Polyphonic Bodies

An evening of performances inspired by street dance, declaring the fluidity and multitude of identities

Thursday 1 December 2022, 7:30-9:30pm

Whitechapel Gallery, London

Artists: Algo Au, Chandenie Gobardhan, Duane Nasis, Jamal Sterrett, Chris Zhongtian Yuan

DJ: Ifeoluwa

Curator: Erin Li

By its very nature, the art of street dance rejects definition. Constantly evolving and fusing influences from various geographies, street dance represents a continuous migration across histories, a journey between genres in search of endless composite configurations and a fine blend of collectivity and individuality.

Inspired by street dance, Whitechapel Gallery hosted an evening of performances centered around the notion of fluidity. Exploring street dance as an embodiment of the identity in flux, this takeover brought together artists from disparate backgrounds who seamlessly blend sonic and dance styles, including Algo Au, Chandenie Gobardhan, Duane Nasis, Jamal Sterrett, and Chris Zhongtian Yuan. In a series of seamless performances, each flowing into the next, these performers activated the public spaces in and around Whitechapel Gallery, guiding the audience on a metamorphic journey.

Performance began at 7:30 and lasted 50 minutes, followed by live beats by Ifeoluwa, who wove threads among global diasporas and highlighted the connections and histories throughout contemporary sounds.