Titanium at the Peacock

This May, the Peacock Theatre hosts a passionate, all-male dance show that aims to recreate the origins of three very different styles in urban Spanish culture. Created by Ballet Nuevo Español’s artistic directors Ángel Rojas and Carlos Rodríguez, Titanium is a dance fusion combining flamenco, breakdance and hip-hop. With its debut on the UK stage, the show consists of 13 men – nine dancers and four musicians – who, for the duration of around 80 minutes, restlessly perform with a passion that is hard to match.

The main concept behind the show is to represent the similarities between the traditional Spanish flamenco and urban hip-hop. It traces the idea of how both dances were created in the streets by people who wanted to express themselves. Keeping this notion of looking into the past in mind, and considering the dances’ origins, it comes as a surprise that the staging is so modern. The setting is futuristic and all the dancers are dressed in a new-age fashion: mostly glam rather than traditionally Spanish.

While the musicians do a great job recreating a true Spanish atmosphere with renditions of traditional music, they fail to deliver any hip-hop pieces. As a result, the promised style fusion comes mainly from the dancers – three master the flamenco moves, three the hip-hop ones, and another three showcase their enviable breakdance skills. This is where the show delivers: all the gifted dancers manage to impress the audience with their flawless performances. However, the start is a bit slow and there are some acts that could easily have been missed in favour of a more concise presentation. If there is any particular story, it is hard to follow as there is a lack of a clear narrative, so the show could benefit from some coherency.

All in all, ignoring the absence of a logical structure, Titanium is a pleasant dance show presenting the talent of 13 very gifted performers. The truth is, their moves are quite impressive and easily win the audience over thanks to the enthusiasm with which they perform. At the end of the day, though, mixing flamenco and breakdance proves to be a challenge. Had the show been better executed, the whole experience would have been even more rewarding.

Lyubomira Kirilova

Titanium is on at The Peacock Theatre until 23^rd May 2015, for further information or to book visit here.