Sneaker Suites is a performance collaboration between Antics and story architect Mark Gonzales featuring 11 dancers, live spoken word poetry, 5 short films with 3 OG Bboys (original generation Bboys) Ken Swift, Kwikstep, and Zulu Gremlin, animated paintings by Matt Sheridan, and lighting design by Michael Ricks. Sneaker Suites delves into the diverse and personal relationships that we have with one of the most highly-purchased fashion items in the world: sneakers. Through the virtuosity and hyper-physicality of street dance vocabulary, Antics confronts timely themes of poverty, violence, globalization, diversity, and family. Sneaker Suites tells the stories of sneakers: of those who make them, those who wear them, and those who dance in them.
“Using a pastiche of solos and group numbers, film, text, and spoken-word poetry, the clever and well-executed ‘Sneaker Suites’ called attention to the myriad ways in which sneakers are in fact their own energetic force within hip-hop. The show demonstrated that beyond their mere functionality as footwear, sneakers can signify style and self esteem, resistance to poverty and oppression based on race and gender, and cultural appropriation from the streets to the masses- much like hip-hop itself.”
-Rachel Levin, Explore Dance
Through the art of street dance and multimedia theater performance, Antics blurs the lines between the past and present with their vibrant interpretation of The Epic of Gilgamesh. Ten dancers portray key characters from this ancient Mesopotamian poem, which follows King Gilgamesh as he struggles to reconcile with mortality and understand the meaning of life. Divided into 11 chapters that correspond to the clay tablets from the original poem, Illuminated Manuscript features choreography by Antics Artistic Director Amy “Catfox” Campion in collaboration with the dancers, music by Campion, Amida Shofu, Asa Watkins, Jay Vega, and J-Alphamus, and graffiti art video projections with original artwork by Antics dancer Gilyon “Gillatine” Brace-Wessel.
“The vision for ancient myths has been owned for decades by the ferocious Martha Graham… Yet Campion, seized a piece of that sacred territory with the debut of ‘Illuminated Manuscript."
-Jean Lenihan, Los Angeles Times
A full journey into the funky depths of hip-hop and street dance culture. Antics teams up with an MC and a DJ to rock the stage with all four elements of Hip-Hop culture (breaking, MCing, DJing, and graffiti art) and multiple styles of street dance (bboying/bgirling, krump dance, house dance, popping, locking, and waacking. Antics dancers perform a medley of choreographed routines and powerful soloists demonstrate the technique and traditions of various street dance styles. The MC moves the crowd with call & response and also drops knowledge about Hip-Hop culture and street dance styles. The DJ provides a live sound track of high-energy beats. This is a show for the whole family and all material is kid-friendly.
“The Skirball loves Antics! Without fail after every Antics performance kids are on the floor trying out what they saw in the show or eager to show off the moves they already know.”
-Michael Fritzen, Skirball Cultural Center
