Photo: Ticketseller.ca

No one will escape aging.

That’s the message behind In My Body, the first performance of the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre’s 2023-24 Spotlight Dance Series.

On Thursday, Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m., street dance company Bboyizm will examine how dancers persevere against aging and the effects on the body, including injury.

Show creators say the message is clear and powerful, even for those who don't come from a dance background.

"In this show, we form a micro-society,” said choreographer Crazy Smooth.

"No one will escape aging. I would like each person to recognize themselves, even if only in one aspect of the show, and see where they fit on the timeline and then come away with the notion that we are nothing without each other."

Choreographer Crazy Smooth is a renowned hip-hop dancer and choreographer and is bringing together an intergenerational group of dancers to share a message of community and resilience.

Young dancers showcase hip-hop tricks alongside older dancers who tell their stories of "glory and pain" through movement and spoken word.

In My Body combines dance with the spoken word poetry of Alejandro Rodriguez, recited to the beats of Montreal’s DJ Shash’U.

A statement from the show said aging as a b-boy or b-girl is a heroic feat.

"In keeping with hip-hop culture, street dancers present a facade of confidence and invincibility as they engage in battles to prove their value and establish their dominance," the statement said.

"The resulting vocabulary is one of the most physically demanding and visually impressive of the dance genres."

The statement said the show is dedicated to the memory of Frosty Freeze, Marjory Smarth, Flash, Don Campbellock and others who have gone before, and whose legacies live on.

In My Body is a 60 minute show with no intermission. The performance will take place on Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $40 for adults, $37 for seniors and $35 for students, they can be purchased online here, or by calling 250-549-7469.

In My Body was developed with the Centre de Création O Vertigo, Production CCOV’s program, and with support from the National Arts Centre’s National Creation Fund.