A new short documentary invites us to get an understanding of four "showtime" dancers
Anyone who rides the subway on a regular basis has likely seen a performance from one of New York City’s many "showtime" dance crews. Announcing each show with their "It’s showtime!" chant, the subway dancers gyrate, flip, twirl, and get the "litefeet" going all across subway cars, defying gravity with pole-swinging and air-flipping moves. Depending on who you ask, the show can be viewed as highly entertaining or highly irritating.
Many of these dancers treat each performance like it’s their job—for some, it may very well be. In a new documentary, We Live This, four members of a dance crew are profiled, allowing us to gain an understanding of the many obstacles that they face, from homelessness to avoiding arrest as police crack down on subway performers.
For those unfamiliar with the culture behind the dance style, another short documentary, named Litefeet: The Sound of the Subway, also provides some context on the culture's connection to the NYC subways.
- The Hopes and Fears of New York City's Subway Dancers [CityLab]
- Two "Showtime" Subway Dancers Give Us The Lowdown On Litefeet [Gothamist]
from
http://ny.curbed.com/2016/6/7/11873538/nyc-subway-performer-litefeet-documentary
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