It’s been a year since the dance-fusion company Chicago Dance Crash underwent a change in leadership, welcoming new Executive Director Jessica Levya and Artistic Director KC Bevis. In an interview with See Chicago Dance, Bevis and Levya mentioned that one of their goals was to focus on street dance styles. Levya added, “One big thing we want to do is more community engagement by building stronger relationships within the street and concert dance communities and bridging the gap between the two.” This new direction is evident in their latest installment of the popular dance battle series, “Keeper of the Floor: Famous Feuds.”
A capable roster of dancers participated in a “tea” party, settling famous feuds like Drake vs. Pusha T, Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar, Michael Jackson vs. Prince, Tupac vs. Biggie and more. The twelve combatants included some familiar faces, such as Monternez “Monty” Rezell, the jack-of-all-styles, and Logan “L2K” Howell, a high-flying daredevil. Newcomers like Eric “Lucid” Lima, who defied gravity with outrageous twists and leaps, also made their mark. Longtime host-with-the-most Mattrick Swayze, sporting a sexy Scooby-Doo costume, entertained with feud facts and quick-witted, licentious jokes. Swayze was backed up by The Swayzettes (Jyldo and Polly Pollux), who opened the show with a raunchy rendition of Kia’s “My Neck, My Back (Lick It).”
Mattrick Swayze, the host-with-the-most (attitude!)
The format consisted of six rounds of one-on-one battles, followed by several rounds of 3 v. 3, a three-way battle with limitations (e.g., a one-legged round in homage to the feud between Nancy Kerrigan and Tanya Harding) and culminated in a one-on-one battle royale between the two remaining contenders. While the one-on-one battles were extraordinarily fun, the group challenges were the highlight. Teams of three improvised group choreography, including an impromptu pantomime of Double Dutch with an imaginary jump rope. The creativity, flexibility and chemistry among the dancers resulted in a tremendous good time for both the audience and the performers—“good sportsmanship” is a hallmark of KTF, and those who faced defeat laughed and smiled as much as the victors.
The final bout featured Lucid against L2K, two daredevils who spun on both hands, one hand, back and knees. The action was truly death-defying, with moments where flying bodies seemed destined to land on their heads but were saved at the last moment by rolling into a glide, like taking a turn on a water slide. The approximately 8-minute battle ended with a win for Lucid, but the real winners were the audience.
The most noticeable change from past KTF shows was the new venue. Instead of the usual mid-sized proscenium theatre, the show took place at the intimate Chase House, a loft-style venue with large doors opening onto a garden patio. It felt more like a party than a show, with people milling about while DJ Insidious played music from the corner of the room. Seated in a circle around the dance floor, patrons watched as dancers executed daring leaps just inches from their feet, eliciting twitches and laughs—rest assured, these are professionals! Although Chase House is posh, the close quarters, camaraderie and wafts of burnt cannabis from the street created a definite “house party” vibe.
“Keeper of the Floor: Famous Feuds” offers a fresh take on a beloved show, reflecting the new direction initiated by Levya and Bevis. While I would welcome a return to the grandeur of a theater venue, the opportunity to see the action up close is a thrilling departure from the old formula. As the company prepares for their upcoming repertory show in October, now is an excellent time for newcomers to experience Chicago Dance Crash and for dedicated fans to see them in a new light.
“Keeper of the Floor: Famous Feuds” performed on August 9 at Chase House at Epiphany Center for the Arts, 201 S. Ashland Avenue, at 8pm. For more information, click the company link below.
