Review: Näss (Fouad Boussouf/Harbourfront Centre)

Launching the 2023/2024 Torque season at the Harbourfront Centre, is Näss, bringing a unique stoic intensity to the stage. Choreographed by Fouad Boussouf, this hour-long piece combines breaking and house footwork with contemporary dance and traditional North African movement, crafting a beautiful textured movement vocabulary.

The title Näss, an Arabic term for "people," serves as a nod to Boussouf's investigation into communal dynamics. Boussouf draws inspiration from Nass el Ghiwane, a 1970s Moroccan band known for melding traditional Moroccan music with socially and politically charged lyrics.

From its opening moments, seven male dancers stand backlit, facing away from the audience. Despite an intentional lack of direct audience engagement through the work—no eye contact or smiles—the performers exude a collective energy that fills the room. The work exudes a slow-burning atmosphere that is equally serious and curious.

Throughout the performance, the dancers maintain an unwavering rhythm, accentuated by foot stomps and bounces. Elements of street dance and hip-hop weave in and out of this foundational pulse. Fusion between breaking and contemporary dance is not uncommon, yet the integration of house footwork here is more rare and is skillfully executed.

However, one small gripe that I have with Näss, has nothing to do with the work itself. It is a marketing line that altered my initial expectations. Descriptions like "chiseled bodies" and "intense physical choreography" skewed my perception toward something more commercial, with a push towards sexualizing the fit male cast.

Instead of this sexualization of the male dancers on stage, Näss delves into masculinity through a lens that is both raw and nurturing. The dancers relate to each other through a lens of support and community, challenging preconceived notions of masculine interaction and competition.

While the descriptor 'intense physical choreography' is accurate, it materializes in more ways than just acrobatic feats, which are fleeting. I find it is more so in the enduring rhythmic intensity. That said, the acrobatic elements are nothing short of mesmerizing. A personal highlight includes the animal-like crawls, where dancers glide their hands across the floor as their elevated legs create arcs in the air. Impressively, handstands and headstands appear rock-solid, descending only when the dancers decide it's time.

Fabrice Sarcy's lighting design and Camille Vallat's costumes serve as thoughtful accents to the choreography. The shirts evolve in color as they soak up the dancers' sweat, a tactile record of the consistent, grounded rhythm that sustains the show from start to finish.

Näss beautifully combines the fluidity, strength, and grace inherent in contemporary dance with the fearlessness and acrobatic flair of hip-hop. I find that it delivers a nuanced blend of styles, evoking the kinetic energy of a company like Hofesh Shechter and the power moves of a company like Bboyizm. It is a great work, especially when you approach it with the right expectations.

Näss, choreographed by Fouad Boussouf and presented by the Harbourfront Centre is playing at the Fleck Dance Theatre (207 Queens Quay W, Toronto, ON M5J 1A7) until October 28th, 2023. Tickets range from $29 to $79. Tickets can be purchased online here.

HarbourfrontCentre.com
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Photo by Charlotte Audureau.

Written by Deanne Kearney
DeanneKearney.com @deannekearney