House of Dangerkat is the definition of style. Really, they are. What other group of people can claim to be dominating the dance scene internationally while launching their own fashion house and gaining respect amongst performance artists everywhere? Nope, didn’t think so. Oh, and did I mention they have their roots here in Canada? Kaiti Dangerkat, the founder, choreographer and Mother of the House of Dangerkat is a native of Calgary, Alberta. I got to catch up with this upcoming legend when she was here this month and find out about voguing, waacking, deathdrops, and a day in the life of a Dangerkat!
HOUSE OF DANGERKAT: UPCOMING LEGENDARY CHILDREN
Interview by Cole Johnston
You guys have been keeping very busy this last year. What have been the highlights so far?
Massive highlights have included performing as Barbie and the Rockers for Mattel’s 50th Anniversary Party in Paris during Fashion Week held at Colette with co-exhibitors Karl Lagerfeld and Jeremy Scott; being featured dancers for Diplo, A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs at the Central Park Summerstage in New York City; performing all throughout London Fashion Week in September for designer/stylist Nova Dando; opening up for La Roux and dancing at the Vivienne Westwood party and PPQ fashion show; touring Europe solo to teach workshops, compete and perform for 3 months... I met so many amazing artists that led to collaborations and opportunities to go back for more projects. We also spent time hosting and performing regularly at Mr. Black's nightclub in New York with DJ Kingdom. Also in New York, we created Addicted for one month straight with all my Calgary dancers, co-choreographers and DJ’s, where we premiered it at the Tribeca Grand Hotel. We brought the Addicted show home to Calgary where we took over the Calgary Tower with a massive dance/fashion/film/photography/music exhibit!
What brings you to Vancouver for November?
I’m teaching dance classes throughout the city.
How does it feel coming back to Canada after traveling around the world for the last little while?
It’s really good to come back home after traveling around the world because even though it’s amazing to being abroad, home will always be home! Canada represent!
How is your new work Addicted different from previous works?
I do urban styles, and my co-choreographer, Jenn Doan, does contemporary. We’ve taken two completely different styles and fused them into something that is both visually entertaining and rich with personal meaning.
Can you tell us about the new fashion collection? How did working with designer Hege Edvardsen come about?
The new fashion collection is like an Egytpian sphinx clad in armor, riding in a Back To The Future spaceship haha. I met Hege when I was doing a workshop in Stockholm Sweden, and she was among the spectators who were there. I soon learned that she also shared a passion for dance and wanted me to represent her work. Collaboration felt so right!
House of Dangerkat seems to draw from so many styles and mediums. Do you see dance and fashion as two sides of the same coin?
Definitely. Considering the fact that there is a dance style (voguing) that is derived from the fashion world, it’s easy to see that connection. I believe fashion is just a continuation of the expression. If we as dancers are using our bodies to communicate, why wouldn’t we complete the picture with the clothing we wear? When I create, the costumes affect the choreography, and visa versa. They are always holding hands, and are best friends in my world.
How has the NYC vogue and Ball scene affected your work and style?
It has affected my work immensely as I have great respect for the home of voguing and the masters that created it there. You can see NY in my style in so much as I had to learn and research the New York scene because that’s where this all began! However as an artist its my job to not repeat what has been done before but to expand upon it.
The music you choose seems to fit so perfectly with your style. How do you pick the tracks for your performances?
I don’t, the tracks pick me!
Your 100% of Dissin' You video employed photography and stop-motion animation. Are you interested in getting into different kinds of media like that in the future?
Yes I'm very interested in to further use multimedia to spread our art and that could be through experimental film, animation, photography, graphic design, fashion design and music.
What can Canada and the world expect from the House of Dangerkat?
The House of Dangerkat is completely committed to putting on amazing shows that are multi-sensory and multimedia across the board. We want to suspend reality and create an experience unlike our audience has seen every place we visit.
For more information on the House of Dangerkat, check out www.dangerkat.com. Also, be sure to watch their awe-inspiring videos on YouTube!
100% of Dissin' You - House of Dangerkat
Opulence - House of Dangerkat
No comments:
Post a Comment