Hip hop theater

Both Year Zero and The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity have strong elements of hip hop theater. The New York Hip Hop Theater Festival is a nationwide effort that devotes itself to developing new talent and forms of expression within hip hop, including dance, music, spoken word, and theater. It's a new way of looking at hip hop culture for many people today. Their promotional video shows a sample of artists and works they've exhibited, as well as interviews with artists about what hip hop theater can do for audiences.



I'm also posting a video of a dance performance by STYLISSIMO, a German dance troupe of nine that has been performing together since 1996. It's a sample of hip hop theater and the love and work that goes into it. You can also get a sense of its electric effect on the audience; at times the cheers and screams rival the music. You can check out their MySpace here.