Katherina Radeva's show "Bottoms" reexamines the cancan dance, uncovering its roots in Paris's working-class dancehalls where men initially performed it as a social dance. Radeva and co-director Alister Lownie aim to challenge the typical portrayal of cancan dancers, exploring how creativity is valued and often exploited in capitalism. The production celebrates the original spirit of cancan while highlighting the journey from improvisational art to commercialized spectacle, drawing parallels between historical performers and modern-day influencers.
The real story of the cancan phenomenon is much more interesting than the tourist-friendly cliche, originating from working-class dancehalls with spontaneous improvisation and primarily performed by men.
What we really latched on to is working-class makeup shit-hot dance... People commercialise it and almost take it all away, stripping away the raw spirit initially presented.
Cancan dancers were the influencers of their day, expressing creativity and identity before their art became commodified, much like todayâs social media stars.
Bottoms seeks to address value, labour, and art in a capitalist system, using the captivating history of the cancan as a backdrop for this exploration.
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