"World Of Dance"...Les Twins

Ah...Les Twins...this French duo is doing phenomenal things for the hip hop community! In addition to being brutal technicians, they bring a sense of humor, curiosity, eccentricity, and exploration to the genre. Although this clip is more of a "demo" in terms of structure(as opposed to a fully realized piece of choreography) they still exhibit a number of noteworthy elements:


MUSICALITY: As performers, Les Twins(Larry and Laurent Bourgeois) are living, breathing manifestations of rhythm and musicality. Being genetically linked, they share an almost psychic musical connection that is compelling and jaw-dropping. Its almost as if they are "hyper-musical," connected by an intrinsic beat that transcend what the human ear has the ability to "hear." As an audience, you are invited to "see the music."

DANCER SYNC: One of the challenges that all choreographers face, is to find movement that works as well on the dancers' bodies as it does on their own. If you have a choreographer who is 5 feet tall, who is creating material for 6 foot dancer...it has the potential to get a little frustrating, much like an NBA player trying to use an airplane bathroom. But with Les Twins, we witness the odd coincidence of a choreographer who almost has the opportunity to choreograph his clone. Simultaneously, Larry and Laurent, as performers, find numerous ways to spotlight their individuality and self-expression....its a beautiful thing to watch.

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT: The element that strikes me as most important, is the use of dynamic. Akin to an orator who balances his speech between highs and lows, louds and softs, Les Twins are able to find the spectrum between big and small movements, fast and slow tempo, rowdy and quiet moments. Watch at 0:58-1:00 where nothing but the head is ticking, suddenly transitioning into full bodied extension. This constant shifting and juxtaposition is what allows the piece to be almost 8 minutes in length, and maintain a high level of audience engagement throughout!

KUDOS to Larry and Laurent for approaching the hip hop genre with an open mind and pushing the boundaries of experimentation.