To his coworkers, he’s Derrick: a laid-back yet meticulous colleague who is always eager to teach others as a University of Chicago clinical research coordinator.
But to those in the world of hip-hop dance, he’s “Kid Nimbus”: the “people’s champion” from Joliet, Illinois, who has turned himself from a gawky preteen into a successful street dancer known for his playful, expressive style and innovative movements.
Derrick Judkins is just trying to balance all his passions—namely, a career in medicine and one in dance.
“I didn’t think I would ever be in this position, looking back,” Judkins said, referring to his obvious lack of rhythm prior to the seventh grade. “My parents still talk about it—they used to call me up to dance at family gatherings, and they would just laugh, because it was hilarious.”
But as he neared high school, something clicked: “I was able to finally interpret the music I was hearing, enough for someone to say, ‘Wow, he’s really good!’”
Judkins is used to surprising people.
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This story was first published by UChicago News.