If asked what dance repertory Salt Lake City has to offer, my mind does not instantly leap to any specific hip hop company. I might recognize Ballet West or Repertory Dance Theater as historically-minded, however, perhaps I should add 1520 Arts to this list after watching their annual performance They Reminisce. For those unfamiliar, 1520 Arts is a non-profit that, according to their website, showcases “Hip Hop Arts as a viable path to success” through practice, performance, and education.
Joshua “Text” Perkins, co-founder of the Bboy Federation, provides omnipresent narration for the entire production. He begins with the explanation that the point of the show is to talk about the things that have “come before us and laid down the groundwork for us to dance.” They Reminisce certainly does this and could be considered successful except for the duality within Perkins’ closing claim: “hip hop is more about the vibe than the moves.” These two statements, not inherently contradictory but certainly different, somewhat misalign.
The framework that ensued consisted of fractured segments that aimed to highlight movement by category. Each segment varied in length and in number of performers, though most were brief and precise. Perkins threaded the audience through the evolution of hip hop by displaying excerpts of locking, popping, and house. This first half of the show had the difficult task of “authentically” embodying ten hip hop “topics" in succession. Naturally, some were performed with more skill than others, but even the best of the show felt somewhat sterile. I found myself missing the organic coolness, which flickered in during exemplary moments but was more often smothered by over-curation.
One such example is found in the mid-show transition. I had read about the advertised narrative of a crew of young dancers trying to find their voice within hip hop and I was curious as to how Perkins would transition historical reflection into present-day action. I found that the only transition provided was by intermission, which didn’t connect the two portions and instead created a division between history and present. If you've seen the show, you know exactly what I am describing — it is the same every year. There are benefits and draws to the recurring nature of They Reminisce, but I noted that the audience was especially engaged and familiar with the second narrative act.
Perkins describes the birth of hip hip in the Bronx, photo by Sara Caldiero
I expected to favor the historical reflection, but improbably I enjoyed the narrative portion more. This is where the performers were allowed to present their full range: their specialties, playfulness, and innovation. Buddy Hills had a suede sequential quality to his style. Precious Stovall had a wonderful classiness of minimalist nuance. I was, of course, awed by the velocity and precision of the cast's many bboys and their propeller-like windmills, twisting inversions, and buoyant footwork. The use of illustrated projections of the performers were especially effective in smoothing the transitions between dance segments. This portion gave the audience what they were wanting: a showing of a current hip hop revolution.
While I am excited by the principle of a hip hop repertoire and the virtue of 1520’s mission statement, I found that They Reminisce relied so heavily on morals that the performance bowed under the weight of its own educational structure. The dynamism of the music was able to carry the movement through its shifting tones, but it did so so bombastically that the result made the narration cumbersome. To the average layman, the historical aspect could still be fantastic. I wonder though, how many audience members return to the show hopeful to see new creations.
They Reminisce provides an enjoyable evening, but one only returned to by those already dedicated to the SLC hip hop scene. If 1520 Arts desires to create an engaging repertory, their show’s structure and conception would need to match the skill of its performers. After all, if hip hop is more about the vibe than the moves within it, the individual moves should not outshine the overall experience.
Brianna Bernhardt is a current loveDANCEmore intern and a BFA candidate in the U of U’s School of Dance. She aims to cultivate creative excellence and promote academia within the arts through her role as a student leader and freelance artist. She enjoys going to museums, reading books, and taking long walks without destinations. Find her on instagram @bybriannabernhardt.
Here’s another view of this performance from Sara Caldiero…
The performance opens with a club scene and the entire cast is present. It is clear that the HERC has been doing their work. What a crew they formed! There is a balanced mix of women and men. They are young and spry. Lots of long, natural hair — which adds to the physical motion. These dancers embody styles from eras outside their lifetimes. In the beat they connect to the African roots of break dancing. The costuming is a patchwork of colors — so bright and alive. The “popping” piece is truly well choreographed — a piece by Marc “Big Chocolate” Cameron. Where aspects of fine dance are displayed. I’m struck by the execution of synchronized complicated moves.
The show seeks to be historical, education, and informational entertainment. I didn’t know that hip hop is forty eight years old and hails from 1963, deep in the Bronx. There is also a storyline to the show. A kid preparing for a dance competition — the internal struggle is real.
The second half of the show opens with house music and a battle. Here the movers show their flair and pop it. In the battle scene, I wanted to see the women confrontational. I wished they would participate in the fight. Instead, they pranced across the stage. Fighting with choreography instead of power moves. It is not often enough that we see tough guys dancing in our culture. This is one way for it to be socially acceptable for them to dance. Their power and presence on stage is notable.
photo by Sara Caldiero
One choreographer in the bunch really stood out, Tristan Gray, set the stage with moment connected to African roots. His piece, SCR Reborn was a very complete composition.
The show ends with a message of, “Peace, love unity, and having fun.” As well as, “Vibes are more important than moves.” I left the show with good vibrations. The beauty of the show is that it reminds and inspires one to reminisce.
Sara Caldiero is a writer, book artist, folk dancer, and creative arts instructor. Her proximity to wilderness has inspired her to teach, write, and perform. She enjoys bringing poetry to people in classrooms, on desert adventures, and to drifters on the street. She is in an MFA program for creative writing and completed a BA in English from the University of Utah. She is the creator and director of Hunger for the Arts, an art program that provides workshops and food for homeless teens in Salt Lake City.
Her work has been made public through chapbooks, a broadside by Dreamgarden Press, literary anthologies, and performance. Book art publications include: Hotels, Snatch ‘N’ Sniff, and The Headless Housewife: A book of Anarchy and Imaginary Solutions. Some notable performances as a featured poet are: Utah Arts Festival, Utah Humanities Great Salt Lake Book Festival, and the City Art poetry series.