Anima / Darkroom [2020]

Raw energy. Staccato, combat-like movements. The choreographer Lucy M. May meets 7Starr’s explosive force to present krump – a street dance reflecting the effervescence of the early 2000s – in the context of a black box theatre. Like plunging into a volcano in a clash of darkness and incandescent light, powerful movement bursts forth. Galvanizing and liberating.

A krump pioneer and one of its magnetic icons, co-choreographer 7Starr stretches time as he slides from one figure to another in a dance of pure expression. The tense, twisted body gives voice to a dialogue expressing diverse facets of existence. The audience is an accomplice, called on to bear witness to this quest for reciprocity, this effort to be seen and heard. A veritable vehicle for self-affirmation, the theatre is transformed into a darkroom, revealing and briefly capturing the dancer’s rapid shape-shifting. Alchemy that leaves its mark.

Produced by Lucy May
Choreographed and performed by 7Starr
Conceived, choreographed and directed by Lucy M. May
Lighting Design Jon Cleveland
Sound Design Patrick Conan
Original Music Patrick Conan + Big Rulez aka God’sHand (Marion Arinloye)
Costume Design Frédérique “Pax” Dumas
Artistic Advisors Ellen Furey + Alexandra « Spicey » Landé
Outside Eye Valérie “Taminator” Chartier
Technical Director Jon Cleveland
Mentorship Ola Maciejewska
Sound Consultant Guillaume Côté
Voices Goof + Ja James Britton Johnson + Shanyça Elie-Leconte AKA Shany Boubou HeavySoul + Tommy “Sin’cere” Nuguid
Communications Assistants Daniela Pénélope Gromko + Luz Machado
Administrative Assistant Margarita Herrara
Photographers Elias Touil + Do Phan Hoi + Tommy “Sin’cere” Nuguid + JaKnows
Videographers Matt McKinney + JaKnows + Emily Gan + Matt Maaskant + Kinga Michalska + Kimura Byol
Video Editing Eduardo Menz

Technical residencies La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines + Centre de Création O Vertigo – CCOV + Maison de la culture Marie-Uguay

Creative residencies Studio 303 + Centre d’art Diane Dufresne (Repentigny) + The Third Floor Projects / Usine C + Danse à la Carte + Studio Illest Drive (Boisbriand)

Presented in association with La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines + Montreal Krump Alliance

Thanks to all those who have contributed to the development of this project for their trust and generosity. To our family, friends and the arts community who have believed in this since the beginning. Very deeply thank you Ellen, Spicey, Patrick & Jon for trust, chops and commitment. Thank you Rulez, Pax and Taminator, Daniela, Margarita, Pénélope and Denis. S/O to Antoine Bédard, Alex MacSween and Étienne Lou for your assistance with sound and voice things. Thank you Miriam, Kim-Sahn, Yves, Nicole, Lisa, Paul, Andrew, Olivier B, Annie-Claude, Olivier T. Thank you Otis Hopson, Solow, West, 7*Skopez, Jigsaw & the Grouch Fam. S/O to the MKA extended family, our brothers and sisters across Canada, the US and the world and to Big Mijo & Tight Eyex for creating Krump. We are indebted to the lands on which we dance and to their traditional stewards—the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people of Canada, residing here in Tio’tia:ke. Let us stand up for this speck in the universe we all call home, and do it together. This work is dedicated to the memory of Sammono Chau.

Written by Morena Prats
Translated by Neil Kroetsch

Premiered at La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines, Montreal, on Septembre 26, 2019