≈ 60 minutes · No intermission
Last updated: March 11, 2022
Like many of you, NAC Dance is a huge fan of Crazy Smooth and his company Bboyizm. As one of the hardest working dance artists in Canada, Smooth has been instrumental in bringing the art of street dance to the stage. For this new work In My Body, he has gathered a stellar inter-generational cast, and an international creative team, to dig deep into the vulnerability of the ageing dancer. As Smooth’s creative journey has been subject to the stop and start of the pandemic, the realization of this piece is charged with jubilant emotion.
Supported by the NAC National Creation Fund, and recently premiered to enthusiastic response, these NAC performances are the culmination of a cross-Canada tour. Welcome home Bboyizm!
Enjoy!
We would like to recognize the Algonquin Nation, on whose traditional unceded territory the National Arts Centre is located. We gratefully acknowledge them as the past, present and future stewards of this land.
IN MY BODY
Choreographer: Crazy Smooth
Length: 60 min approx. – no intermission
World Premiere – March 4, 2022
University of Alberta, Timms Centre for the Arts (Brian Webb Dance Company)
It’s said that the bravest thing a dancer can do is grow old – for a b-boy/b-girl, the experience is approaching heroic. In keeping with hip-hop culture, b-boys/b-girls present a façade of confidence and invincibility as they engage in battles to prove their value and establish their dominance. The resulting vocabulary is one of the most physically demanding and visually impressive of the dance genres and leaves no room for the expression of vulnerability.
For In My Body, dancer / choreographer Crazy Smooth brings together an intergenerational group of dancers and an international creative team for an intensely athletic investigation of the evolution of self and the effects of aging on street dancers.
In My Body is dedicated to the memory of Frosty Freeze, Marjory Smarth, Flash, Don Campbellock and others gone before – their legacy lives within us.
About the company
As Executive Producer, the Centre de Création O Vertigo – CCOV brings a unique combination of experimentation and innovation to dance creation and production. Via its productions program, the CCOV collaborates with distinctive choreographers to produce ambitious, large-scale works that contribute to the healthy evolution of contemporary performing art practices. A focal point for artistic reflection, an incubator for talent, and a catalyst for ideas, the CCOV’s production model empowers the creative brilliance of a new generation of artists. Crazy Smooth is the CCOV’s 2019-2021 Artist-in-Residence.
Dancing since 1997, Crazy Smooth is one of Canada’s top street dancers, performers, choreographers, instructors, judges, and community leaders. The 2020 recipient of Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity’s 2020 Clifford E. Lee Choreography Award, he is the founder and creative director of Bboyizm, an award-winning street-dance company that has been instrumental in the preservation and growth of street dance in Canada and internationally. Founded in 2004, Bboyizm is Canada’s premier street-dance company. The company is committed to promote and preserve the foundation, authenticity, and essence of all street dances. Bboyizm believes that authentic self-expression enables an individual – and by extension, a community – to realize its full potential.
Executive Producer: Centre de Création O Vertigo – CCOV
Developed with support from the National Arts Centre’s National Creation Fund
Co-production partners: Bboyizm, The CanDance Network Creation Fund, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Brian Webb Dance Company, Yukon Arts Centre, dance Immersion and Canadian Stage, and is supported by the Canada Council for the Arts and Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.
Assistant choreographer and Rehearsal director: Saxon Fraser
Performers
Julie Rock
Jayson Collantes
Anyo
DKC Freeze
Vibz
Tash
Crazy Smooth
Nubian Néné
Tiffany Leung
Outside eye: Melly Mel
Executive Producer: Centre de Création O Vertigo – CCOV
Music: DJ Shash’U
Text: Alejandro Rodriguez
Creative consultant: Sophie Michaud
Multimedia: Mirari
Multimedia Designer: Thomas Payette (mirari)
Creative Programmer: Charles-Éric Gandubert (The interactive box)
Set Designer: Xavier Mary (mirari)
Costume designer and stylists: Sonya Bayer, Melly Mel
Production Director: André Houle (CCOV)
Technical Director: Jarrett Bartlett
Video Director: Samuel Boucher
Lighting Director: Chantal Labonté
Tour Manager: Claire Bourdin
Agent: Gillian Reid
Artists
Dancing since 1997, Crazy Smooth is one of Canada’s top street dancers, performers, choreographers, instructors, judges, and community leaders. He is the founder and artistic director of Bboyizm, an award-winning street-dance company that has been instrumental in the preservation and proliferation of street dance in Canada and internationally.
Crazy Smooth was named the 2020 Clifford E. Lee award recipient by the Banff Centre for the Arts for his work-in-progress In My Body, currently in creation as the 2019-2021 Long Term Artist in Residence at the Centre de Création O Vertigo in Montreal. The project has received a CanDance Creation Fund grant and significant investment from the NAC National Creation Fund.
In 2004, Smooth founded Bboyizm and the company has successfully brought authentic street dance into the professional theatre setting. Three of his full-length creations— The Evolution of B-boying, IZM, and Music Creates Opportunity—have toured throughout Canada. The company has been nominated for a Dora award (2012) and won both the Atlantic Presenters Association Touring Performers of the Year Award (2013) and the Ontario Presenters Network Emerging Touring Artist of the Year (2012). Crazy Smooth has performed, taught, and judged competitions in cities and events throughout North America and Europe. He continually strives to be a positive example for the community and an ambassador of the street dance culture at large.
As a child, Julie trained mostly in technical dances, but as a teenager she was introduced to, and fell in love with, Street and Latin Dances. Versatility has always been one of her strengths, both as a dancer and as a person. Along with her strong skills as a teacher, Julie used her knowledge of so many dance styles as a tool to diversify her dance career. For the past 15 years, she has been performing nationally and internationally. Julie diverse activity in the milieu includes teaching b-boying/b-girling in Northern Canada, performing at multiple theaters across Canada and abroad (highlights include the Alvin Ailey Theater (NYC) and Saddler’s Wells (UK)), she has danced/walked the catwalk during Toronto Fashion Week, impersonated a character for the Holiday season in Bahrain and for Gatineau’s premiere of Cirque du Soleil’s show VOLTA, she was featured in a TV commercial in Taiwan and performed in a circus show at the Atlantis Hotel (Bahamas), amongst others. Julie also performs with Las Tchutchucas Locas, a group she co-founded in 2011 while abroad. Julie Rock is proud to have been a Bboyizm company dancer since 2006 and continues to be active in the Bboyizm mission of promoting and preserving all street dances.
Jayson Collantes is a 24-year-old professional B-boy who currently resides in Toronto, Ontario. He started dancing at the age of 14 and has been competing internationally for 5 years, including You Be Ill - The Vaccine (2020), Battle Of The Year (2019), The Legits Blast Prague (2018), and several other competitions worldwide.
Jayson is known for his explosive transitional moves while maintaining fluidity and continuity, a style that creates an unpredictable and sporadic feel to his dance.
Aside from breaking, Jayson has also immersed himself in different art mediums such as the culinary arts, fashion, clothing design, and other dance styles. He is part of Breadcrumbs Crew (Ottawa) and Unknown Floor Force (Toronto).
As a member of Bboyizm, Jayson has discovered mentors who have helped him continue to grow as a dancer. He hopes to pass on the valuable experience and knowledge that is helping expand his creativity and skills as an overall artist to future generations.
Jerick “Anyo” Collantes is a dance artist that specializes in b-boying/breaking. During the nine years that he has been dancing Anyo has become one of the top dancers of his generation. He has performed and competed internationally in events such as Red Bull Dance you Style 2019, House of Paint (2018), Open Art Surgery, and other events worldwide.
When dancing, Anyo focuses on the music for his inspiration and finds his muse in each of the mediums he works in. His artistic practice has expanded to include photography, videography, fashion, music and performance art. Anyo resides in Toronto, however he is a member of BreadCrumbs Crew (Ottawa), Jahmillz (Japan), and Unknown Floor Force (Toronto). As one of the newest members of Bboyizm, Anyo brings a fresh perspective to the table and at the same time he is also looking forward to learning new skills and gaining valuable experience through his work with the company.
Born in Montreal in 1965, DKC Freeze belonged to the original generation of the organized street dance movement in Canada. A street dancer from the get-go, he has no formal dance training and is a first-generation autodidact of the Canadian street dance scene.
From 1982 – 1983 DKC Freeze was a member of the Flash Trick crew. From 1983 – 1987 DKC belonged to the legendary crew New Energy, one of Canada’s most influential groups of the time. In 1995 he joined the Flow Rock crew and in 2004 he was a founding member of Legz Crew.
DKC has been active as a competitor and judge in events all over the world. He has been invited to judge at the renowned Just 4 Rockers breaking event in France three times: 2016, 2017 and 2019.
DKC Freeze has performed for James Brown (1985 live concert), DJ Grand Master Flash and during the 1986 Les Expos de Montréal series. His festival appearances include Les Francofolies (Montreal), Jazz Festival de Montreal and the Nancy Jazz Pulsation Festival in France.
DKC has been an active community leader for decades. Over the past 20 years he has been a positive influence on generations as the youth coordinator at both the Cotes de Neiges and Laval community centers. He is the founder and organizer of one of the longest running street dance events in Montreal, Gravity Rock.
DKC Freeze is a living library for the Canadian Street Dance community and is one of the newest members of Bboyizm Dance Company, where he continues to influence the evolution of B-boying.
Professional breaker originally from Toulouse (France), now based in Montreal, Romain Gailhaguet (Bboy Vibz) discovered b-boying in video clips at the age of 14. He rapidly developed a passion for this form of art, attracted by the creativity and the energy that emerges from it. He learned the rudiments of this dance with young dancers from his neighbourhood who train in halls of buildings and at his university. Very influenced by the martial arts he has been practising since the age of 7, Romain learned very fast and quickly made a name for himself in the Battles (breakdance competitions) of his region. In 2006, he became a founding member and leader of the FreeZtyle Impakt dance collective, with which he won numerous competitions.
For more than 10 years, he perfected his dance with big names in b-boying such as: Swift Rock (Battle Squad, Germany), Karim Barouche (Aktuel Force, France), Roxrite (Renegades, USA), Hong10 (Drifterz, Korea), Ken Swift (Rock Steady Crew, USA) etc.
With several victories during Battles in France and in Canada, Romain Gailhaguet, enriched his artistic career with his participation as a professional dancer in several public events such as Shower Light Blues (France 2012), Qui bougera le dernier (Montréal 2015), Le Musée s’éclate au rythme de la diversité (Montréal 2015), La Bacchanale du Vieux-Port de Montréal (2015).
In 2015, he was recruited by the company Ample Man Danse, for which he became one of the main dancers. He appeared in the shows KLIMA, Fragment, Divisible and Piano public which brought him to discover the new creative possibilities offered to him by contemporary dance.
Since then, he has danced for renowned dance companies such as: Ismaël Mouaraki’s Destins Croisés or Bboyizm by Yvon Soglo (b-boy Crazy Smooth), and he also created his own organization: the Flow collective with Émilie Demers and thus continues to flourish on the stage.
A good communicator, full of passion and driven by the thirst to pass on his knowledge, Romain Gailhaguet stays active in the development of his discipline by giving introductory and advanced breaking courses, both in France and in Canada.
Natasha “Tash" Jean-Bart was born in 1971 in Montreal, and has been dancing professionally for 34 years. A member of the renowned Montreal Canadian breaking crew Flow Rock since 1998, her love and dedication to learning the street dance styles led her to search and learn from the creators and pioneers of the street dance culture internationally.
In 2005, Tash was nominated Head Judge of Hip Hop International (HHI) street dance competition, a position she held for six years. That same year she also landed the lead role of Lady Madonna in the acclaimed production of The Beatles LOVE by Cirque Du Soleil at the MGM Mirage in Las Vegas. In 2006, she was invited by the late Greg « Campbellock Jr » Pope and Frank « Sundance » Sams to contribute to the growth of the Elite Locking Camp. The camp’s organization was passed down to her in 2014 as she re-branded it « Las Vegas Locking Camp.»
In 2011, she co-founded the Wättssoul company with her husband and helped produce and sponsor multiple events over the past seven years. Tash is a connector and has created hundreds of opportunities for artists and companies alike. She now travels internationally to pass on the knowledge she has accumulated throughout the years to a new generation of dancers. Tash recently completed a three-month tour with the biggest European Street Dance competition as the Juste Debout 2018 Locking Judge. She is still studying and training with the pioneers and forever will be a student of this culture.
Montreal native Nubian Néné’s muse is music. She is a well-versed dancer/choreographer who finds inspiration weaving the hip hop, house, waacking, and breaking styles of dance together to create her unique approach. Her ability to expand her creativity into a choreographer, performer, producer, director, and host makes her an asset to any project.
Living in New York for the past twelve years has enabled Néné to work with some of the pioneers of Hip Hop culture. Her lifetime involvement with cultural awareness began in 2007 when she joined the Canadian company BluePrintForLife, which teaches the principles and values of the Hip Hop Culture and aims to facilitate some of the social issues facing the Inuit communities of Northern Canada. She has done as many as fifteen weekly trips as a teacher and facilitator for the group. Néné pursues her teaching career participating in multiple dance festivals including the Ladies of Hip Hop Festival (LOHHF) held in Vienna, Austria; New York; Los Angeles, and Toronto, Canada. She has also participated in the Illadelph and Funky Fundamentals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the Block Party in Boulder, Colorado, among others. For the last five years, Néné has served as Master of Ceremony in the Ladies Battle, an annual street dance competition presented by the Ladies of Hip Hop (LOHH), as well as presenting her choreography and teaching expertise at the festival for the last 10 years.
In 2013, she created a dance company, A Lady in the House Co., for which she has developed and presented numerous shows. More recently, Néné has worked with multidisciplinary artists and utilizing her creative outlets such as drawing, to develop a new work approach and material, broadening her artistic arsenal. She has been invited on different discussion panels with subjects such as social issues/activism, and dance community topics. Nene’s experience as a dancer, choreographer, and teacher has led her to showcase her talents on television, in music videos, and in live performances in some of the most prestigious festivals and stage productions in the world.
Tiffany started breaking after witnessing a b-girl throw down footwork in 2013, during her first year at university. She instantly fell in love with the powerful and expressive movement and has since immersed herself in street dance culture. Drawing on her background as a competitive gymnast, she has landed on the sweet spot between expression and execution, fluidly integrating the athleticism of gymnastics with the creative elements of street dance. She is also influenced by different styles including House and Waacking. With a focus on form and execution, Tiffany naturally gravitates towards more acrobatic movements and an explosive style.
Tiffany has entered competitions across Canada, notably winning KeepRockinYou’s Bonnie and Clyde, Toronto in 2019, 1v1 B-girl Steal the Scene Jam, Kingston in 2016 and KeepRockinYou’s 3v3 Generation Battle [past, present, and future], Toronto in 2015. Tiffany is currently ranked in the top eight b-girl Red Bull E-battles.
Tiffany earned a Bachelor of Computing (BCS), Honors, in Cognitive Science from Queen’s University in Kingston Ontario and is currently working as an Artificial Intelligence Sr. Consultant at Deloitte. Tiffany represents the all-female Kuru Crew based in Toronto. She plans to share her style and immerse herself in other dance cultures by traveling and competing at an international level.
NAC Dance team
Cathy Levy, Executive Producer
Tina Legari, Associate Producer
Mireille Nicholas, Special Projects Coordinator and Assistant to the Executive Producer
Sophie Anka, Company Manager
Siôned Watkins, Education Associate and Teaching Artist
Brian Britton, Technical Director
Camylle Gauthier-Trépanier, Communications Strategist
Chatelaine Rindorindo, Marketing Strategist
- Developed with support from
- The National Arts Centre Foundation would like to thank our NAC Dance partners
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees