“We’ve been taking advantage of international opportunities.” International opportunities include tours of Singapore, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Chile, Taiwan, China, Japan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Belgium, Holland and New Zealand. Even Broadway. On Broadway, folks, not off. Local critics described their performance as ‘one of the most entertaining shows to play ever at the New Victory Theatre in New York City.’
“We’re different to every other dance company in Australia,” says Fee. Given that Raw Dance Company was formed by Fee when he was only 18, he’s not exaggerating. Raw Dance Company differ from other dance companies, too, in that they depend solely on themselves to keep afloat without grants or funding of any kind. “We are a full-profit company,” explains Fee. “My business partner and I are responsible for the money coming in and the money going out. We’re not funded so we have to make everything we do self-sufficient and viable.” Fee laughs at the notion that paying careful attention to commercial viability in a dance work interferes with artistic integrity. “Some people say you start losing the creativity of the pieces if you aim to make your work self-sufficient. We disagree with that completely. It’s an excuse.”
Bang! Crash! Tap! was devised in 2008. Has the show changed much since then? “Every time we’ve toured it’s become a much stronger show,” he says. “We’ve cut bits and pieces, workshopped parts of it, manipulated elements; different sections have been updated.” Cast members have changed since the first performances, with a notable exception: one of the drawcards of Bang! Crash! Tap! is Johnny Grant, aka Dr Rhythm, a towering talent amongst the world’s top beatboxers. “He’s charismatic. He’s different; he’s got a certain flavour. Not many other beatboxers have the capability to do what he does.”
Crowd reaction to performances can determine the tone and direction of shows, Fee says. Raw responds to audiences, to what make them stomp and cheer. Some of the activities on stage in Bang! Crash! Tap! include rhythms riffed on some unusual percussion instruments: flippers, for example, basketballs and pluggers. Pluggers? “Thongs,” Fee explains. “If you call them ‘thongs’ overseas, people get the wrong idea.” The use of unexpected objects in making music is one of Fee’s favourite part of the show. “If I were an audience member I’d like to see an artist or dancer work with different things.”
Bang! Crash! Tap! features live music throughout, a bit of funk, a bit of techno and a bit of Latin, in keeping with the mashed-up nature of the show. “Everything’s original,” says Fee. “It’s all created and composed by the company.” The biggest challenge for the artistic director and choreographer is keeping the show fresh and entertaining. “Everything centres around rhythm. We utilise different props, create different perspectives of rhythm. We do just enough drums, just enough beatbox, just enough tap, just enough hip hop, with different artists showcasing their styles, to create a natural flow.” Will we see Fee on stage? “Yes, but not all the time.” He reckons he’ll pull back from performing over the next couple of years. “I’m becoming a bit too old,” he says. However, Fee describes the experience of watching dancers he’s taught himself as ‘liberating.’ “It’s not always about performing. Watching an audience receive things well, things you’ve been involved with, dancers you’ve trained, you’re still giving what you love doing to an audience. It’s also about identifying when to let other people have a go.”
Visions for Raw’s future include world domination, it seems, starting with the Sydney Opera House all going according to plan, but the company will always call Australia home. “We’re based in Brisbane,” Fee notes. “We have our warehouse there, our rehearsal space and our full-time teaching programme. We’re keen on growing that programme and establish more relationships with agents and buyers so we develop leeway to tour, to increase the number of international appearances. As well as box office, Raw’s revenue comes from performing corporate events and teaching is a ‘massive’ part of the business. “Our Certificate IV is really popular,” Fee notes. ”We’re not like an IT company, we’re not rolling around in Porsches or anything, but we manage to keep our heads above water.” As a result of Bang! Crash! Tap!, Raw Dance Company aim to consolidate their partnership with The Arts Centre and bring a show to Melbourne every couple of years.
From a little boy entranced and inspired by watching Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly on television, Andrew Fee has come far. To those who dream, make it happen, he advises: “Get off your butt. The reality is, you’re a reflection of your actions, of your own efforts.”
BY LIZA DEZFOULI
