Has Hip Hop ever gotten into bed with homosexuality?
I’m no expert but I’d expect not, although didn’t Eminem and Elton John once embrace on stage?
Generally, the popular preconception, I would imagine is that if Hip Hop has any view on homosexuality it is against it.
But now the two are about to be (re)introduced.
201 Dance Company is about to tour with Smother, stories of homosexual relationships, enacted by a cast of seven, to a backing track of Hip Hop.
The show will touch on addiction, obsession, and the true meaning of commitment.
It uses fast-paced, hard-hitting choreography and follows a number of relationships to raise questions about companionship and identity.
Whether or not this production will amount to some kind of transformation of Hip Hop, or whether its just an appropriation of Hip Hop beats to garnish the performance of the dance troupe, we’ll have to wait and see.
201 Dance Company is touring throughout England in April and June.
UK TOUR LISTINGS INFORMATION
Thursday 13 April & Saturday 15 April, 8pm, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, London, E15 1BN Box Office 020 8534 0310 Tickets £12 www.stratfordeast.com
Wednesday 10 May, Lincoln Drill Hall Freeschool Lane, Lincoln, LN2 1EY. Box Office: 01522 873894 www.lincolndrillhall.com
Tuesday 23 May, South Hill Park Arts, Ringmead, Bracknell, RG12 7PA, Phone: 01344 484 123, www.southhillpark.org.uk
Friday 26 May, Dance City Temple Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4BR Box office 0191 261 0505 www.dancecity.co.uk
Thursday 1& Friday 2 June Birmingham Hippodrome (Patrick Centre) Hurst St, Southside, Birmingham, B5 4TB, Box Office: 0844 338 5000. www.dancexchange.org.uk
Tuesday 20 June, Theatre Royal Bath (the Egg) Sawclose, Bath BA1 1ET. Box office: 01225 823409 www.theatreroyal.org.uk
Thursday 22 June, Courtyard Theatre, Edgar St, Hereford, HR4 9JR. Box office 01432 340555 www.courtyard.org.uk