Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Maximum Crew, Assembly Hall

Zoe Anderson
Thursday 23 August 2007 00:00 BST
Comments

Hip-hop is huge in South Korea. The country is producing plenty of dancers, with Korean crews regularly winning B-boy championships around the world. Several troupes have come to the Edinburgh Fringe this year, with Maximum Crew by far the glossiest – or would-be glossiest.

The company's dancers are nothing if not strong, with plenty of scissoring legs and speedy turns. One curls up from the floor into a headstand, without hands, then slips back down again with an unnerving twitch of his neck. Another guy can balance on one hand, then hop between hand and elbow balances.

Yet the performance aims for a slickness that it can't quite bring off. There are comedy routines, including a mismatched pair who don't add up to a double act. One is tall and thin, with a gift for robotic twitching and popping. His chunkier, livelier partner is given to disco routines. The contrast favours neither: one has a stronger technique, the other more bounce. The stunt displays also have a few rough edges.

That could be a bonus, since plenty of dance shows lose energy and bite through overproduction, but the effect is of a company that has just missed its target.

To 27 August (0131-623 3030)

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in