SPA Presents Houston Debut of CCN Creteil et Val-de-Marne / Compagnie Kafig Tonight

Society for the Performing Arts will present the Houston debut performance of CCN Créteil et Val-de-Marne / Compagnie Käfig tonight, April 17, 2015, at 8 p.m., in the Wortham Center's Cullen Theater.

French-Algerian choreographer and artistic director Mourad Merzouki is at the forefront of the international hip-hop scene, delivering explosive dance that intertwines street moves, capoeira, samba, electronic music, bossa nova and contemporary technique. Based in France and featuring an all-male Brazilian cast, CCN Créteil et Val-de-Marne / Compagnie Käfig will perform a program titled Correria Agwa.

The inspiration for Correria and Agwa was an encounter between Merzouki and 11 young dancers from Rio de Janeiro at the Lyon Dance Biennial in 2006. Their stories about life in the favelas -- Brazilian shanty towns -- and their determination to make something of themselves profoundly resonated with Merzouki. Each work is a heart-stopping piece that showcases a sensational combination of athletic samba, hip-hop and capoeira dance styles.

Correria (Running) plunges us into a hectic race -- just like the one that governs our daily lives -- and uses the movement of bodies to create a show that takes your breath away! Agwa (Water) is a relaxed and joyful piece about the most vital component of our bodies; a precious natural resource to be economized and preserved that is also a symbol of renewal.

Born in Lyon, France, Mourad Merzouki founded Compagnie Käfig in 1996. Merzouki started learning martial and circus arts when he was 7 years old. As a teenager, his discovery of hip-hop culture led him toward the dance world. Merzouki founded Compagnie Käfig with a focus on creating new works that would bring a true artistic dimension to hip-hop and expand the form beyond its narrow and exclusionary social references to reach new audiences. In 2009, Mourad Merzouki was appointed director of the Centre Chorégraphique National de Créteil et du Val-de-Marne.

Tickets range from $28-$63 and can be purchased online at www.spahouston.org, by phone at 713-227-4SPA or at the courtyard level ticket office at Jones Hall located at 615 Louisiana St. Hours of operation: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. For groups of 15 or more call 713-632-8113. Prices are subject to change.

About Society for the Performing Arts - Founded in 1966, Society for the Performing Arts (SPA) is the largest independent non-profit presenting organization in the Southwest. Since its inception, SPA has sponsored more than 1,000 performances of the world's finest music, dance and theater events, in adherence to the belief that the arts are fundamental to the overall enrichment and quality of life within the community. In addition to presenting artists, SPA seeks to provide a variety of learning experiences for adults and children through master classes, lectures and special student performances, as well as build relationships between the performing arts and other interests within the greater Houston area and throughout the state of Texas.

Pictured: Members of CCN Créteil et Val-de-Marne / Compagnie Käfig performing Agwa; photo by Christopher Duggan.