Pop Culture
Hip-hop ballet in Atlanta
By John Hockenberry, Adaora Udoji, Corey Takahashi
April 11, 2008, 08:22 PM
Charlie McCullers
Antwan "Big Boi" Patton, of the hip-hop group OutKast, and members of the Atlanta Ballet perform in a first-ever dance fusion titled "big."
In April, the Atlanta Ballet joined with the Grammy-winning rapper Big Boi for the premiere of a hip-hop ballet performance titled "big." Six shows were staged at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta.
Takeaway facts:
- The production, “big,” was the first major collaboration between a hip-hop star and a ballet company.
- The Atlanta Ballet’s artistic director approached the rapper Big Boi (of the hip-hop group OutKast) with the idea for the performance.
- According to its Web site, the Atlanta Ballet is the longest continuously-operating ballet company in the United States. It was founded in 1929.
- Both hip-hop and ballet are struggling to find new audiences.
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The show is a co-production of WNYC Radio and Public Radio International,
in collaboration with The BBC World Service, New York Times Radio and WGBH Boston.
