Self-taught dancer Kenichi Ebina blends hip-hop, martial arts, modern dance, magic and a blast of pop culture in his mesmerizing performances.
Why you should listen to him:
A self-taught dancer combining freestyle hip-hop with mime and contemporary dance, Kenichi Ebina incorporates visual illusion into his performances, making the impossible seem real. His agile, athletic and razor-sharp moves push the limits of human capability. Each of his performances is a mini-drama that draws from kinetic and thematic inspiration to tell a story that is laugh-out-loud funny.
Ebina is the founder of BiTriP (Bi-Triangle Performance), a hip-hop dance troupe that won the famous Amateur Night at the Apollo; later, as a solo performer, Kenichi again carried off the Apollo crown. He's a dancer, choreographer, teacher and performer, working with collaborators or on his own as Ebina Performing Arts.
He has performed everywhere from his home in New York to San Francisco to Bangkok. He's preparing now for his first full-evening solo show, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, in early 2008.
Blog Posts on TED
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Dance and magic: Kenichi Ebina on TED.com – October 4, 2007
Dancer Kenichi Ebina moves his body in a manner that appears to defy the limits imposed by the human skeleton. He combines breakdancing and hip-hop with mime using movements that are simultaneously precise and fluid. (Recorded March 2007 in Monterey, California. Duration: 03:44.)
Watch Kenichi Ebina's talk on TED.com, where you can download it, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances.
Read more about Kenichi Ebina on TED.com.
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