When we were approached about partnering up with Red Bull and their forthcoming Flying Bach event to curate performance pop ups throughout the area, our Talent Director & Chief Operating Officer Chadwick jumped on the opportunity. As an 80’s culture aficionado and former b-boy hopeful, the Flying Bach concept’s tagline of “where breakdance meets classical music” excited him. As a live presentation, Flying Back showcases Berlin, Germany’s World Champion Flying Steps b-boy crew visualizing Johann Sebastian Bach’s The “Well-Tempered Clavier” in a creative performance that combines classical music and urban culture. In doing so note by note, and step by boldly combining piano, harpsichord and electronic beats, it’s incredible.

One Love Massive’s role in the promotion of these four performances at the Warner Theatre included the daunting task of assembling a crew of local b-boys and musicians to reenact the show on a smaller scale in various locations such as Dupont Circle, The Reagan Building, and the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Luckily, Chadwick stumbled upon a musical company titled The Counter Classic which consists of classical and jazz musicians, visual artists, as well as djs and they proved to be the perfect match. Master flutist Sofia Hailu, electronic music producer Evilartform and pianist Chris Astilla quickly figured out what was sonically required, and went above and beyond and have created stunning orginial work merging electronic break beats coupled with pieces from Bach, Beethoven and Mozart.

Insofar as breakdancers, it was after viewing a post from Malik the Drummers on my Instagram timeline and seeing Stephon Shakespeare’s signature hand stand push ups, and Jose “Outlaw” Akum aka “Mean 6” with his Latin flavor which inspires a spellbinding head-spin technique that the dance team for the project came together. Adding on talents like super-animated crowd-pleaser DaQuan “DQ” Williams  and new age-inspired Germal “Sync” Morgan, and the crew was complete.

We’ve finished our performances, and are now leaving the “heavy lifting” to the World Champion Flying Steps. Tickets for Red Bull’s Flying Bach at The Warner Theater, are still available and with four dates booked between January 6-10, there are multiple can’t miss shows available.

Photo cred: Kate Toth

Essential News & Views — 9/28/16 — In DC This January, Red Bull x Classical Music x Breakdancing = “Flying Bach”

From the same company that’s brought music aficionados of nearly every genre closer together via music academies, reggae-style soundclashes, DJ competitions, documentaries, and interviews comes classical music and breakdancing fusion concept Flying Bach. Red Bull notes the following: World champion b-boy crew Flying Steps visualises and revives Johann Sebastian Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier in…

Four-time world breakdancing champions the Flying Steps joined classical musicians on the piano and harpsichord at the Red Bull Flying Bach event in Qatar last night.

The 70-minute long show combined street style with high culture and opened to a packed audience at the Qatar National Convention Center theater.

The performance included seven of the nine-member breakdancing group, who, along with guest ballerina Anna Holmstrom, performed an interpretive dance sequence to remixed versions of famed German composer Johann Sebastian Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier.

Choreographed by Vartan Bassil, the group’s founder, and set to music curated by opera director Christoph Hagel with beats by Ketan and Vivan Bhatti, the performance showcased the dancers’ skills through a wide range of gymnastic acts including twirls, flips, headspins, cartwheels, and somersaults.

Holmstrom, the sole woman in the group, played the storyline’s female lead, as three of the seven men vied for her attention.

Doha audiences gave the group a standing ovation at the end of the show, which also featured visuals and artistic animation set to the music.

Did you watch the performance? Thoughts?

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