PRISM, Tentacle Tribe
Tentacle Tribe, PRISM © DoPhanHoi
For all the success of groups such as Diversity in the early 2010s, there is a distinct lack of street dance on Britain’s stages.
Instead, the majority of airtime goes towards ballet productions and contemporary programmes. So, thank goodness for Breakin’ Convention, champions of hip-hop at Sadler’s Wells. On top of their annual spring festival, they also present the odd performance at Sadler’s across the year. And this October they have invited Canadian street dance company Tentacle Tribe to present their work PRISM at Sadler’s Wells East.
Tentacle Tribe, PRISM © DoPhanHoi
The work bounces off the idea of perspective. What is the true view of the world? Is what we are seeing the real version? By bringing mirrors onto the stage and floor, at first in a box shape then later more mobile, we are provided with multiple views of the colourful quintet performing the company’s signature blend of contemporary and hip-hop. It certainly got me thinking about how every audience’s view of a performance is unique. While I saw hints of the dancers moving the mirrors, those sat more centrally would have had less of a behind-the-scenes view. I’m sure that there was deeper meaning if one cared to look, but at a top level the piece was essentially a work of pure dance. One didn’t need to spend the night concentrating on what the work was trying to tell you, the moral behind a certain leg kick. And the work was stronger for it. After a long day at work, I could immerse myself in the thrills of new choreography and meditative nature of the electronic soundtrack without stressing about ‘understanding’ it.
The choreography was surprisingly slow. I always imagined hip-hop to be fast paced, with dancers’ breaking and popping bouncing off a high-octane score. Instead, Elon Höglund’s composition was a mellow, crackling lo-fi number. Those who are committed readers of this site will know I find atmospheric electronic music to be quite boring. However, I am pleased to report that the choreography and set changed and progressed at a near perfect pace, meaning that the mellow score (which, I concede, did have moments of energy and dynamics) never held the piece back from its potential.
Tentacle Tribe, PRISM © DoPhanHoi
Dancers performed melting choreography as they weaved in and out of each other, arms still holding popping’s robotic nature, yes, but flowing like water, the result of the company’s contemporary influence. The quintet’s movement was reflected on the mirrored surfaces around them allowing us to admire the many intricate duets from angles normally the privilege of those standing in the wings. It was an explosion of colour, and yet the kaleidoscopic potential of the mirrors took a while to be realised. Halfway through the hour-long work, the lights dimmed to blue and immersed us in a watery world. The mirrors, now tipped back to open a crack in the centre, allowed dancer after dancer to seamlessly pass half their body through. They lifted their leg and torso which, via the magic of reflection, gave the mesmerising impression of a jellyfish bobbing through the ocean. The dimmed light had blurred reality and mirror multiverses together. The potential of the set design was finally realised.
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