Exclusive Interview with Metamorphoz Crew

Note: The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of RetoxMagazine.com

The French group and Street Dance XXL UK Championships finalists get Retoxed!

As recently seen at the Street Dance XXL UK Championships held at South Bank Centre earlier this month, the Metamorphoz Crew tore down the stage with their creativity, enthusiasm and skill. The French crew from St-Etienne in France scooped up the second place at XXL with the British audience standing right behind them.

Having previously earned the 3rd place at UDO European Street Dance Championships held at Disneyland Paris and getting through to the finals in Express Yourself Tournament, again held in Paris, Metamorphoz Crew is now on the mission to expose their art to the rest of the world, and continue to present it to international audiences.

Meet the Metamorphoz Crew

Metamorphoz Crew member and dancer Big Mo

Metamorphoz Crew member Big Mo

Mohamed ROUABAH a.k.a Big Mo

Dancer/Choreographer, co-founder of Metamorphoz Crew
Key Skills: Breakdance and Tricks Combo
Big Mo is known for winning numerous dance competitions in France and internationally, receiving the Melting Force Award for Best Show (2004) in the Battle of the Year, dancing in KÄFIG Dance Company's "Terrain Vague", and his part as a comedian and dancer in Ateliers de la Comédie de Saint-Etienne (2003) and Cie Jérôme Savary La Mascotte (2001). Big Mo has also appeared on many TV screens, so you may recognise him at your local supermarket.

Metamorphoz Crew member and dancer Samy Style

Metamorphoz Crew member Samy Style

Ismaël OTHMANI a.k.a. Samy Style

Dancer/Choreographer, joined Metamorphoz Crew in 2010.
Key Skills: Breakdance, Hip-Hop, Street Dance
Samy Style is the tallest member of the group and he is known for his work as a model, dancer and comedian. Samy Style is associated with brands like L’oreal, and just like Big Mo, Samy Styles is also remembered for the Melting Force Award in the Battle of the Year, his dancer/comedian role in Cie Jérôme Savary La Mascotte and has been spotted on many TV screens. It would be even easier to recognise Samy Style at your local supermarket because of his height.

Metamorphoz Crew member and dancer Lil Mo

Metamorphoz Crew member Lil Mo

Mohamed BENGHALI a.k.a. Lil Mo

Dancer and co-founder of Metamorphoz Crew
Key Skills: Breakdance and Tricks Combo
Lil Mo is known for... Oh, where do we start... Lil Mo is one of the top 40 dancers from France as selected by Kamel Ouali in 2006 and just like Big Mo and Samy Style, Lil Mo is also remembered for the Best Show Melting Force Award in the Battle of the Year in 2004. Lil Mo is a winner of many international competitions, a serial participant of various Battle of the Year shows where he does remarkably well and he just LOVES being on TV! Watch out for him!

Metamorphoz Crew member and dancer Tayo

Metamorphoz Crew member Tayo

Tayeb BENGHALI a.k.a. Tayo

Dancer and co-founder of Metamorphoz Crew
Key Skills: Breakdance and Tricks Combo
Tayo is known for his part in the Battle of the Year - Melting Force Award for Best Show (2004) and dancing for "Le Plus Grand Cabaret du Monde" TV Show (2006/2008). Tayo now continues to make his name with the Metamorphoz Crew.

Metamorphoz Crew member and dancer TiTi

Metamorphoz Crew member TiTi

Aurélien CHAREYRON a.k.a. TiTi

Dancer, joined Metamorphoz Crew in 2010.
Key Skills: Breakdance, Poppin', Lockin'
FYI: TiTi is actually the youngest member of the group!

Metamorphoz Crew member and dancer Daren

Metamorphoz Crew member Daren

Daren TEP, or simply known as Daren

Dancer, joined Metamorphoz Crew in 2008
Key Skills: Breakdance, Krumpin'

Metamorphoz Crew scoops up the 3rd place in the adult category at
UDO European Championships 2011.

Retox Magazine: How long was the Metamorphoz crew around for? How did you guys meet and get together?

Metamorphoz Crew: We founded The Met Crew Company in 2008 and it includes the 6 of us from St Etienne, France. Most of us have danced together since 1999 with another breakdance crew. In 2007 we split from our ex crew as we wanted to explore other styles with Metamorphoz. Each one of us has brought different experiences to the group. We now keep on joining dance competitions and taking part in lots of shows in France and abroad. One of the goals for Metamorphoz Crew is to explore new artistic fields while living through this wonderful adventure. We all share three key elements: a singular sense of creativity; an offbeat background; born to be on stage!!!

 

Retox Magazine: What’s the most exciting thing that’s ever happened to Metamorphoz?

Metamorphoz Crew: We think it was getting the 2nd place at Street Dance XXL! Kidding :)
In the story of the crew, the most exciting thing is that we all knew each other before founding the crew and we all have had different experiences which we decided to bring together and share by founding Metamorphoz.

 

Retox Magazine: How do you feel about scooping up the second place at XXL UK Championships?

Metamorphoz Crew: Honestly we didn't expect such a result (LOL). At the same time, it's better than being 3rd, but not the same as THE FIRST (lol)! ...At first, we thought we would not be able to participate at Street Dance XXL UK Championships because we didn't have the money for the flight to London!!! Finally, two days before the show, we decided to come and so we created a new routine with the ball for the final show! We only slept four hours in two days because we were shooting a program for the French TV.
Ok, about finishing 2nd: we were delighted that the audience was with us. Thanks guys!

 

Retox Magazine: We were very impressed with the choreography, especially the second performance with the basketball theme. Who’s the genius behind it? What inspired the choreography?

Metamorphoz Crew: We created this choreography two days before the contest. There was a basketball in our rehearsal room and Lil Mo' started to make tricks with it and we decided to include the ball in our show. All the dancers created the routine. It shows how we’re able to work and create together when we are under pressure.

 

French group Metamorphoz competes at Street Dance XXL UK Championships held at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall French group Metamorphoz competes at Street Dance XXL UK Championships held at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall French group Metamorphoz competes at Street Dance XXL UK Championships held at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall

French group Metamorphoz display their breakdance-meets-basketball tricks during their second performance as they compete at Street Dance XXL UK Championships held at Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall. Photos by Lin Vitali.

Retox Magazine: How often do you play basketball?

Metamorphoz Crew: Lol, we never play basketball, we prefer playing football!

 

Retox Magazine: What other sports do you enjoy? Will we see you use those sports as themes in your choreography in the future?

Metamorphoz Crew: We've just finished a music video with St-Etienne football (soccer) team (AS.ST.ETIENNE) in the world-famous Geoffroy-Guichard stadium called "Le Chaudron". We mixed football and breakdance like a game to support our football team! The video is coming soon :-)

 

Retox Magazine: What do you think of these guys? We spotted them at Move It last year. Celebrating the theme of sports, these guys presented Football and Bharatanatyam combined with Srishti.

Metamorphoz Crew: It's very funny and original!! We respect traditional dances a lot because hip-hop was derived from it! And we source our inspiration from all kinds of music…

Video on the left: Football and Bharatanatyam combined with Srishti by Nina Rajarani Dance Creations presented at Move It 2011.

 

Retox Magazine: Are you looking forward to UDO World Championships held in Blackpool at the end of next month? How do you think you'll do?

Metamorphoz Crew: Yes, we will try to participate because we finished 3rd at the UDO European Championships four months ago in Paris, and we now look forward to being able to compete against the best dancers in the world.

 

Retox Magazine: Where do you see yourselves this time in 2021?

Metamorphoz Crew: We hope we'll be like a legendary dance crew with a dance school called METAMORPHOZ COLLEGE (lol) ...seriously we don't know, only god knows.... What we do know is that we are ambitious!

 

Metamorphoz Crew Project "Ballet de Rue"

Ballet de Rue, what in fact translates to "Street Ballet" is the new Metamorphoz Crew project. The 50-minute show combines urban street dance with classical music.

In their own words:
We all react differently when listening to music; eventually, it is our own experiences, our state of mind and the way we are that define what we like and what we want. The show theme is emotions in all its shapes, giving artists a great range of interpretation. My goal is not to intellectualise dance, but to give the audience a chance to feel its own emotions while watching the show.

Metamorphoz Crew in Ballet de Rue 2011.

No truth can be found in artistic perception. It's only a matter of point of view! One may like it or not, but one cannot stay without any reaction.

This creation is nothing but an up-to-date revised ballet: a dancing story which associates symphony, classical music in harmony with contemporary dance, a musical and visual journey that takes us to an anachronistic world.

With that show we wanted to demonstrate that alchemy could exist between urban street dance and classical music. When we started training, fusing both did not seem that easy, but the more we trained the more we worked out the creation. Eventually both arts became complementary.

We hope to share our Show with the UK people :-)

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