resonated within his neighborhood and beyond and teaching his
brothers, sisters, friends, and classmates his signature moves;
WHEREAS, Mr. Gross attended Anacostia High School, and during his time there, other
students dance battled across the school imitating Mr. Gross’s moves and saying they were
“doing the Slush”;
WHEREAS, Mr. Gross was a visionary artist and founder of Beat Ya Feet, a uniquely DC
dance style that evolved out of a DC dance called the Hee Haw that quickly became a defining
expression of DC’s Go-Go music culture starting in the late 1990s;
WHEREAS, Beat Ya Feet gained national recognition across platforms like the America’s
Best Dance Crew show and continues to influence people overseas, through crews and artists
like the Beat Ya Feet Kings and Crazy Legz;
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
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WHEREAS, through his love of dance, Mr. Gross created space for joy, movement, and
connection, helping young people find identity and pride in the District’s rhythm and style and
lifting up a grassroots art form that continues to resonate across generations and on the
international stage;
WHEREAS, Mr. Gross lost his life on his way home from a Go-Go on Saturday, July 27,
2002, but his legacy lives on through the Beat Ya Feet dance and his contributions to the culture;
WHEREAS, to honor Mr. Gross’s legacy, the Council will review legislation that would
symbolically designate a portion of Sumner Road, S.E., as “Marvin “Slush” Gross Way”.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the “Marvin “Slush” Gross Posthumous Recognition Resolution of
2025”.
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes Marvin “Slush” Gross for his
contributions to the global dance scene and lasting legacy on the District of Columbia.
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately.