Botis Seva’s latest Hip Hop theatre production, Until We Sleep, is a journey underlined with a resistance to change.
Amidst the oppression of leadership, a lone woman yearns for faith as she leads a wandering community through shifting passages of time. With a celestial blend of percussion and guttural sounds, music bleeds effortlessly into an undulating style of movement performed by Far From The Norm. Feathered costumes give glimpses of warriors transcending above their former identities, whilst piercing light interrupts the stage as a pitiless testing ground, reminding us of a higher power that carves our reality.
Until We Sleep displays the heaviness of hope against the burden of responsibility, yet within the conflict, there exists a softness that breathes life into existence.
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Film by Ben Williams
Music by Torben Sylvest
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Tour
26 February - SCHRIT_TMACHER FESTIVAL, The Netherlands
5 - 6 March - BRIGHTON DOME, UK
13 - 14 April - TANS HAUS KÖLN, Germany
17 April - RUM FÖR DANS, Sweden
4 - 7 June - THÉ TRE DE LA VILLE, France
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Until We Sleep is co-produced by DanceEast, DE SINGEL, Points Communs - Nouvelle Scène nationale of Cergy-Pontoise / Val d'Oise, Rum för Dans, Sadler's Wells, schrit_tmacher Festival, Tanz Köln (Cologne), Théâtre de la Ville - Paris, The Joyce Theater and The Lowry.
Commissioned by Brighton Dome & Festival and Warwick Arts Centre. Supported by FABRIC and University of East London Dance: Urban Practice.
Funded by Arts Council England, The Linbury Trust, Cockayne Grants for the Arts, PRS Foundation’s The Open Fund and The London Community Foundation.
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Far From The Norm is a Hip Hop Dance Theatre company, led by Artistic Director Botis Seva.
Our performers bring to the studio a range of dance styles from Popping to Breaking, Krump to House, and it is with their informed knowledge of different dance styles that Botis is able to question, learn and translate what else is possible.
We challenge perceptions of Hip Hop and create work that empowers marginalised people. All our work is original, vital and fearless and invites debate on social political issues and the contemporary world.
Our work includes live theatre performances, outdoor shows, immersive experiences and film. We tour nationally and internationally and we are continuing to develop strong partnerships around the world to nurture a new generation of hip hop dance theatre.
Established in May 2009 in a youth club in Dagenham, Hip Hop Theatre company Far From The Norm was founded by Artistic Director Botis Seva and is a collective of artists renowned for experimenting with hip hop - our dancers specialise in styles ranging from Krump to Popping to House. Simply, it was a collective of creatives thinking about creativity and moving in a different way to what was considered the norm. Hence our name, Far From The Norm.
After years of presenting work in community settings, through talent development initiatives and self-investing in our own productions, Far From The Norm is now touring their Hip Hop Theatre shows internationally to sold out audiences.
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Website / www.farfromthenorm.com/
Instagram / farfromthenorm
Facebook / farfromthenorm
Linkedin / far-from-the-norm