“The Roots” by Kader Attou/Compagnie Accrorap
One of the most memorable performances I’ve seen at the Joyce Theater in the past year. BRAVOS to this group of 11 amazing dancers. Enjoy Boston, Santa Barbara, and the rest of your US tour. Come back to New York City again soon!!!
I’m not generally a hip hop fan, but was completely taken aback by this company. Their movement quality was stunning, as if they could freeze time and fly in the air. They were athletic and physical: spinning, jumping, bouncing off everything on stage.
As a group, I love their connections with each other. Physically: in their assisted lifts, partnering, and movement as a group. Emotionally: they were manly and strong, relaxed and loving, genuine and funny, all at once.
I also enjoyed the part where they merged tap dancing with hip hop. I’ve seen Michelle Dorrance collaborate with Ephrat Asherie (combining tap and hip hop in two choreographies in five shows), and heard their theory on how the two dance forms share common elements.
However, it wasn’t until last Thursday, when Compagnie Accrorap took stage with one tap dancer, and 10 hip hop dancers responding and adding to the rhythm, that I finally saw the beauty of tap + hip hop.
Finally, props to their cool stage design (the slanted sofa chairs) and costuming (they looked like 11 fashion models at one point).
