Rennie Harris Puremovement

by Deni Kasrel

dance review

Rennie Harris Puremovement is so determined to spread the hip-hop vibe that even a blizzard can't hold 'em back. While many other shows were cancelled due to Saturday's snowfall, the company's DanceBoom! program went on as planned. The house was understandably on the thin side as the performers presented an exemplary showcase of lockin', poppin', breakin', house and other urban steps crafted with theatrical flair. That level of artistry is what sets this company apart from other hip-hop acts. It's not just about cool moves; it's a statement about the gritty urban reality in which hip-hop lives and thrives.

The show led off with Rodney Mason's "Origins of Man," an autobiographical work in which Mason, often teetering back and forth on his heels and toes like a puppet, re-enacted scenes from his life: his mom teaching him to dance, his experience in the first Gulf War. In between were reflections on what it means to be a black man in America. Heavy-handed polemics weighed the work down; even so, Mason proved himself an able storyteller who can hold you in his grip.

Next came three selections from the RHPM rep, all longtime audience favorites that together were a good representation of the ensemble's use of dance as a form of activism. "P-funk," short for Philly funk, begins as a happy-go-lucky dance with four males doing solos and ensemble phrases to the music of Parliament and Funkadelic. The group begins to play a game of dice, which soon leads to gunfire. Guns also play a role in "March of the Antmen," where the cast first conveys scenes that depict military activity — marching lock-step, stealthily crawling along the ground with rifles in hand — and is then seen back in the 'hood, where a drive-by shooting ensues. Here, the issue of black men's vulnerability to violence is ratcheted up a notch. "Endangered Species," a solo piece based on Harris' childhood, deals with racism and the gangsta life. This signature work helped Harris first gain notice in the theatrical world, and it was surprising to see someone else, Brandon Albright, perform it here. While Harris' version is more commanding and overtly dramatic, Albright's rendering was self-assured, his nimble body clearly becoming engulfed in the power and sentiment of the wrenching recorded text.

Rennie Harris Puremovement Jan. 22, Wilma Theater