Sixteen hip hop dancers of both genders showcase the power, dynamism, and collective strength of the masses. OPUS 14, the fourteenth creation by Kader Attou for his company Accrorap, could seem paradoxical in the annals of hip hop history since 1989, a genre that thrives on individual challenges and the constant search for identity while yearning for belonging.
Kader Attou, the first choreographer from the hip hop realm to lead a Centre Chorégraphique National since 2008, chooses to explore individuality within the group in OPUS 14. He constructs “an ode to dancing humanity” through a series of poetic snapshots without a narrative thread. Here, his aim is to embody a marching collective that finds itself in virtuosic figures and impeccable unison, perhaps seamlessly linked with equally astonishing solos. The overwhelming breath of a community dancing in total osmosis—organic and elegant—takes shape in a minimalist visual environment: on the floor lies a sort of sandy carpet, malleable earth in constant flux, and in the background are soft drawings reminiscent of waves and flowers.
The music, a collage by Régis Baillet, blends acoustic sounds, electronics, quotes from Caruso, and excerpts from Bizet.
Without a doubt, it is one of the most successful pieces in the genre and a turning point in Kader Attou's journey, as he here for the first time abandons the métissage with other dances and styles—such as circus and contemporary dance—to return to the essence, exploring hip hop codes and humanity. Since its debut at the Biennale de la Danse de Lyon in 2014, every performance has ignited ovations.
