Sheung Wan Civic Centre, Theatre Friday 28-Sunday 30

Unless a seasoned dance professional or hip-hop veteran, you’ll be forgiven if the terms breaking, popping, new style, liquid and krumping don’t mean much to you. Part of the vocabulary of hip-hop subculture, they are in fact the names of stylised dance techniques – and the very techniques utilised by up-and-coming French choreographer Pierre Rigal in Asphalte, a unique combination of physical theatre and contemporary dance to be unveiled to the Hong Kong audience this fortnight as part of Le French May 2010.

Known for his progressive stage creations, Asphalte is one of several contemporary dance productions Pierre has collaborated on since his induction into the performing arts scene in 2002. Originally debuted at France’s Suresnes Cités Danse Festival in 2009, the work explores the impact of a synthetic, highly-urbanised society on modern humanity. “In this piece I really tackle the issue of urban reality as a mix of different components,” Pierre says. “I use a pop-art aesthetic to symbolise this urban reality. I try to show how this urban reality can horrify me but in the same time can fascinate me.”

Executed by a troupe of five young dancers known as the Compagnie Derniere Minute, or Last Minute Company, each performer was handpicked by Pierre himself from virtual obscurity. “They were extremely talented and with a complete passion for dance. I loved their huge energy,” he says.

Hip-hop is used as the primary medium of dance for the performance, something Pierre believes merges perfectly with the subject matter. “In Asphalte, bodies lose progressively their humanity; They are transformed in robots, in lights, in monsters, in crazy persons. Hip-hop techniques allow all this transformation.”

Lisa Onland

Tickets: 2734 9009; www.urbtix.hk.