Anima / Darkroom

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 M. May
Conceived, choreographed and directed by Lucy M. May
Choreographed and performed by 7Starr
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 + Nindy Banks + Etienne Lou
Rehearsal assistant and Stage support Mathilde Mercier-Beloin
Technical Director Jon Cleveland
Mentorship Ola Maciejewska
Voice Coach Étienne Lou
Sound Consultant Guillaume Côté
Voices Goof + Ja James Britton Johnson + Shean Elie-Leconte AKA Shany Boubou HeavySoul + Tommy “Sin’cere” Nuguid
Communications Assistants Andréanne Samson
Administrative Assistant Margarita Herrera Domínguez
Photographers Elias Touil + Do Phan Hoi + Tommy “Sin’cere” Nuguid
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 + Théâtre Hector-Charland / Centre d’art Diane Dufresne (Repentigny) + The Third Floor Projects / Usine C + Danse à la Carte + Studio Illest Drive (Boisbriand)

Presented in association with Théâtre Prospero

Thanks to 7Skopez Fam + Alex MacSween + Andrew Tay + Annie-Claude Coutu Geoffroy + Antoine Bédard + Aude Watier + Daniela Machado + Denis Bergeron + Ellen Furey + Étienne Lou + Grouch Fam + Jigsaw + Kim-Sahn Châu + Lisa Davies + Margie Gillis + Miriam Ginestier + Nicole Mion + Olivier Bertrand + Olivier Toutiras + Otis Hopson + Paul Caskey + Pénélope Gromko + Solow + Spicey + Taminator + West + Yves Sheriff. Thank you Big Mijo & Tight Eyex, the creators of Krump. Anima / Darkroom was created on Tio’tia:ke. Artists are grateful to its traditional stewards, the Kanien’keha:ka and the many First Nations, Inuit, and Metis living and exchanging here.

This work is dedicated to the memory of Sammono Chau.

Premiered at Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines / Gutta Zone, Montreal / Laval, on Septembre 26, 2019

Written by Morena Prats
Translated by Neil Kroetsch