The Flying Steps with guest ballerina Yui Kawaguchi tookthe Chicago Theatre Saturday night to perform Red Bull Flying Bach. The dance performance combines breakdance and modern ballet and is set to an electronic adaptation of Johann Sebastian Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier.
The performance went back and forth between traditional Bach and the remixed versions. The traditional pieces were accompanied by a more traditional ballet dance with the breakdancing coming in with the remixes.
I found the overall piece to be an interesting blend of old and new. When the beat dropped and the dancers started spinning and windmilling I was hooked. Though when they went back to a more traditional style of dancing I began to grow a bit bored at times. This could be because of my lack of real knowledge of the ballet or possibly the fact that my attention span has been ruined by social media, who knows.
Even with the slow sections it was undeniable how talented these dancers and musicians are. Yui Kawaguchi was always on point with her dancing and the accompanying breakdancers were as high flying as you could expect from a dance group sponsored by an energy drink company.
The Red Bull Flying Bach is a great introduction to ballet and classical music for someone who may not be immediately attracted to the genre. It brings a certain spice to a style of music and dance that many of us may find stuffy. And who knows you may come for the breakdancing and stay for the Bach.