What’s On announces Street Life by French street dance act The Hey Crew, who’ll perform a four night run at Madinat Theatre, March 18 to 21.

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The dressing rooms at the Madinat Theatre are often filled with the paraphernalia of a ballet company. Tutus, tights, and those terrifyingly painful pointe shoes with their satin ties are commonplace backstage.

But in March a new dance show playing at the theatre will be kitted out with costumes more likely to have been bought in the nearest Nike or Levi’s store.

Street Life is a 70-minute explosion of breakdance, hip hop dance and urban art, with a pumping soundtrack by the likes of Macklemore, Lil Wayne, Avicii, and Clean Bandit. Swan Lake it is not.

The dancers are from internationally-renowned French company The Hey Crew. Founded and led by dancer and choreographer Guillaume Lorentz, the company has won numerous awards around the world and made it to the final of the French version of the hit TV show So You think You Can Dance.

Street Life at Madinat Theatre, Dubai

Devised and directed by Madinat Theatre manager Joseph Fowler, the show uses video projection to accompany the dancers. Purists may sneer at street dance, but Fowler believes it is a discipline that deserves respect.

“There is no question street dance is a legitimate form of dance,” insists Fowler. “Just like classical ballet, street dance requires dedication, hours of practice and also has its own techniques and terminology.”

Although it may be hard to see at first glance, he says a connection can be drawn between ballet and street dance. “Classical ballet was initially performed socially by amateurs rather than professional dancers, and so street dance is a mirror of this in our current day society. It began as a dance movement that was a response to society and subsequently developing into a professional dance discipline.”

Street Life plays for four nights in March and tickets will be available to buy soon.

March 18 to 21
Madinat Theatre, Souk Madinat, Dubai, Wed 8pm, Thur 8pm, Fri 3pm and 8pm, Sat 7pm, Dhs160. Tel: (04) 3666546. Taxi: Souk Madinat. madinattheatre.com