Myosung: Streetdance SKINNYFest 1

Hip hop, break dance and bamboo form the beginning of this show, which woos its audience from the start. Bodies move as though pulled by forces outside them, and as the sounds of rushing wind and distant bagpipes shape the background, the dancers spin like their legs are caught in the gale. And all this with a heavy dash of hip hop. There is a reason this show is termed street dance: there are whirls and leaps that would leave anyone gasping, but also a purpose and story behind each scene.

There is a rather 'postmodern' segment that portrays a scene in which people perform hip hop on the street. Then, there is a more contemporary one, in which two lovers engage in intricate sex, while in the background we hear the violent plucking of a cello sonata. Later there is some locking and popping to an orchestral rendition of Hey Jude. While the explosive energy of the beginning isn't quite maintained throughout, every piece is, at the very least, enjoyable, purposeful and presents an elaborate mix of styles that even the best dance scholar could not separate from one another. The purposeful lighting is unfussy and inconspicuous, allowing the eye to focus on the synchronicity of the choreography, along with the multiplicity of social messages that are put forward. It is hip stuff that even your mother would appreciate.