Constanza Macras’ piece Distortion is a first time cooperation with the HipHop Academy Hamburg. The break- and street dancers meet the live musicians from the company of DorkyPark in a choreography that diffracts breakdance and hip-hop moves with keywords from political and media discourses. In question is the definition of identity for ‘being German’ when one defines oneself in tune with the surrounding majority due to birth- and living circumstances, but is not represented in the general definition of ‘being German’. The arising questions of identity, migration, and body looks the dancers experience in their daily life are subject of examination, deconstruction, remix and distortion the performer play out through and with their own body. (currently at the schaubühne, Berlin)

What sounds a bit like a 1990s discourse gains a live of its own due to the distortion of Macras choreography which luckily has combined a nicely divers group of dancers of individuals in body shape and temper. The choreography’s awareness of the competitive structures of hip-hop and to break its patterns with simultaneity, humor and group interaction is what makes this evening an event that isn’t just an exercise in a different aesthetics coming from the streets to stage. The piece is in itself ‘rough’ enough to fulfill Die Zeit’s claim that “A choreography by Macras is finished when the stage lies in ruins at the end.”

Not that this has to be taken literal but metaphorically breakdance, HipHop and modern dance are are dissected and re-reflected throughout this work that something really exciting emerges that is beyond strict mastery. It is lived dance that does display itself with a humorous sensitivity and thus is able to perform bodily inscriptions in ease and skewed mastery. In this distortion the production Distortion opens up the chance for questions of identity which certainly need a re-definition exceeding current determinations without just demanding it. One could say that in the skewing the image the piece gains its very ground and openness.
 

trailer for ‘DISTORTION‘ / youTube