PUSHING THEMSELVES TO THE LIMIT

PUSHING THEMSELVES TO THE LIMIT

Yeshica Naidoo

Something new is emerging … a birthing … and you definitely do not want to miss this historic moment,
Daniel Renner and Flatfoot Dance Company are joining forces to bring what promises to be a mystical and magical fusion/collaboration of Hip-Hop and contemporary dance in “Soulscape’.

Renner is a choreographer from Holland and is accompanied by Dutch B-Boy Rodney Kasandikromo a member of Renner’s Roundcorner Dance Company. They bring their flavour of Hip-Hop with that of Durban’s finest B-Boyz Preston ‘Kayzo’ Kyd and Craig ‘Miz’ Katts ,to Flatfoot Dance Company’s skilled and trained contemporary dancers to create a new work that is likely to rock your world.

Laban-trained Renner works off a choreographic score which is written on the dance studio’s blackboard to refer to at any time. And they do. Renner’s balance of small and big movement, on either sides of the rehearsal space, and clever collaboration of barrel jumps and backward flips creates symmetry between these two genres. Most important, aesthetically speaking, is the way in which these genres lend themselves to each other to create something beautiful.

The quirky cuteness Renner adds to Kasandikromo’s hip twists makes me think of those little dash board Hawaiian dolls. Then there’s the way Flatfoot;s Jabu Siphika manipulates a flopped-over ‘Miz’, And not forgetting the look on our Mlondi Zondi’s face as he attempts the iconic break-dancing headstand.

The commitment and dedication that oozes out of the saturated cast is simply amazing as they rehearse without being pushed to do so while the choreographer focuses on getting a small detail correct with S’fiso Magesh Ngcobo until they are both satisfied.

As ‘Miz’ and ‘Kayzo’ go about their business they leave us mumbling ‘Ohhs’ and ‘Ahhs’, with the occasional ‘Ouch’, we hold our breath as they perform some very dangerous moves, Daniel Renner can’t help but notice them pushing themselves to the limit and yells ‘Not more break than dance, hey’ .

Stones are part of the choreography (balanced on the back and head, held in the mouth or inside an elbow joint). The opening sequence suggests a peace offering as the B-Boyz hand stones over to the Flatfoot dancers. It is with this sense of harmony that they are able to share this space in the world and create something as beautiful as “roundcorner” (the name of Renner’s technique).