San Franciscans might not have heard of the Flying Steps before, but the European b-boy sensation is about to bring their mad hip hop skills to the City by the Bay. The twist? They'll be dancing to music composed by Johann Sebastian Bach—a Baroque composer not exactly famous for his fresh beats.
"Red Bull's Flying Bach" international tour kicks off at the Masonic Auditorium on Saturday, May 20-22, featuring Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier" and the Flying Steps, a Berlin-based dance company that enjoy a HUGE following abroad. High brow classical music meets urban street dance in a choreographed tale that follows six dancers and one teacher as they prepare for a big performance. (High dance drama ensues.)
We sat down with four of the Flying Steps on a recent SF visit to promote their tour. Red Bull, the energy drink that most of us know from college and vodka, has been a sponsor of the Flying Steps for over 16 years, and created "Flying Bach" in 2010, in part to bring the power of classical music to a younger generation.
"Because this is classical music," explained Nordine 'Nono' Dany Grimah, a longtime dancer with the group, "anybody can understand. Bach fits perfectly." Anna Holmstrom, another Flying Step, chimed in, "There is something really human about the show." The Steps are excited to debut this year's "Flying Bach" in San Francisco, a city they'd previously known only from the movies. "Everyone here is very friendly and talking to us," said Benny Kimoto, one of the original members of the Flying Steps. "It's very different from Europe."
"Red Bull's Flying Bach" will take place at the Masonic Auditorium on Friday and Saturday May 20-21 at 8pm, and Sunday May 22 at 4 and 7pm. Tickets are between $30-$80 and can be found here.