Jump to content

Hip-hop theater

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 132.3.17.68 (talk) at 05:07, 23 January 2013 (replaced info about marc bamuthi joseph, see talk page). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

French hip-hop dance company Franck II Louise performing at Breakin' Convention 2006.

Hip-hop theater is a form of theater that presents contemporary stories through the use of one or more of the four elements of hip-hop culture—b-boying, graffiti writing, MCing (rapping), and DJing.[1][2] Other cultural markers of hip-hop such as spoken word, beatboxing, and hip-hop dance can be included as well although they are not always present. What is most important is the language of the theatrical piece and the plot's relevance to the world.[2] Danny Hoch, founder of the Hip-Hop Theater Festival, further defines it as such: "Hip-hop theatre must fit into the realm of theatrical performance, and it must be by, about and for the hip-hop generation, participants in hip-hop culture, or both."[3]

Hip-hop theater productions appear in a wide range of platforms from single performances, to week-long festivals, to traveling repertory companies. Marc Bamuthi Joseph is an award winning spoken word artist and dancer who has been commissioned several times to create and direct single hip-hop theater works. British choreographer Jonzi D is the artistic director of the London based Breakin' Convention, a week long hip-hop theater festival. Rennie Harris, Mourad Merzouk, and Victor Quijada are artistic directors who run hip-hop theater companies in the U.S., France, and Canada respectively. The Rock Steady Crew, Magnificent Force, and the Rhythm Technicians pioneered this theatrical genre which started in the United States.

History

Though hip-hop culture has managed to establish itself on film, on television, in fashion, in music, and in the dance industry, it has not gained the same momentum in theater. Stage productions are few in number but growing.[4] The first hip-hop stage shows were 1990's off Broadway musical "So! What Happens Now?" and 1995's "Jam on the Groove" which were both co-authored, co-directed, and co-choreographed by Jorge "Popmaster Fabel" Pabon[5] and performed by the Rock Steady Crew, Magnificent Force, and the Rhythm Technicians.[6][7][8] Aside from the pioneers in New York was Lorenzo "Rennie" Harris' Puremovement (RHPM) hip-hop theater company which Harris founded in 1992 in Philadelphia.[9] The company has toured all over the world showcasing its original works such as "March of the Antmen", "P-Funk", "Endangered Species", "Facing Mekka", and "Rome & Jewels".[10] RHPM also organizes the annual Illadelph Legends Festival which brings together the pioneers—the people who were b-boying, locking, and popping in the '70s when these styles were developed—and renowned practitioners of hip-hop dance to teach master classes, give lecture demonstrations, and participate in panel discussions.[11]

Repertory companies

Other hip-hop theater companies that have been founded since the early 90s such as British based Impact Dance and American based all female company Decadance Theater. Compagnie Käfig is a French hip-hop theater company of mostly Algerian descent founded in 1995 by Mourad Merzouki.[12] Their performances mix standard b-boying, locking, and popping with capoeira, mime, and gymnastics.[12] They use the same fusion in music by mixing rap music with classical music and Andalusian guitar.[12] While on tour in the U.S. they performed at Jacob's Pillow in Massachusetts (2001) and at the Joyce Theater in New York (2002).[13][14]

Groovaloo is a hip-hop theater company based out of Los Angeles that was founded by Bradley "Shooz" Rapier. It started out in 1999 as a dance crew, The Groovaloos, and progressed into a stage show that is a series of stories based on the true life experiences of the dancers.[15] Company members include Edmundo "Poe One" Loayza, Rynan "Kid Rainen" Paguio from JabbaWockeeZ, and Teresa "Rag Doll" Espinosa from Beat Freaks.[16]

RUBBERBANDance Group (RBDG) was founded in 2002 in Montreal by Los Angeles native Victor Quijada.[17][18] Quijada first started dancing as a b-boy in Baldwin Park, CA.[18] He studied modern dance in high school and after graduating went on to become a professional dancer under Twyla Tharp and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal.[18] He started RBDG dance company after leaving the Montreal ballet. The New York Times has called the style of dance his company performs "post hip-hop" because it's a fusion of hip-hop dance and ballet.[18]

Independent performances

Marc Bamuthi Joseph is an award winning spoken-word poet who frequently directs stand alone hip-hop theater plays.[19] Some of his works include "Word Becomes Flesh", "De/Cipher" and "No Man's Land". He collaborated with Rennie Harris in 2007 to create "Scourge", a play about Haiti's social-economical struggles. Joseph directed the play while Harris served as the choreographer.[20][21] In 2008 he created "the break/s" which is a play based on the book Can't Stop Won't Stop by Jeff Chang.[19]

Other solo hip-hop theater artists include Sarah Jones who headlined the first Hip-Hop Theater Festival[2] and award winning playwright Will "Power" Wylie who collaborated with Danny Hock on his one-man play "Flow".[22] There are also other stand alone hip-hop stage productions such as "Breaking the Cypher"[23] and "Monsters of Hip Hop: The Show", a Broadway style production created every year for the most talented participants of the Monsters of Hip Hop dance convention.[24]

Festivals

See also

References

  1. ^ Tavis Smiley (November 23, 2004). "Will Power, Telling Stories through 'Hip Hop Theatre'". NPR (Podcast). The Tavis Smiley Show. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d Hopkins, Philip (June 3, 2003). "Hip-Hop Takes the Stage". Theater Mania. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved November 3, 2009. 'Everyone has a different definition of how hip-hop applies to theater,' says Valentin, who published the hip-hop-culture-focused Stress Magazine before becoming involved as a producer with some of the genre's bigger names. According to Valentin, 'Every show doesn't necessarily have to include the four basic elements of hip-hop: a DJ, graffiti-based visual art, breakdancing, and an MC or rapper.' But he concurs with Forbes about the importance of 'the language on stage, the story, and the vibe,' adding that 'relevance to today's world, urban or otherwise, is a major part' of the hip-hop theater experience.
  3. ^ Hoch, Danny (September 14, 2005). "Towards a Hip-Hop Aesthetic: A Manifesto for the Hip-Hop Arts Movement". DannyHoch.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 2, 2011. Retrieved November 3, 2009.
  4. ^ a b Weber, Bruce (June 25, 2002). "Hip-Hop's Distinct Voice Is Reshaping Theater". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
  5. ^ Chang, Jeff (2006). Total Chaos: The Art and Aesthetics of Hip-Hop. New York: BasicCivitas. p. 26. ISBN 0-465-00909-3.
  6. ^ Milosheff, Peter (July 7, 2008). "Rock Steady Crew 32nd Anniversary". The Bronx Times. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved August 25, 2009.
  7. ^ Gardner, Elysa; Eccles, Andrew (1992). "Off the Streets and onto Center Stage". Rolling Stone. ISSN 0035-791X. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  8. ^ Pareles, Jon (November 18, 1995). "Theater In Review". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
  9. ^ Parker, Janine (August 8, 2009). "Hip-hop dance party at Jacob's Pillow". Boston.com. The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
  10. ^ Gottschild, Brenda (2007). "Prince ScareKrow and the Emerald City: Rennie Harris's Hip Hop Life". Dance Magazine. Dancer Publishing. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved August 15, 2009. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  11. ^ "About Illadelph". RHPM. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
  12. ^ a b c "France's Compagnie Kafig exports theatrical street sizzle in the North American premiere of Corps est Graphique at the National Arts Centre". nac-cna.ca. February 5, 2004. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2009.
  13. ^ Kisselgoff, Anna (May 16, 2002). "Hip-Hop Head-Spinning, but With a French Twist". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
  14. ^ Mattingly, Kate (January 2000). "Compagnie Kafig And Full Circle Souljahz. - Review - dance review". BNet.com. Dance Magazine. Retrieved October 12, 2009.
  15. ^ "About the Show". Groovaloo.com. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved July 30, 2009.
  16. ^ "Based On The Lives Of..." Groovaloo.com. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
  17. ^ Osterweis Scott, Ariel (August 29, 2008). "Translating the Cipher". ArielOsterweis.com. Archived from the original on October 2,2011. Retrieved October 2, 2011. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help)
  18. ^ a b c d Schwyzer, Elizabeth (January 31, 2008). "Victor Quijada Keeps Stretching Dance's Boundaries". Santa Barbara Independent. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved March 5, 2010.
  19. ^ a b "Marc Bamuthi Joseph: A Leading Voice in Performance and Arts Education". SpeakOutNow.org. RadicalDesigns.org. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved November 3, 2009.
  20. ^ "The Living Word Project: Scorge". YouthSpeaks.org. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2009.
  21. ^ Vigil, Delfin (April 24, 2005). "Hip-hop theater is a party for the people". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved November 3, 2009.
  22. ^ McCarter, Jeremy (June 8, 2003). "THEATER; Hip-Hop and Musicals: Made for Each Other?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved November 3, 2009.
  23. ^ "Breaking the Cypher (Performance)". Plays411.net. Archived from the original on November 17, 2010. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
  24. ^ "Tabitha and Napoleon, Monsters of the Show". Movmnt.com. Movmnt Magazine. August 9, 2008. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved August 1, 2009.
  25. ^ Shapiro, Roberta (2004). "The Aesthetics of Institutionalization: Breakdancing in France". The Journal of Arts Management Law and Society. 33 (4): 321. doi:10.3200/JAML.33.4.316-335. {{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help); More than one of |pages= and |page= specified (help)
  26. ^ a b "HIP-HOP THEATER FESTIVAL". Kennedy-Center.org. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved August 27, 2009.
  27. ^ Wilson, Timothy (July 16, 2009). "Hip-Hop Theater Festival Reaches Out to All Ages". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved 2009-08-27.
  28. ^ "About us". BreakinConvention.com. 2009. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved August 25, 2009.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hip-hop_theater&oldid=534443708"