Choreographed by Maud Le Pladec feat. Jr Maddripp, «Silent Legacy» brings together different contemporary dance styles in a cross-generational encounter between performers of different ages and backgrounds. On one side, there are accomplished contemporary dancers Audrey Merilus and Siaska Chereyre and on the other, there are Adeline Kerry Cruz, an 11-year-old dance prodigy from Montreal, and her mentor Jr Maddripp.
Kevin Gohou, aka Jr Maddripp, born in France and also known as Westrock Aka Intimidate, is celebrated as a pioneer of the Krump movement in Europe. He was trained by Tight Eyez, one of the original creators of Krump. Now based in Montreal, Jr Maddripp imparts his knowledge as a teacher, competes in battles, and judges at prestigious events worldwide. His deep passion for dance has led to collaborations with renowned artists and companies such as Cirque du Soleil, Cirque Éloize, and The 7 Fingers.
Adeline Kerry Cruz first captured attention with her hip-hop dance videos on the internet. She has since found her calling in the dynamic world of Krump. Under the guidance of her mentor, Jr Maddripp, she has honed her skills through dance battles and artistic collaborations.
Together with dancer Siaska Chareyre and accompanied by electro DJ and composer Chloé Thévenin, Adeline and Jr Maddripp perform «Silent Legacy», which will have its Swiss premiere on the Seebühne of the Zürcher Theater Spektakel. Our curator Maria Rößler caught up with Adeline and Jr Maddripp just before a performance in Vienna.
Thank you for meeting me for this interview! We don't have much time as you will have to be on stage in about an hour. Very soon, you will visit us in Zurich to perform the dance piece «Silent Legacy». You perform Krump, a dance developed in the late 1990s by Black communities in Los Angeles, under the impression of racial injustice, violence, and repression. However, the dance style and culture of Krump has since become celebrated by an ever-growing dance community around the world. You are an example of that yourself, Jr Maddripp. You are from Paris originally and are now based in Montreal. When and how did your relationship with Krump begin?
Jr Maddripp: I watched a movie called «Rize», and I fell in love with Krump instantly – the passion behind it, the characters, the complicity, and also the simplicity. That's what drove me into Krump, and I pursued this path. I've met many beautiful souls and people who helped me through the journey.
Adeline: I dance since I was four, but one day when I was six, someone called my dad and wanted me to do a video. They wanted me to do Krump, and I didn't know what Krump was, but I thought it was really cool. So I did it and it felt so nice. I loved it so much that I wanted to continue with Krump. That's when I met Jr Maddripp.
During your time in Zurich, you will host a workshop for teenagers. How would you describe your experience with the Krump dance training and the transmission of this dance from mentor to junior practitioner, from generation to generation? Where do you see yourselves in the legacy of Krump?
Jr Maddripp: I try to push the Krump movement to its limits. I am not someone who created something new, but I create opportunities and I push the name of Krump. My work is to elevate anybody from any generation through Krump and to inspire them to do better, to express better. The best way to teach is to understand how you were taught yourself and the steps that were difficult for you, so you can help the future generation to develop and improve. As a teacher, I also try to stay a student, so I always work on the information I give and I integrate new ways to communicate and express.
Krump is an intensely expressive, energetic and emotional dance. I can see expressions of anger, pain, but also pleasure, a lot of interpersonal resonance, and sometimes humour. What are the core elements for you?
Jr Maddripp: Krump is more than expression; it is also about character and how you see yourself in your mind. It could be something you went through during the day – joy, sadness, or something from the past. Anyone can krump. You don't have to experience a nightmare of a life to be good at it. It can help you liberate yourself through your higher self and inner energy which you push into the style and movement. It can look ugly or very beautiful because it involves a lot of different energies.
Adeline, what energies or feelings drive you when you do Krump, and especially for your performance in «Silent Legacy»?
Adeline: When I dance, I feel big and beautiful, like a grown-up. I am very small and timid, but when I dance, I feel very big and cool.
What is your favourite moment in the piece?
Adeline: My favourite part is when I sing. Usually, people see me dance, but not a lot of people hear me sing.
Jr Maddripp: My favourite moment is when Siaska or Audrey does the circle around the stage. There is a power in it, as if she was trying to look at the past but through the future, reminiscing her mistakes and everything she felt, and then going back to the future. As if you never really live in the present.
«Silent Legacy» premiered in 2022. Adeline, you were eight years old at the time. How was the creation process? How did you all develop the choreography together?
Adeline: I remember doing my warm-ups with Maud. We did some contemporary movements. I remember sharing all my ideas during the creation. Everyone was really nice to me and supported me.
Jr Maddripp: The creation was fun because I learned a lot from Maud in her way of creating and directing. I wanted to understand more about how to create and for different audiences. I knew how to create for my own audience but not for an audience from another genre. I liked creating the part with Adeline and choreographing it, working on different perspectives of Krump and how it could be on the forefront.
