After a yummy dinner at Caravan in Exmouth market with my work homie Lisa B (ham hock croquettes, sweet potato pockets, soft shell crab and ribs all washed down with a couple of Camden Hells!) we ended a busy week in the drama department by getting excited about seeing TWERK. With our Theatre heads on normally used to a good ol' narrative, it was clear that we were going to have to take these hats off and get prepared for the visual feast that was ahead of us.
Upon entering we were treated to a booming soundtrack from the DJs Elijah and Skilliam from label Butterz. The dancers resembled spinning tops as they took on the challenge of spinning around to the music (or not) which seemed like an endurance test. It did draw me in however, mainly because I was in awe of their ability to stay focused on this task without getting dizzy and losing their step.
I liked the five different 'types' that were created through costume and dance styles. The costumes could be deemed as androgynous and represented to me a mixture of 'podium dancer', 'festival go-er' and 'clubber'. This set me up nicely to accept the idea of the human bodies of these dancers being sexy in general as opposed to 'male' and 'female' sexy.
It was interesting to see the different dance styles flowing into one another rather than an organised set. The mixture of whacking, dancehall, krump and house styles came through at different moments, and I felt like I was watching a bunch of (incredibly well trained) Friday night punters having a great time at a late night party. The flowing nature of the styles was more reflective of how you would dance on the floor, and it made me feel far less embarrassed of my mini sessions trialling my 'dancehall legs' and whining in my room before launching into a Dougie! I mean, after all, the night of music is ever changing and so do the moves and grooves that we use.
I particularly liked the 'Pow' section in which four of the five dancers emerged topless in black underpants and whirly black wigs. The Dancehall legs were showcased well here by one dancer, however the movements hit the beats subtly. It was refreshing to see this. I know that when Pow usually comes on, I turn slightly mental and probably emulate a boxer with a dose of Yonce- punching every beat aggressively with a few ripples here and there. The dancers demonstrated waves of movements but still showcased the style well.
The twerking itself was quite a treat, and should be upheld as more than a parody party trick. This is a skilled move which involves controlled bum jiggling at its finest. Admittedly there were moments when it looked like there were puppies in their pants, but who doesn't like a puppy?!
The TWERK-TRAIN at the end was enjoyable, funny and a pleasure to witness. Like a stylised game of twister, dancers interlocked head under crotch with each other, it even moved, finishing with a 'legs in the air' celebration that the Buddhist Gods would be proud of.
I came away with a feeling of appreciation for the dance styles, admiration of the dancers who are athletes in their field, and a heart that thumped in all the right ways to the music (thank you DJ's). And I've learned that although there was a disconnect from the audience, and I didn't necessarily feel invited in, that that's o.k and is perhaps something I need to get used to within the dance entertainment world. I do however feel I would have enjoyed it more if there were some more fun moments of interaction for the audience to grip onto. By the end I had truly had a good quality serving of a glittery grimey starter, main and TWERK dessert. A good feeling to start the weekend with!
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