Hip-hop dancer’s feet ‘glide’ to Philip Glass in breathtakingly fluid performance

22 April 2021, 16:41 | Updated: 22 April 2021, 17:09

A magical collision of music and dance, and some world-class artistry.

A hip-hop dancer and pianist have combined their passions and constructed a hypnotising performance to American minimalist composer Philip Glass’ music.

While pianist Simone Dinnerstein plays ‘Mad Rush’ on piano, hip-hop dancer James Floats Fable moonwalks around the piano in his signature style of ‘glides’.

Fable, who joined Brooklyn Ballet in 2011, told Classic FM that his performance was inspired by the pain of America’s struggle for racial equality, and the heartless killing of George Floyd, a Black man from Minneapolis.

“What inspired the dance was honestly the pain that I have been going through. The pain I felt when I saw all of those horrible events. The rage that slowly built up until I finally exploded,” he said.

Read more: This stunning video will challenge all your preconceptions about ballet >

Hip-hop dancer ‘glides’ to Philip Glass in breathtakingly fluid performance

But, Fable adds, “despite that pain, we must keep going and we will find something magical”.

Simone told Classic FM: “Our collaboration was very spontaneous. We were rehearsing another piece for James and a ballet dancer. I was watching him move and it made me think of Glass and the fluidity of his music.

“I started playing ‘Mad Rush’ and James started dancing – it was a perfect combination.

“In the performance, I felt like I was watching the sound of the music become three-dimensional.”

Watch their mesmerising performance above.