Fringe Show Reviews

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Breakdance for Solo Cello

Written by: Choreography by JoDee Allen and Helen Simard

Presented by: Solid State Breakdance / Montreal, QC

$content.venue

Our Rating: Your Average Rating:

07/19/2009 3:43 PM | Comments: 0

The sublime music of Johann Sebastian Bach meets the gritty grace of breakdance and hip-hop in this remarkable, unlikely marriage of classical and street-bred art, which sparked a deserved standing ovation and screams of enthusiasm at its first performance.

Montreal’s Solid State Breakdance didn’t quite wow us last year with a show that incorporated swing moves. This year, the three-woman, two-man sneaker-clad crew — which includes choreographers JoDee Allen and Helen Simard — delivers jaw-dropping feats, playful wit and true artistry.

Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra principal cellist Yuri Hooker, seated onstage, performs movements from Bach’s timeless Suites for Unaccompanied Cello. The suites, as played by Denis Brott, are also remixed to give parts of the show a more urban soundtrack.
Who knew that a lone breakdancer in an undershirt (Gregory “Krypto” Selinger) could give such moving expression to an intimate Bach Sarabande? The beautiful Selinger solo, with its magnificent, effortful striving and its near-collapses of defeat, is nothing less than a poem about what it means to be human.

One could quibble about a few lulls, and the decision not to end with the show’s most sensationally funky unison number. But why quibble, when the audience emerged in such a solid state of joy?

— Alison Mayes

From the official Fringe Festival program:

Inspired by Bach’s “Suites for Unaccompanied Cello”, Solid State has created a modern multidisciplinary performance that is linked to the timelessness and universality of classical music.

In Breakdance for Solo Cello, five dancers explore the beauty, complexity and intimacy that is not always seen beneath the explosive and athletic nature of breakdance vocabulary.

www.solidstatebreakdance.com

RECOMMENDED: General Audience

60 min.

Venue #9

Tickets: $9

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More Fringe Show Reviews

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.