Versa-Style Dance Company makes its Wallis debut with a three-night live engagement of its latest hip-hop dance-theater production, Box of Hope, Thursday, August 19 to Saturday, August 21, 2021, 8 pm, on The Wallis’ outdoor stage. An evening-length work, Box of Hope explores themes that deal with the inequalities in today’s volatile social climate – specifically within underserved communities – through the lens of the sounds of Motown. Versa-Style taps into the timeless nature of this struggle reflected through the music of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, and other artists who sang about these issues in the 1970s. The committed artists of Versa-Style bring hip-hop to the concert stage, pushing the boundaries of traditional hip-hop dance in order to share the realities of their lives, experiences and struggles within the varied and infinitely complex political and personal landscapes of Los Angeles. The dance company’s work gives voice to and a platform for an urban demographic that has experienced years of economic and racial oppression. Above all, it brings a sense of understanding and hope for all people. KCET states, Versa-Style Dance Company “directly engages with civics…(and) as hip-hop artists, they’re uniquely equipped to perform in outdoor settings.”
The Wallis’ Artistic Director Paul Crewes says, “Versa-Style Dance Company will captivate our audiences with their energy and style. We are very excited to showcase their empowering production BOX of HOPE.”
Tickets for Versa-Style Dance Company, $35, are on sale now. The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is located at 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills. To purchase tickets and for more information, please visit www.thewallis.org, or call 310-746-4000 (Tue.-Fri. 9:30 am – 2:30 pm).