One foot in the club, one foot in the battle – this is the philosophy of Ousmane Sy, one of the pioneers of house dance, who died in 2020 at the age of 45. ‘One Shot’ is his last work and no exception to this approach. Like his acclaimed piece ‘Queen Blood’, it features an all-female cast, performing here to music from a live DJ laying down a blend of house dance and Afrobeat.
House dance is a style of choreography that emerged in the 80s in the nightclubs of Chicago and is characterised by rapid, airy leg movements. Ousmane Sy founded the company Paradox-Sal in 2012: a female crew made up of performers from widely divergent backgrounds. ‘One Shot’ picks up on this legacy. Hip-hop, krumping, popping, flamenco and contemporary dance: eight styles and eight women who give their all in expressive solos, wowing the public in their different ways. Each of the dancers asserts her own individuality while the collective brings them all together in explosive rhythmic lines into one huge celebration of dance.
A virtuoso performance, sustained by sisterhood, incandescent energy and a love of dance.