During this residency Nick and his collaborators will reimagine the ritual of the cypher, a foundational element of hip hop culture, in particular breaking (breakdance). A cypher occurs when dancers form a circle creating space in the centre for the dancers to perform one at a time. Within the cypher there is an energy of celebration, competition and the opportunity to shine or falter in the midst of your peers.
Why is this ritual such an important part of hip hop culture? Is it possible to take the raw energy and expression of the cypher to a new place through dissecting and exploring the traditional physical language, music, interactions and construction of space?
During this residency Nick will be collaborating with French choreographer and b*girl Anne Nguyen. They will be working with four b*boys and a DJ.
Sydney-based Nick Power is one of Australia’s leading hip hop dance artists, as well as a dance teacher and choreographer. He is also founder and Artistic Director of Platform Hip Hop Festival.
Photo courtesy of Nick Power