The genre mashup and high-energy stunts of Elements of Freestyle is making its way to the Sydney Opera House this June for a strictly limited season. We caught up with some of the artists in a Quick Five to hear about their chosen element.
Defying gravity, Elements of Freestyle arrives from the Netherlands for a high-energy spectacle, transforming the Joan Sutherland Theatre into an adventure playground. Showcasing 12 elite boundary-pushing performers, this electrifying hour celebrates the artistic expression in street styles — many that are now Olympic sports, including skateboarding, basketball and breakdance.
Theatre Thoughts heard from Ozzi (Breakdancer), Denden Karadeniz (Breakdancer) and Sven Broekhorst (Inline Skater) ahead of the Sydney Opera House season in a Quick Five that covered everything from a quick description of their freestyle form, through to which venue post-Sydney that they’d love to head to next.
In this adrenaline-fueled explosion of extreme urban sports, dance, music and theatre, the Netherlands’ ISH Dance Collective create a breathtaking spectacle of raw skill and artistry. Making its highly anticipated Australian debut, this season, exclusive to Sydney has a strictly limited run of just five performances.
Read the full Quick Five Q&A below, then head to the Sydney Opera House website to book tickets to the limited season.
1. Describe your element of freestyle in three words
Ozzi (Breakdancer): Fluid – Extreme – Serene
Denden Karadeniz (Breakdancer): Energy – Fusion – Flow
Sven Broekhorst (Inline Skater): Fun – Adrenaline – Flow.
2. What’s been the most unique part of combining the multiple forms on stage?
Ozzi: The unexpected ways in which familiar things can change meaning and impact in new contexts, and feel completely new.
Denden Karadeniz: All forms are absolutely different but have allot of similarities. The “street” culture connected with creativity, physicality and a certain type of mindset are things that we all have in common. These disciplines rarely meet so that fact that we are performing together is absolutely unique.
Sven Broekhorst: It’s really special to mix skating with dance, BMX, freerunning, and live music. Every artist brings something different, and together we create one big powerful show. One part of the show is the skills, the other part is how we build different setups using the four quarter pipes.
3. What feeling or emotion would you most associate your style with?
Ozzi: Intensity
Denden Karadeniz: Ocean waves
Sven Broekhorst: Freedom. It’s my way to express myself.
4. If you could integrate your skills into another form, which would you choose and why?
Ozzi: Martial arts. Because I feel like martial arts are prima and honest and therefore evenly intense and real.
Denden Karadeniz: I think I would love to try some dance elements on things like a BMX or Skateboard. To have an object that “dances” with you would be alot of fun.. but i can’t see myself doing anything else than dance.
Sven Broekhorst: Probably freerunning. It just looks like so much fun and many of the movements are similar. Also the way you prepare and go for tricks is very alike.
5. If you were to take Elements of Freestyle anywhere else in the world, where would it be?
Ozzi: Indonesia (because there is a lot of talent but not a lot of opportunity, it would contribute in showing the arts in a serious form).
Denden Karadeniz: Australia and the Sydney Opera House is for sure a huge bucket list. But anywhere else would either be Japan or South Korea.
Sven Broekhorst: I’d love to take the show to Tokyo. The energy, the street culture and the people there are amazing.
Elements of Freestyle transforms the Joan Sutherland Theatre from the 26th to the 29th June. Tickets can be purchased here.
