The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2022 - Issue 31

bitetheatre Take 1 Dance O pening the show was Take 1 Dance, from the UK; a charity and community organisation established in 1999 that boasts of engaging and developing their students, bringing about positive change for those most challenging to reach with- in the disadvantaged communities of Nottingham’s inner city since conception. They claim to have offered further development and progression opportunities to the young people who come through their door, with 50% of their current staff having been service users at some point dur- ing their life. Tonight they presented ‘SAMPLICITY’, an exploration of ‘80s and ‘90s hip-hop. A central spotlight switches on, and R&B music from the nineties and early nough- ties plays while a dancer moves into the centre, swiftly swapped with another dancer, then another, and a few more. Sometimes it’s in twos or threes until it becomes clear that the ensemble is given a few seconds to shine underneath that spotlight until all those dancing to this part of their set are on stage. Suddenly, great big white words are projected onto the screen behind them, being read out by a voiceover. The words all relate to the hip-hop culture and its music: “IT’S AN ART FORM THAT REARRANGES SPACE AND TIME”, which I feel is a poetic understatement of the art of dance. What follows is an explosion of red movement as the dancers, each in red loungewear-esque baggy trou- sers and open shirt, with white t-shirt and trainers, start some old-school dance moves to old-school music that make me feel like getting up there on the stage and bussin’ my moves with them. Alas, theatre etiquette has me humming along to the fa- miliar sounds of my early adulthood days and reminisc- ing the moves being performed. The nine are quickly joined by another four dancers, creating a red flurry of flowingness, both from their movements and their well- thought-out choice of costume. I feel like there are flames from a fire dancing before my eyes in synchronicity. The thirteen-strong ensemble changes from duets to trios to smaller groups while keeping the audience glued to the stage and the enticing movements and sounds. The words pop up again, intermittently throughout the perfor- mance, talking about the art of creating hip-hop music, like ‘looping’ songs. Various old-school R&B hits are played, including Desti- ny’s Child’s No, No, No, Mary J. Blige’s I Can Love You, and Foxy Brown’s Get Me Home. The audience couldn’t help but head-nod or sing along whilst watching the swagger on the stage, my favourite being the one danced by a sassy trio of dancers. But what got me (and Jonzi D mentioned this when he came back on stage) is the entire ensemble danced back onto the stage, formed a line and took their bow as a dance move in the final set whilst dancing to Faith Evans’ Love Like This . Their fluidity of movement continued until the end of their set before they ultimately left the stage. So amazingly original! https://take1studios.co.uk IN’