MAMA at The Lowry

Fresh, fearless and frank, the Olivier award-winning dance artist and choreographer Botis Seva returns to The Lowry with his latest work, MAMA.

The Olivier award-winning dance artist and choreographer Botis Seva returns to The Lowry.

Performed by Seva’s powerhouse company of dancers, Far From The Norm, this thrilling new work examines themes around race and culture in the modern world. Fusing a range of street dance styles, MAMA “mixes the beauty of chaos with the quietness of the human soul” to tell generational stories of colonised bodies.

The company aim to challenge the perception of hip hop opening a debate around urgent social-political issues.

Plunging the audience into “an unforgiving world fraying at the seams”, the dancers blend street dance styles with undulating movement. Synchronised with Torben Sylvests’s piercing soundscape and illuminated by Tom Visser’s atmospheric lighting design, MAMA explores a montage of stories and experiences. Slipping between past and present, revealing the destructive nature of dark colonial secrets, designer Ryan Dawson-Laight’s feathered, armour-like costumes parallel the nonsensical path to freedom.

Slipping between past and present, revealing the destructive nature of dark colonial secrets.

With Artistic Director Botis Seva at the helm, Far From The Norm strive to create honest, relevant and urgent dance performances that reflect pressing issues in our contemporary world.

Using a range of different street dance styles – from popping to breaking, and krump to house – the company aim to challenge the perception of hip hop and create original work that opens a debate around urgent social-political issues. The company have toured nationally and internationally creating live theatre performances, outdoor spectacles, immersive experiences and film.