The Richmonder 25: Junior Martin dances in the median to inspire you

You’re in your car, driving home during your evening commute. As you sit at the red light, waiting for it to turn green, the weight of your day sits with you: the stress from work, the traffic around you, the dinner that needs to be made. It buzzes in the background of your mind.

Then you see him. 

A lone figure, dancing to the thumping sound of his boombox, at the edge of the intersection — arms popping, head bobbing, his feet tapping out a rhythm on the hard brick sidewalk. This intersection is his studio, his canvas, his dojo. It’s his sanctuary and stage. 

Keithvell Martin is his name. His friends call him “Junior” and music isn’t just something he hears, it’s something he inhabits.

Martin sets up his one-man, outdoor dance studio at the intersection of Belvidere and West Leigh. You can often catch him during the evening commute. He’s been at it almost three years, since the fall of 2023, putting in work for hours at a time, even in the dead heat of the summer. He accepts support via Cash App in exchange for this valuable public service, using the contributions to upgrade his setup.

“I just really love dancing. It's in my spirit — I have to get out there and do it,” he said.

Martin is a Richmond native and graduated from L.C. Bird High School in 2025. He was diagnosed with ADHD when he was younger and discovered a love for dancing that became an outlet for him.

Martin has established a bit of a following, and I count myself among those followers. I fully recognize that telling you so compromises my journalistic objectivity. But I’m not the only one vibing in my car to his footwork. People on Reddit chat about him. Or here’s a comment from a mom on Instagram: “I drive by you all the time!! My kids are in the back seat yelling it's the dancing guy! Honk Mom Honk!! It definitely brightens our day!”

People love what he does, and when you stand next to him on the corner, that love is made clear. Cars honk and people wave — the sheer number of horn-blasts and hellos in just a few minutes is striking. In the early days, he was surprised.

“When people started honking their horns, I was confused at first. But then people started waving, pulling over, or stopping at the light to tell me I was doing an amazing job,” said Martin.

Martin comes from a big family and he’s the oldest of seven. On some days, they make it a family affair and he’s joined by a very special guest: his auntie — holding a giant colorful sign that reads, “Honk for peace and love.” 

Martin said his family loves what he’s doing. “They love it because it's something special I've become known for, something I'm great at. It's motivating people and keeps me out there doing something great instead of something bad.”

Dancing remains his main passion, but Martin recognizes that it may not be forever, and he’s open to a career doing something else. While he’s not out there dancing every single day, he gets out as much as he can, and his plan is to keep doing it for the foreseeable future. 

So what’s the point here?

Martin had an idea to do something a little different. 

That’s where the story ends for most people. Lots of things get in the way of acting on an idea: Self-consciousness. Fear. Being worn down by the things life throws your way. 

But Martin moved from idea to action. He got up off the couch and, like, actually did the thing. What makes his dancing compelling lies in the simple act of doing it. Martin keeps making the decision to dance, in spite of what might get in the way, and that lights people up. When he’s out there doing his thing, it gives you a little more energy to go do your thing. Whatever that thing may be.

And what does Junior Martin want people to feel when they drive by and see him dancing? He wants them to feel something that “pushes them to do what they believe in, what they're supposed to do, without carrying negativity through their day. Something that makes their day feel better, more loving and caring.”

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