Energy, drama, outspoken movement, wild, queer and free — just a few words to describe Happy Hype, a dance performance by Swiss dance collective, Ouinch Ouinch. Taking inspiration from Krump culture's Hype Call of 90’s Los Angeles, each dancer synced their personal style of dance — hip-hip, ballet, breakdance, and a Hungarian dance form — with harmony. It was a delight for the senses, thanks to not just the dance but also their costumes, the music, the multicoloured lights, the candies that they handed out along with sheer joy.
We asked this culturally diverse and creatively abundant collective a few questions.
Your crew is comprised of people from different parts of the world — does that influence the choreography?
Karine Dahouindji: Well, we have a group that represents different nationalities but I don't think it influences the choreographies. For example, Mulah is half Lebanese, so she has some oriental remixes, which has an influence, but it's not really in the show, it's more like sounds you can hear in the following DJ set. And for us, we have different formations, so we can feel it in each solo. For example, I did a lot of classical music. You can see at the beginning of my solo that I use a lot of ballet. Colin did more breakdance, Marius has more of a hip-hop formation and Adèle does traditional Hungarian dance. It's in these places that the choreographies influence a little, but not so much the group choreographies, it's more when we have our solos.
Your favourite song or song lyric?
Maud Hala Chami (Mulah): My favorite song of the show is 911, it’s a slow jam very original from a Belgium Rapper named Damso. The French lyrics are talking about street love and the effect of love in your life.
What makes you create?
Marius Barthaux: This question is hard but I would say what makes me create is a combination of will and wondering which means like I want to do something but I don’t exactly know what, and I strongly, deeply desire to do something. And in the wandering I will find, I will convert this desire in action and suddenly find what I want to create. And so, yeah, for me it would be something like this I would say.
What feels natural — creating or collaborating?
Marius Barthaux: As I say, the willl, the wandering, but for sure also the collective, working with others gives you ideas and material to create. So for sure it's like a dialogue, like a conversation between in a group. And this creates the most powerful art that I feel I can do somehow.
How do you empower each other?
Adel Juhász: I think my answer is quite simple and short. We support each other because we are different, but our differences inspire each other. We are friends, and there is a lot of love and respect in the group. We support each other, we are funny and good-natured, but this is also a strong, supportive force.
What makes you happy?
Simon Peretti: Performing, it makes me happy. Facing an audience and receiving the energy that an audience can give. I think I like a little spotlight too. Also, the sea and the sun.
Happy Hype by Ouinch Ouinch was performed in three cities in India as part of their debut tour, supported by Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia, boxout.fm and The Embassy of Switzerland in India and Bhutan under the initiative “SwitzerlandIndia 75: Success Stories to Be Continued”, featuring Marius Barthaux, Karine Dahouindji, Simon Peretti, Adél Juhász, Collin Cabanis and Maud Hala Chami ( live music).
Words Samiksha Sharma
Date 19.01.2024
Photo credits Aman Makkar