HCM CITY — The French-Belgian dance company t.r.a.n.s.i.t.s.c.a.p.e., in collaboration with Vietnamese dancers and singers, is bringing the contemporary dance “Urban Distortions” back to HCM City this week.

The routine is a combination of dance, music and visual arts created by artist Pierre Larauza and choreographer and dancer Emmanuelle Vincent, who established t.r.a.n.s.i.t.s.c.a.p.e. in 2003.

The artists will perform inside transparent inflatable bubbles to transport audiences to a world of diverse cultures.

The highlight of the show will be Suboi, known as the Vietnamese queen of hip-hop, who will compose lyrics for the dance and perform it during the dance.

Speaking at a press conference in HCM City on Friday, Vincent said: “We have been working with the talented Suboi from the beginning of this year to prepare for the show.”

Born in 1990, Suboi, whose real name is Hàng Lâm Trang Anh, was introduced to hip hop when she was 14 years old and eventually became a well-known rapper in the underground scene. Her music is influenced by American rapper Eminem and Mos Def.

She has performed at international music festivals, including South by Southwest in the US and Tornado Music Festival in Japan. She now has over 1.4 million followers on Facebook.

The show will include Vietnamese-Belgian painter Nguyễn Trương Minh Thy, who will do live paintings during the performance. Young musician Nguyễn Đức Trung Tuấn, aka Teddy Chilla, and dancer Đỗ Xuyến Như will perform at the show as well.

The dance will also feature dancer and choreographer Charles Ngombengombe of Zimbabwe, and performing artist Olga Ndaya Larauza of t.r.a.n.s.i.t.s.c.a.p.e.

“The dance’s goal is to mix cultures. This show in HCM City will be a meeting of African, Asian and European culture,” Vincent said.

“Urban Distortions” was first performed at the Avignon Festival 2010 in France, and then in Washington DC, Hong Kong, Tallinn, Lisbon and Bangkok.

In each city, the company has worked with local dancers and musicians to make the dance unique. Last year, the company and the HCM City Bông Sen Traditional Dance Troupe presented the dance at the Sai Gon Botanical Zoo in District 1.

This year, the dance was introduced in Hà Nội and HCM City at the annual “Europe Meets Asia in Contemporary Dance” festival featuring productions by artists from Germany, Belgium, Việt Nam, France, Canada, and Spain.

The performance will begin at 8pm on October 14 at the HCM City Opera House, 7 Lam Sơn Square, in District 1. Tickets can be purchased at https://goo.gl/3oh6an. — VNS