Compagnie Accrorap at Shubert Theatre Boston

The French troupe, Compagnie Accrorap, performed "The Roots" at Boston's Boch Center Shubert Theatre as part of the Celebrity Series of Boston on February 2nd and 3rd. The eleven all-male dancers explored the history of their own troupe and hip-hop.

Compagnie Accrorap billed itself as being "a combination of hip hop, circus and contemporary dance," which was not an entirely accurate representation for the evening. In fact, the advertised description did a disservice to the actual performance. Currently, the dance world is filled with hip-hop and circus performances. Audience members who go to dance performances are familiar with both hip-hop and circus act styles. For better or for worse, dance companies are competing with people's hearts and minds when you say hip-hop and circus arts. "The Roots" was a contemporary dance piece with influences of hip-hop and circus arts, not the other way around.

Hip-hop takes strength, endurance, and an ability to move explosively. In hip-hop performances, there are the 'traditional' hip-hop groups with dancers at the top of their physical abilities, and there are also mature performers trying to find ways to stay true to hip-hop as their bodies age. Many mature performers do this by slowing down their movements and deconstructing the steps. Done well, it is fascinating to watch. In "The Roots," there were some of the physically challenging quick movements that we can expect from hip-hop. But, much of the performance was slower and lacked the energy normally seen in hip-hop, and it did not appear to be an attempt at deconstruction.

Circus dance performances, both large and small, are found throughout the dance world. From traveling troupes like Cirque du Soleil and The 7 Fingers to Boston's own homegrown and charming Boston Circus Guild, Boston audiences can find a way to be amazed by the acts of artists that might be considered either gymnastic dancers or dancing gymnasts. Compagnie Accrorap did introduce a circus art staple at about 30 minutes in, in the form of a small floor trampoline and one performer walked up a table at an angle (which is the advertising photo for this production), but this part of the performance lasted about 5 minutes. It felt like we were teased with the idea of circus.

Finally, the set design and costuming did not work for the evening. Circus and hip-hop is about bravado and audience engagement. Often these dance styles are about amazing people with what the human body can accomplish. The set design choice of a cloudy gray sky background with beige furniture was disappointing, but combined with the drab gray and beige khaki pants, the entire design felt energy draining. Additionally, baggy clothing is not a good choice when doing hip-hop and circus movement. With some hip-hop movements, like the popping and locking, audiences need to be able to see the body. Instead, we were reduced to watching the way the folds of clothing moved.

One question is whether "The Roots" would be more appealing if audience members did not walk in with expectations of "hip-hop, circus and contemporary dance." The answer is a qualified yes. "The Roots" stands better on its own when seen through the lens of contemporary dances with other influences, and they made interesting choices (like the tap dance segment). Ultimately, though, the combination of the bland design and costumes combined with some out of rhythm dancing and uneven spacing that did not seem like a choreography choice ended up making Compagnie Accrorap's performance puzzling and disappointing.

For more on Compagnie Accrorap, visit their website.