Saïdo Lehlouh transforms public space into a stage for collective energy. Drawing on hip hop and neighboring communities’ dance, he creates a choreographic intervention that celebrates encounter, diversity and the power of marginalised dance forms.
The French choreographer and dancer Saïdo Lehlouh draws inspiration from historical references: On the streets of Paris during the Belle Époque, a marginalised, often stigmatised community emerged: the so-called “Apaches Parisiens” – a term that first appeared in a newspaper article and was subsequently adopted by the group itself. Drawing on these events around 1900, Lehlouh developed the dance performance “Apaches”.
Around 70 movers from Berlin, brought together via an open call, will join 20 dancers in workshops and each one teach one sessions to explore various movement languages such as hip hop and neighboring dance styles, before bringing these to Mehringplatz as a choreographic intervention. The participants act not only as individuals, but as part of a social body. In this way, they place group dynamics, resistance and belonging at the centre. Through authentic solos, powerful duets and group choreographies, it becomes clear just how much Lehlouh’s aesthetic signature is shaped by the power of the collective and his curiosity about new forms of dance. “Apaches” pays tribute to non-academic and marginalised dance styles that have long been excluded from the stages of high culture and continue to fight for visibility, resources and recognition. At the same time, the work stands for exchange, networking and the celebration of the moment as well as improvisation.
The work has been presented since 2018 in various unconventional venues with artistic teams of varying sizes and is conceived as an ongoing exploration of spontaneity and improvisation within sophisticated artistic forms of expression. As part of “Berlin bleibt! #5”, Lehlouh is developing his latest version of “Apaches” for Mehringplatz together with a team of over 90 people.
Saïdo Lehlouh made a name for himself in the 2000s as a member of the Bad Trip Crew in B-boying. In his choreographies, he focuses on self-taught and self-determined protagonists and explores the boundaries between stage and audience. Together with Johanna Faye, he founded the Black Sheep Company and is also part of the management team at the Centre chorégraphique national de Rennes et de Bretagne, the FAIR-E collective.
Dates
Current
Credits
Part of “Berlin bleibt #5”, a festival by HAU Hebbel am Ufer. Funded by: Hauptstadtkulturfonds.
