We sat down with Emmanuelle Lê Phan and Elon Höglund to talk about their latest show, PRISM.
Emmanuelle Lê Phan
PRISM uses mirrors and reflections to transform perception—what drew you to this idea, and how does it connect to the language of hip hop and contemporary dance?
We’ve always been interested in illusionary concepts, often found in Popping. Breaking also has a way of fooling the eye with complex techs, threads and rapid torsions and direction changes. Wanting to leave the spectator with the thought: “What was that? I didn’t really understand what that was!?”
With Tentacle Tribe, our partner work uses Popping and Breaking concepts with the goal of creating symbiotic organisms, many bodies working as one. Thus finding more ways to alter the spectators perception of what is really happening.
So the idea of working with mirrors to create a multiplying effect seemed to us like a natural progression of our work. We kept wanting to push the fractal nature of our partner work and this time adding this imposing scenography to play with.
Through many months of research we collected a series of constellations that would enhance our choreography and give the audience unusual POVs. With multiplicity, distorsion, and new angles, we loved playing with the infinite possibilities this set was giving us.
As co-founders and collaborators, how do you negotiate creative disagreements while sustaining a shared choreographic vision?
This collaboration has been years in the making and it definitely had its ups and downs. When we started in 2012, we knew we wanted to bring something innovative out there, but HOW, was the big question. Co-choreographing can have its advantages, where you have access to two creative channels. But at times, your artistic minds will divert onto different paths.
What was great, in the beginnings, we really took years to figure out an approach that was our own, a choreographic foundation that would be the laying grounds to all of our works. That base would always be present in each others solo work.
Over the years we’ve realized that we often need to let go of the ego, so often present in street dancers. We’ve learned to sometimes let go of our ideas to go along with another. We work as each other’s outside eye, council, resounding board. Take turns in taking the lead, with open hearts, respect and patience. It is constant work, as in all relationships!
Your work often pushes the boundaries of hip hop—what excites you most about presenting PRISM within the context of Breakin’ Convention, a festival rooted in the culture’s traditions?
Presenting a full-length work within Breakin’ Convention (BC), is kind of a big deal for us! We presented short form duets and trios through the festival but never a group work. And now we are bringing this quintet with a massive set design to London for the first time, its a milestone for the company!
We’ve always loved presenting work at BC. Their audiences are always aware of hip hop values, there is a vibe, a boiling excitement of presenting something new to our peers and hip hop heads. We definitely pushed the boundaries of street dances with our works, but the audiences recognized the codes and techniques.
What is hype about bringing Prism to BC now is that this is our most ambitious work, taking our Tentacle Tribe aesthetic to new heights by adding a imposing set design to play with.
Performing internationally, how do different audiences respond to the surreal, almost hypnotic imagery you create on stage?
Our work can oscillate between hip hop contexts and more contemporary settings, therefore audiences vary. At street dance events such as Summer Dance Forever, Detour, BC… we would find audiences that are quite vocal during the presentation, either with awe or encouragement but always with respect. Contemporary settings are more quiet, reflective and keep their comments for the post-show discussion.
But almost consistently, audiences from all over, are quiet and attentive to the intricate work. Some get entranced, some are analytical to find meaning.
Having toured in the States, South Korea, Mexico, Canada, Sweden, Estonia, France, Spain, we find our work can be appealing to a wide spectrum of spectators. An audience spanning generations and experience— from lifelong hip-hop enthusiasts to first-time discoverers— often comes back to us with comments about connectivity, movement meditation, symbiosis, seamless fusion. Some spectators with more knowledge about street dance can see that all dancers practice traditional forms: breaking, popping and hip hop, and can better appreciate the movement research Tentacle Tribe has made over the years.
The piece is performed by a quintet—how do you cultivate ensemble dynamics that feel as precise as they are fluid?
We’ve developed a unique training method—an approach that places strong emphasis on body awareness and collective movement. We’re fortunate to work with a cast of exceptionally skilled dancers who have been training and performing with us for 7 to 9 years, deeply immersed in the Tentacle Tribe methodology. This long-term collaboration fosters seamless nonverbal communication and an extraordinary level of cohesion on stage.
Looking at your journey as Tentacle Tribe, what discoveries about the body—or about collaboration—continue to surprise you the most?
What never ceases to amaze me is that the deeper you explore movement, the more vast and infinite it becomes. Every layer you uncover reveals another—new pathways, subtle nuances, and untapped potential in the body. It’s a constant process of discovery, where mastery is never a final destination, but a gateway to even more complexity and curiosity. The body holds an endless vocabulary, and movement becomes a lifelong conversation with yourself, others, and the world around you.
Nice read on process and vision. With PRISM rolling into UK dates, the mix of conceptual hip hop and visual illusion feels spot-on for a new audience. Looking forward to the shows.