Barbican Artistic Associate Boy Blue is set tot takeover the London Barbican’s spaces with dance, live music, spoken-word and a late night party this summer.
The company will present a showcase of intricate choreography as more than a hundred dancers take to the theatre for A Night with Boy Blue (from 1–2 June). The third performance will be followed by an after-show party, BSI Jam: Beats, Streets & Inspiration in the foyers. A Night with Boy Blue sees more than a hundred performers present an empowering showcase. Pumping music and intricate choreographic formations of impressive precision build to create an infectious atmosphere.
Boy Blue Co-Artistic Director Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante will bring a dynamic combination of music, dance and video to the Barbican Hall in Outliers (30 June), and additionally Blak Whyte Gray, a Barbican co-commission and co-production nominated for an Olivier Award and National Dance Award, will be reprised in the theatre (from 12–15 September). For Outliers Asante will take the helm on electronics, accompanied by an ensemble of musicians and a number of special guest performers, all assembled to bring his compositions to life. As the first full-length abstract work by Boy Blue, Blak Whyte Gray is personal, a response to the company’s experiences and observations of the world. Set to the resonating sounds of a multilayered electronic score, the powerful choreography and staging make for an image-rich production with political bite.
This programme forms part of the venue’s 2018 season, The Art of Change, which explores how artists respond to, reflect and can potentially affect change in the social and political landscape.
Award-winning dance company Boy Blue was founded in London by choreographer Kenrick ‘H20’ Sandy MBE and composer Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante. Boy Blue became an Barbican Artistic Associate in 2009 following its breakthrough piece Pied Piper: A hip-hop revolution. Earlier in the year, the piece Emancipation of Expressionism was filmed at the Barbican with Director Danny Boyle, and broadcast on BBC Two, introduced by Darcey Bussell. It is a set work of the AQA GCSE Dance syllabus, studied throughout the country.