Where Hip-Hop Meets the Martial Arts
Ian Douglas for The New York Times
Jason Ng, nicknamed Chem, left, and Eddie Yoo, known as Lilfoot, perform “Power Breakerz!”
By GIA KOURLAS
Published: August 5, 2011
What do you get when you mix the formality of martial arts with the brashness of hip-hop? In “Hip Hop Kung Fu,” at Asia Society on Wednesday night, it was an amateurish display that shed only a superficial light on the relationship between hip-hop and Asian cultures. (It is a worthy topic.) As part of Hip Hop Generation Next: From the South Bronx to East Asia, a festival organized by Dancing in the Streets and Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education, this evening-length show, also presented by Asia Society, sampled a range of styles from both sides of the world.
Rachel Cooper, Asia Society’s director for cultural programs and performing arts, introduced the evening with a short speech about hip-hop’s global appeal. Of the artists, she said, “They’re taking it from the streets, and we’re trying to be a street.” It was fitting that she acknowledged the quandary of putting dance that originated outside of a theater into one, but that didn’t make up for the general awkwardness.
In “Hip Hop Kung Fu,” directed, choreographed and conceived by Emilio Austin Jr., known as Buddha Stretch, with artistic direction by Adesola Osakalumi — he is currently playing the lead role in the British tour of “Fela!” — the overall aridity may have stemmed from having too many artistic honchos at the top. Michele Byrd-McPhee was co-director and assistant choreographer, and Val Ho, who calls herself Ms. Vee, was also an assistant choreographer.
The show began with a clip from “Karate Kid” — mind you, the remake — that demonstrated a quick lesson about the discipline and honor of martial arts. In the choreographed numbers that followed, with pun-friendly titles like “Krump-Fu” and “Strike a Vogue,” it’s hardly a surprise that such rigor was missing onstage.
There were mash-ups of styles, including kung fu and tai chi, as well as krumping, voguing, waacking, popping and locking, yet the unison choreographic renderings were tepid, and the dancers seemed lost on the stage. Furtive glances showed their insecurity over the available space, which was a tight fit: the near-collisions made you wince.
For the opening “Tai-Chi,” choreographed by Ms. Ho, two hip-hop dancers stood on the side of the stage, skeptically watching martial artists before trying to mimic their moves. In the hokey “Smell No Evil,” Ms. Ho did her best to distract the others from their tai chi practice with a bout of apparent flatulence, and in “What’s Poppin!,” by Mr. Austin, the stage came alive with black-and-white-clad robots.
Mr. Austin also contributed “Power Breakerz!,” for three men dressed as Power Rangers (yes, really) and “The Rock-Lock,” which turned out to be the least distracting dance on the program. Here, arms wove through the air as if propelled by magnets, and the dancers were dressed as ninjas. It also helped that their faces were partly covered. Throughout the evening, their expressions were wildly disparate: one dancer looked confused, while another grinned avidly.
Like many martial arts movies, “Hip Hop Kung Fu” saved the good stuff for the end. All the dancers performed solos, which allowed them to show off their individuality and escape the show’s constrictions. They finally had a fighting chance.
Hip Hop Generation Next: From the South Bronx to East Asia concludes on Saturday with a block party on Simpson Street between 163rd and Barretto Streets, Hunts Point, the Bronx; (718) 589-2230 or dancinginthestreets.org.