Driven by the exuberant rhythm of its collective body, Black Grace and Urban YOUTH Movement 2009 delivers You Better Run Boy – an eloquent work about peace, pies and accountability.

The historical propensity of the human habit to bully is explored in this work as tensional gatherings, confrontations and dissolves are played out in rapid re-framings of critical (mass) groupings and factional divisions. 

Constructed from three cycles of an extended choreographic sequence presented and re-presented in a film-like rewind and replay structure, Neil Ieremia’s stage presents a screen-play of real time anima and animus as dancers emulate the (animal) acoustics and attributes of cows, apes, birds and sheep in a reflected menagerie of the shadow side of human nature.

As pods of dancers amalgamate and dissolve, trios and quartets alternate with the company divided in thirds or split in half, at times according to gendered difference.  Pathway and collective line are also developed to convey the intersection of social structure with evocations of nature.

Ieremia’s use of form is complemented and developed within a layered movement vocabulary drawing on an energetic intersection of hip hop, haka, sasa, shake, break, kick, stomp, tap, ballet, contemporary, and possibly a glimpse of lady marmalade.

Echoing Gathering Clouds, You Better Run Boy emulates the elements in its critique of the human psyche.  Moving in collective chameleonic form, dancers variously reference the rigidity of rock, the receptive texture of earth, the fluid nature of the river and the immaterial vapour of cloud. 

Men and women are largely differentiated by their movement vocabularies within this work with the concluding section bringing a brief role reversal of the genders.  In this way Ieremia shifts the audience’s attention, making us laugh but also consider at the same time: what if I took on the other’s way of being /or seeing, and wore my skin his /her way? 

Blending specific reference with ambient affect, sound is used to great effect in this work.  Acoustic breaks and sonic dissolves further contribute to the filmic sense of the choreographic structure, with a strong use of body percussion complemented by a recorded score and live vocal sound from the dancers, employed variously in abstract, spoken and choral form.  A sprinkling of bells throughout the work (cow bells, school bells, church bells) act as effective signposts to the changing scenes of the work, contributing definition to its syncopated weave of movement. 

The tensional nature of power dynamics is successfully sustained throughout this work via the choral contrast of harmonic song and ugly taunt.  A poignant and melancholic a-cappella version of Talking Heads Psycho Killer underlines the central question, as the collective voice asks "Qu’est-ce que c’est?": "What is it?"

Strong acoustic and movement vocabularies in this work are further supported by the considered costume design.  Based on a monochromatic scale, midnight blue, black and grey form the main colour palette with the occasional touch of silver glancing off the range of thoughtfully selected urban-casual gear.  I enjoyed the subtle accents to the dancers’ clothing which creatively showcased and accommodated their individual styles and personalities.


With school bells ringing I’m called to final attention:  what creates a bully?  After watching this work, the recipe would appear to boil down to equal proportions of hunger and habit, i.e. if you mix human frailty and a certain propensity for repetition with an insufficient supply of respect, acceptance and steak and cheese pies, you might have yourself a problem…

The tireless You Better Run Boy emphasises both a need to break with the habits of personal and collective brutality to stop cyclic patterns of "heartless and senseless" behaviour, while at the same time presenting a compassionate and powerful celebration of the human spirit.  

In the end, Ieremia’s ambient choral mode and rich tapestry of movement is well matched by his dancers’ individual flair and whole-hearted commitment, with You Better Run Boy not only engaging and entertaining, but potentially transformative and ultimately uplifting.
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