Angular gestures, tumbles, headstands, twisting mid-air spins and flips jerky yet fluid; this is the edgy style of breakdancing.

Fresh out of France, Compagnie Kfig is performing tonight and this weekend, delivering their special brand of hip-hop dance. Its all part of a fusion of hip-hop dance experiences that The Music Center is bringing to Downtown L.A. this weekend.

Also coming up is the free Beat Swap Meet on June 19, 2016 from noon 6:00 p.m. at Grand Park. More information below and here.

The present line-up of Compagnie Kfig is a troupe of ten muscular men. The show is ostensibly a tour through the evolution of hip-hop dance, tracing its roots from its street and improvisation origins through cultural influences of Africa and South America. The all-male cast of ten Brazilian dancers perform routines that combining Hip-Hop, Capoeira, Samba, electronic music and Bossa Nova for a performance that showcases astonishing acrobatic skills along with energy and invention.

Dressed casually in block color pants, shirts and ties, the shirts eventually come off to reveal the dancers superb physiques, at times shimmering with sweat. The music ranges from the Brazilian instrument Berimbau, a musical bow that is a single-stringed instrument played live to recorded music of dreamy trip hop to dub step as well as jazz and classical pieces.

There’s a really interesting development in Act II of the evening that involves a bit of stage magic inthe mysterious rearrangement of plastic cups.

The dance moves are dynamic and impressive, but the absence of women on stage means a lack of sexual tension. Also absent is a sense of narrative, at least during Act I, so the concept feels incomplete.

Nevertheless this is an energetic night of dance complemented by some superb lighting design.

About Compagnie Kfig:

Established in 1996, the Company found its artistic direction within the fusion of styles, including dare-devilish circus skills, street dance, martial arts, humor and the fun andenergetic Hip-Hop vocabulary.

Compagnie Kfig

The Music Centers Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

135 N. Grand Avenue,

Los Angeles, CA 90012

Performances:

June 17-19, 2016

Sat & Sun 7.30PM

Sun June 19 2.30PM

Single tickets for the June 17-19, 2016 engagement start at $34.00 and are available at

The Music Centers Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Box Office, 135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012; by calling (213) 972-0711; and online at musiccenter.org/hiphop

For groups of 10 or more, call (213) 972-8555 or email mcgroupsales@musiccenter.org

BEAT SWAP MEET