Compagnie Kafig-CCN Returns To Northrop With Pixel

With eye-popping 3-D virtual stage projections and hip-hop-influenced choreography, Compagnie Käfig-CCN returns to Northrop on Sat, Nov 3, at 7:30 pm with Pixel, a showcase of digital art, dance and dynamic music. Compagnie Käfig dazzled Northrop audiences in 2015 with Correria Agwa, with dancers expertly navigating a grid of water-filled plastic cups. The company's innovative Pixel combines the choreography of Mourad Merzouki, the cutting-edge digital projections of Adrien M and Claire B, and the Middle Eastern-influenced cinematic musical score of Armand Amar.

Northrop Presents
Compagnie Käfig-CCN
Thu, Nov 3, 7:30 pm
Carlson Family Stage

Pixel

Compagnie Käfig was created in 1996 by French choreographer Mourad Merzouki, whose mission is to broaden hip-hop's reach through different modes and serve a larger audience as a "window to the world" while still maintaining the movement's origin. Käfig uses diverse disciplines such as circus, martial arts, and contemporary dance to expose hip-hop dance to new audiences.

Merzouki has said Käfig can mean "cage" in Arabic and German, yet the company takes a fluid approach to its work with its various dance and other art forms. Merzouki has described hip-hop as a "generous" dance, with the "ability of being everywhere," and he has helped raise the recognition of hip-hop as a mainstream discipline in France.

In 2015, Compagnie Käfig dazzled Northrop audiences with Correria Agwa. Pixel is meant to blur reality with the illusion of screens and technology, immersing each performer in a synthetic world utilizing digital projection and choreography. Choreographer Mourad Merzouki derived his inspiration for the show from society's constant exposure to screens and captures the essence of a digital reality with 3-D effects made by digital artists Adrien Mondot and Claire Bardainne. The Middle Eastern-influenced soundtrack by Armand Amar accompanies the performance, bringing out the energy of both the choreography and its dancers.