Defying Britain's Tick-Box Culture Stacey Prickett Kathak in Dialogue with Hip-Hop

Dentro de la sección: Tradición e innovación en la creatividad intercultural (Tradition and Innovation in Cross-Cultural Creativity)

RESUMEN: With question of identity and multiculturalism remaining at the centre of debate in the press, political and academia arenas, a dance prodution tackles these issues head on in a surprisingly humorous and accesible way. Birmingham-based Sonia Sabri Company´s Kathakbox is a collaborative prodution exploring the theme of "ticking boxes" which sets out to challenge preoconceptions about identity. Four specialists in kathak, hip-hop, Africa Caribbean and contemporary dance are joined by three musician-vocalist who eschew intruments, utilising their voices and bodies to create a vibrant rhythmic score influenced by a cosmopolitan mix of styles. Aesthetic and ideological meeting points occur onstage in the critically praised hour-long show, while counter-hegemonic possibilities amerge in associated workshops. The article explores how the narrative potential of kathak opens the way for Muslim women participants to delve into movement possibilities and improvisational potencial of both the South Asian dance from and hip-hop.