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Sunday, April 4, 2010

UNDER CONSTRUCTION II

A scene from Under Construction II

Break-Thru contemporary dance company moves to Suncoast.

Acclaimed local dancer Taryn Makaab of Durban North moves the second season of her dance fusion show, Under Construction, to The Zone at Suncoast Casino & Entertainment World from April 8 to 11. The move to a bigger venue follows the sell-out success of the production’s first season at the Church on Florida Road last year.

It is an energetic showcase of local dance talent, featuring 23 exceptionally gifted dancers from Makaab’s Break-Thru Dance Company, launched last year. Choreography is by Makaab and colleague Corrine de Beer, who brings her London experience in hip-hop dance to the table to wow local audiences.

Says Makaab, “We have a simple story line picked up now and again throughout the show, but ultimately this show is simply about showcasing dance in South Africa in all its forms. More and more local dancers are learning that we can really do anything instead of trying to fit into just one dance genre. Break Thru Dance Company’s work is about using our versatility to bring all the various forms together.”

As such, Under Construction features an exhilarating fusion of ballet, contemporary, jazz, krumping, tap, hip-hop, African and beat boxing all in one show. These diverse dance sequences are interspersed with performances by SA’s number one beat-boxer, Nthuthuko "Drumkit" Majola, Durban’s krumping crew, Genesis and break dancers from the Floor Assassins.

Makaab boasts an early start to international dance, having left South Africa to dance professionally at the age of 17. Her experience includes being a soloist with Ohio based contemporary dance company, The Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre, a scholarship and subsequent solo roles with Dance Theatre of Harlem ballet school and international tours as lead dancer in the international musical African Footprint for four years.

Highlights of Under Construction include the Rama Lama Bang Bang sequence inspired by the spectacular Wade Robson-choreographed piece performed on a recent season of the UK version of television show, So You Think You Can Dance? Also don’t miss the number melding Drumkit’s vocal beats with Makaab’s tap beats, and another presenting a new genre Makaab calls ‘ballet krump’.

There is also the spellbinding Michael Jackson tribute, a pure contemporary African style dance and a moving Balanchine piece showcasing this American genre of classical ballet.

Under Construction Season II has performances from April 8 to 11 at 19h30 (matinees on April 10 and 11 at 15h00). Tickets R100 at Computicket and ticket holders can also take advantage of a “buy one, get one free” cocktail special at Vacca Matta after the performance. The same venue will also host a wrap up party after the last show on Sunday for the public to mingle with some of the talented performers.