Toronto Fringe Review - Solid State presents: Take It Back

When you’re spending time in a city other than your own, you always feel an extra degree of connection with, and pride for, your other hometowners who are also representing abroad. If those homies are representing with a killer b-boy/swing dance show, well — you can’t feel much prouder than that.

That was the feeling watching Solid State, the urban dance theatre company from Montreal, perform their show Take It Back at the Toronto Fringe. This show is hands-down one of the most enjoyable theatre experiences to be had this summer, in this or any other city. With their joyous, funny, physically outstanding and very sexy production, any Montrealer would be proud to have Solid State be ambassadors for our city’s cultural community.

Take It Back explores the question of why we, as a society, don’t dance in couples anymore. To this end, the company has fused together elements of traditional Lindy Hop swing and modern breakdance — one couples-based dance and one highly individualized dance — resulting in a unique style that is fresh, seemingly timeless and definitely wicked cool. Think about it: big-band samples looped over hip-hop beats, with dancing to match. That certainly presses the right buttons for this reviewer.

Often enough for non-dancers, the narrative or concept of a dance show can be lost within the movement and the music. Solid State, though, has always presented very accessible shows, with a clear focus and a down-to-earth approach. Take It Back deals with issues of trust, changing gender roles, and the ideas of leading and following, and it explores these issues in a way that is straightforward, without being overbearing. The issues never detract from the dancing itself, which is uniformly excellent. Specifically the performances of Helen Simard and JoDee Allen, choreographers and co-artistic directors of Solid State, are wonderful and endlessly impressive. The energy, humour and positivity that these women bring to the stage is a sheer delight.

The show opens with a sepia-toned photograph, a strict and proper tableau that one subject struggles to break free from. By the end of the highly energized hour, rigidity has completely given way to rhythm, there are literally audience members dancing on stage, and everyone’s ears, eyes and hearts have opened up. Grab yourself a partner and go see this.

www.solidstatebreakdance.com/