Hip Hop Legends The Wondertwins Bring LOVE AND HAPPINESS To The Dance Complex, February 25-26
The evening will feature two works, “To Love with Hip-Hop” and “Love,” both of which focus on returning to a level of hip-hop aimed at bringing people together.
The Wondertwins, Boston natives Billy & Bobby McLain are bringing Love and Happiness to The Dance Complex in Central Square Cambridge for two performances only on February 25 and 26. The evening will feature two works, "To Love with Hip-Hop" and "Love," both of which focus on returning to a level of hip-hop aimed at bringing people together, rather than separating them.
Billy and Bobby McClain are identical twins who grew up in Boston, Massachusetts in the 70s. Over the years, The Wondertwins have created a distinctive style with the technical facility of hip hop, the sophistication of the glory days of the Cotton Club, the flash of Rat Pack era Las Vegas, and elements of vaudeville, robot, tap, and mime. Billy and Bobby also work in the Boston Public School system, entering their 19th year of working as advisors and teaching dance.
Their dance career started on a very small stage at the age of 6, performing for family members at cookouts, but has expanded to performing all over the world. At age 10 they were asked to join Boston's first professional street dance crew, The Funk Affects. During this time, they opened for some of the biggest names in hip-hop history; Run DMC, LL Cool J, KRS One, and Afrika Bambaataa, to name a few.
After 7 years with the crew, Billy and Bobby branched off to become "The Wondertwins." Since then, they have had many notable accomplishments including Bobby Brown's "Don't Be Cruel" US/UK tour, Apollonia's (Purple Rain) UK tour. They were the opening act for EPMD, Public Enemy, and Queen Latifah. They have also appeared on television shows Good Day New York, Evening Magazine, and The Jenny Jones Show. Additionally, they have performed numerous times at the Apollo Theater.
"The WonderTwins reman a cultural phenomenon, known around the world, but we get to claim them as Boston and Cambridge's own," said Peter DiMuro, Dance Complex's Executive Artistic Director. "Since we revitalized our performance series 10 years ago, Billy and Bobby have been leaders in advocating for humanity through dance in the frequent performances on our stages. As they reflect a mirror to each other by nature of birth, and their long-standing commitment to the rigors of crafting social concerns through hip-hop we as an audience get a tether to hope; that we can be better at practicing humanity ourselves if we can see the example in their footsteps.
In its 30th season, The Dance Complex strives to enable the creation, study, and performance of dance by sustaining artists, audiences, and community through exciting programming. The Dance Complex is supported by Mass Cultural Council, Barr Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, The Boston Foundation, The Klarman Family Foundation, Cambridge Community Foundation, Cambridge Arts, New England Foundation for the Arts, and others.
Love & Happiness will be performed at The Dance Complex February 25 at 8pm and February 26 at 7pm. For tickets, information and event updates, visit dancecomplex.org/events. The schedule is subject to change. The Dance Complex is at 536 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA.
