Rennie Harris Puremovement, The Ladies of RHPM

Rennie Harris Puremovement, The Ladies of RHPM
Friday, March 16, 8 p.m.,
McPherson Auditorium, Goodhart Hall

The wildly popular Rennie Harris Puremovement is set to turn the world of hip-hop on its ear as the fiercely beautiful women of the company take center stage. This one-night-only show, assembled for Bryn Mawr College, will include “Breath” and “3 b-boys and a girl.” It will also feature the brazen “Something to Do With Love,” choreographed to music by Nina Simone.  Recent works by Harris, including Facing Mekka, have highlighted the company’s terrific female dancers, so Bryn Mawr, an all-women’s college, zooms in on this aspect of his work.

Lorenzo (Rennie) Harris (Artistic Director, Choreographer) celebrates hip-hop culture on his own terms, creating a body of work unparalleled for its masterful use of the language of hip hop in a concert dance setting. Using music and story sources from around the globe, Harris revolutionizes contemporary dance by fusing unlikely influences into a powerful theatrical experience.

Born and raised in North Philadelphia, Harris has taught workshops and classes at universities around the country and is a powerful spokesperson for the significance of “street” origins in any dance style. In 1992 Harris founded Rennie Harris Puremovement, a hip-hop dance company dedicated to preserving and disseminating hip-hop culture through workshops, classes, lecture demonstrationson hip-hop history, long-term residencies, mentoring programs and public performances. Harris founded his company based on the belief that hip-hop is the most important original expression of a new generation.

“Philadelphia's greatest cultural export” —The Philadelphia Inquirer