A conversation with Dani on Stark Ravin' Mad
Stark Ravin' Mad is a dance project by Factorium in which a series of personal solos are written and performed by urban dancers all with their own style. This year Dani Akollo, among others, is one of those soloists. We spoke with him about Whacking, identity and underground queer culture.
Dani Akollo has been immersing himself as a dancer in Whacking, an expressive urban dance style characterized by fast movements and rotating arms, for several years now. “Whacking is a style that emerged in the 1970s in Los Angeles from a culture of people who were double-marginalized. They were queer and black, and were looking for a way to express themselves, a 'safe-space' really. They found this refuge in the underground gay club scene. There they imitated actresses from the old Hollywood days, as a form of expression, and from that also arose the dance style Whacking.” Dani himself came into contact with Whacking during his dance training in Utrecht. “During my training, I noticed that I was looking for a style that was more expressive and a little freer than other hip-hop styles. That's how I ended up getting more into Whacking.”
I was looking for a style that was more expressive and a little freer than other hip-hop styles. That's how I ended up delving more into Whacking.
Stark Ravin' Mad
By Factorium Tilburg, Dani was approached to be part of the dance project Stark Ravin' Mad. “The concept of the performance Stark Ravin' Mad is that of a book. The idea is that each chapter is depicted in a dance solo from the perspective of a young adult, and from that person's life experiences. Stark Ravin Mad gives each chapter one person space to tell their story. In the performance we have now created, for example, nine dancers participate, and so you see nine stories depicted in solos.”
Although the project is centered on urban dance, the dance styles are as diverse as the performers' stories. Dani: “The style is free. I mainly do Whacking. But there are also hip-hop dancers, and you also have a Krumper, which is another style. They're all dancers who come from the underground scene.”
Heaven and earth
What Dani's chapter is about? “My chapter is called 'The S.O.L.,' which stands for Searcher of Light. The story I want to tell with that is about twins who are created together in the womb and then are separated. One is born on earth and the other in heaven. With my solo I want to portray the desire of union between the two. I draw the inspiration for my performance from my own life. Due to a miscarriage, I lost my twin at birth. That feeling, that there is something missing in your identity, that is what I am now trying to convey with dance.”
You can see the performance Stark Ravin' Mad for free on Saturday, Oct. 5 (20:00-21:30) and Sunday, Oct. 6 (16:00-17:30) at Factorium Tilburg. In a collection of nine different dance solos, a diverse group of performers will take you into their personal experiences. For more information visit the Factorium website
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