Ten years after Father Father, choreographer Lloyd Marengo returns to theatres with its follow-up: Father Figure.

A compact, ‘in-your-face’ dance performance depicts the struggles of four b-boys and a percussionist, exploring the theme of the father figure. Soulful breakdance scenes, repetitive rhythms, and dynamic yet tranquil imagery combine to make Father Figure an impressive dance collage.

Father Figure is a Lloydscompany production. Under the Lloydscompany banner, dancers, up-and-coming urban artists and the underground battle scene come together. The company produces performances, thereby building a bridge between the street and the stage.

Founder Lloyd Marengo grew up in the gritty Rotterdam of the 1980s and learnt to dance on the streets. In the 1990s, his hangout in Rotterdam West became the epicentre of hip-hop. Lloyd caused a sensation with 010 B-boys, who enjoyed worldwide success and put Rotterdam’s hip-hop and street culture on the map. Lloyd is one of the founders of the Hiphophuis; he has worked with Scapino and Conny Janssen Danst, amongst others, and has performed at the Dutch Dance Days.

Father Figure can be seen in Dutch theatres until the end of June.

Click on the button below for the performance schedule.

PUBLIC REACTIONS

“The five men worked together in perfect harmony, each bringing their own specific skills to bear, including one crew member with an astonishing ability to snap his fingers; the emotional weight of their story, though never explicitly stated, left the audience breathless.”

– Kees Blijleven (artistic director of Theater de Krakeling, Amsterdam)

“I was deeply moved by the individual interpretations of what fatherhood means to each of them. It was also wonderful how the musician conveyed these personal stories through sound. Vulnerable, pure and playful. It’s lovely to see how different dancers can come together around such a personal theme!”

– Wennah Wilkers

“The performance was so beautiful; I’m so glad I got to see it. It was so much more than I expected. A bizarrely beautiful experience”

“The performance was really cool. Full of energy. The build-up of tension was spot on too. The way the dancers seek each other out is inspiring. The combination with the percussionist works really well. In short, this was a really enjoyable performance to watch”

– B-Boy Dietje

“Father Figure is a really great show. The combination of the percussionist and the dancers is particularly powerful”

– Stefan Seedorf

THE CAST

KEVIN THOMPSON

Kevin is a b-boy from Suriname and, as well as dancing, he is also a filmmaker. He describes his style as a fusion of all the dance styles he has mastered, but with breakdancing as the foundation.

For Kevin, anyone can be a father figure: “You can choose for yourself who your father figure is, based on the relationship”.

NOURI EL MAZOUGHI

Nouri is een Franse b-boy en omschrijft zichzelf als een veelzijdige danser, hierdoor kan hij op zijn eigen manier bewegen.

Een vaderfiguur is voor Nouri iemand die een grote hoeveelheid offers brengt voor zijn familie en zijn wijsheid deelt.

OSCAR STARINK

Oscar is a well-known b-boy from the underground battle scene and is a member of the Underdogz Crew from Utrecht. He describes his own style as controlled, deliberate and fluid, with breaking as its foundation.

We also asked Oscar to describe what a father figure is: “Someone who takes on a caring role and acts as a role model. A father figure guides and inspires the younger generation”.

POM ARNOLD

Pom has appeared in, amongst other things, Holland’s Got Talent and Cirque du Soleil’s THE IMMORTAL WORLD TOUR (USA), and has also performed in Dutch theatres in various theatre productions. He describes his style as minimalist, clean and with a strong foundation.

For Pom, a father figure is a man who takes his responsibilities as a dad seriously. “Raising children, through thick and thin. A role model, a source of support and a rock,” says Pom.

JULINHO PIMENTEL

Our final cast member isn’t a b-boy, but is no less important: Julinho is our multi-instrumentalist who provides musical accompaniment for the b-boys during the performance.

Julinho is originally from Brazil and grew up in a musical family. His musical career began at the age of eight, when he performed with his family – Kriya Familia – and came to the Netherlands in 1999 for a tour of the country. In 2001, they returned for another tour and decided to stay in the Netherlands.

This is not the first time Julinho and Lloyd have worked together; ten years ago, Julinho appeared in the show Father Father. But what does a father figure mean to Julinho? “A father figure plays a very important role in a child’s life; he shows the way to a place of peace and love.”