HQ Review: Kode Redd presents Y2KR
On May 30, I walked into the Grandel unknowingly about to see one of the best shows I believe I will see this year. Settling myself in the balcony, I had a bird’s eye view of the stage, the floor below, and the projection of Kode Redd Dance Company’s Y2KR show graphic. Looking around I noticed the attendees’ excitement: some chatted about the presentation of work; others sported their Kode Redd shirts printed with their pre-professional dancer’s printed name; or like me, others looked around taking in the atmosphere of the theatre and waited for the show to begin.
Walking on stage to rapturous applause, artistic director Anthony REDD Williams began the show by highlighting the evening’s theme of Y2K and emphasizing the evening as “celebration of music [and the] influence shaping the new sound of culture and dance [in order to] grab a snapshot of the time and celebrate”. Finishing his curtain speech, Williams urged the crowd to feel like they were part of the show and, most importantly, “don’t hesitate to party” which was met with resounding cheers.
The lights go down and cheers ring out as dancers fill the stage to open the show with “Y2Kr” by REDD Williams. The dancers stand in two lines while on the projector behind them plays a Kode Redd branded video. Featured in the video are various Y2K era video clips on a Kode Redd computer screen. This is just the first in a series of impressive graphics created by music director, visual director, and graphic designer Harold Walker III.
While watching this piece, I was amazed by the choreography of this work— specifically the utilization of intricate arm work—and its construction. Complimenting the work’s structure was expert music mixing featuring several songs such as “Who U Wit” and “Snap Yo Fingers” which were intricately layered together. I was most entranced by the flawless transitions of this work: “Y2Kr” constantly transitioned dancers on and off stage, but the stage was never empty and the energy never dropped. Dancers cleverly entered and exited from stage drawing your attention when the choreography demanded it and hiding until the timed reveal.
Without a moment's break, “Dirrty South” choreographed by MJ Imani started. Set to a mix of “Like a Pimp” and ”Stilettos (Pumps)”, Imani carefully blended a mix of heels movement, floor work, and sharp, beat-pushing foot and arm work that complimented the dancers’ smooth movement quality and challenged their ability to be on the floor while moving around stage. My favorite part of this work was the visual layering of smooth, slinky movement performed by one group of dancers which was juxtaposed against other group’s sharp movement.
Concluding the first half of the show was “Breezy” choreographed by Jasmine Spencer. I enjoyed this work's crispness and ability to take hold of the music. “Breezy” kept the energy up and maintained a groundedness that demanded dancers to take up space in order to complement the lighter energy of the music. As with all the pieces in this show, the pre-professional company was threaded through by highlighting them in their own groups and interwoven with the professional company. My favorite moment of “Breezy” was when the pre-professional company finished the work with athletic choreography that complimented their isolation abilities, technique, and their very obvious love of the work.
I was amazed at the intensity and athleticism presented in the first half of the show and how it seemed to end too soon. Every work was connected to each other, there was no stopping and starting between each piece which was impressive not only due to the stamina needed, but the ability to switch intentions for a work in a matter of seconds. Besides the choreography, graphic designer Harold Walker III created stunning visuals that assisted in creating a seamless production that never ended. Utilizing the company’s media stills, various pictures and edits of these pictures moved alongside the dancers. For a moment, time stopped and I was transported not only to Y2K, but to a state of mind where all you can do as an audience member is enjoy the present.
The second half of the show felt like a celebration of the feminine power of Y2K. The first piece shown was Williams’s “BrandyLAND” highlighting the contributions of influential artist Brandy. Behind the dancers, different clips of Brandy and her professional projects— various music videos, photographs, television appearances, and shows— cycled as groups strutted on stage. The diversity of Brandy’s music was mimicked in the dancers’ movements and personal style of the choreography; while the movement was crisp and precise, there was a different intention with this work that allowed each dancer to feel themselves within it.
Immediately next was AJ Whittier’s “The Boy is Mine” featuring “The Boy is Mine” by Brandy and Monica. Performing the story of the song, two sensational female dancers played the two opposing voices and one male company member played the man in between them, while the company supported their partnering. Whittier carefully teased out the background sharpness of “That Boy is Mine” by playing with the song’s timing and softening the movement after these plays.
Concluding the show and almost doubling the crowd’s energy was Williams’s “TakeN Ovah For The 99’s & 2000’s” which featured a huge mash up of Y2K’s greatest, well loved, and nostalgic hits. This work felt like a love letter to both the music and the people in the room. Dancers’ arms swept with fast foot work; pushed and dropped lower to ground; arms ticked and expanded into reaches—all precise and without hesitation. All of the groups were intricately woven and seamless; the dancers all on the same page for intention and style: pushing and sitting in every beat, tick, and step.
As a St. Louis transplant still experiencing all the art STL has to offer, I am beyond excited to see Kode Redd’s next show. The production, choreography, and reception of “Y2Kr” is the ideal many choreographers, directors, and graphic artists aspire to when they plan a show like this. They want space to show their work, receive excited audience feedback, and build institutional greatness—Kode Redd is accomplishing these goals with technique, talent, and cleverness.