jump to protest
January 19th 2007 00:15
whenever a new underground movement starts, and i finally hear about it, i can't help but think 'where was i when that started?', and i feel like i have already missed the coolest thing in the world. this is exactly the motions i went through when i found out about yamakasi. it even has the coolest name in the world! so to assist other readers out here, and prevent them from also feeling like the world has shifted into a cooler dimension and left them behind, here is the basic facts on yamakasi!
here's the funny meshing of cultures with this story - yamakasi is taken from the zairian phrase which means 'strong spirit, strong body, strong man'. the origins of the art developed in the suburbs of paris. the merry band of men that developed the art contains two africans, two vietnamese, and three french. already it's a culture smorgasbord!
growing up in an environment that borrows traits of modernism, it doesn't take much to provoke some sort of personal protest within most people. the yamakasi boys decided that they would provide their own past time, costing no money, which would provide them with both a sport and a new form of movement. the early beginnings was hours and hours of training on less perplexing walls and hand rails which set to develop the style in which they are to move. yamakasi, unlike it near brother parkour - which is the act of mounting as many urban obstacles as possible - works on the art and flow of the movements that are used. it is simply not just jumping from building to building, but incorporating that into a choreography of rehearsed movements of obstacles.
their philosophy is that the human body was onced used to jump, swing, run, and move through a jungle to travel from point a to point b. this is progressing on that idea, and adapting it to the more modern concrete jungle. all the while, becoming famous for their swift moves and gathering a group of fans and potential yamakasi members. this is ever present with moves ranging from the saut de fond or basic jump, to the saut de chat or cat jump, to the saut de precision. each takes a role somewhat similar to a shot in billiards where a shot is taken with consideration as to how the next shot will be made.
i read this as a post modern approach to a system that has tried to classify its people. during the 60's, all of the western societies went through a phase of classifing people and housing them accordingly - thus the massive housing commission or 'project' buildings that are present within most large cities. paris was no exception to this by coming up with a most successful plan to place all of their middle class within these projects. as with most of these areas, crime is ever present, so it is refreshing to see a movement that rises from this. one that is not only developing a new response to modernism, but that is good for the body, contains a philosophy, is generally helping people, and is thoroughly cool.
however, when something is cool there is always someone trying to market this cool - which never works. enter hollywood with their attempt to turn a cultural movement into a blockbuster. come see 'yamakasi!' the movie and be inspired to jump from building to building! they should leave culture to the fringe movie makers. there is also a documentary that has been made on these guys, and this does them much justice. for more info check out this.
“A street as if in full daylight lit by neon lights and topping them, oversized, luminous advertisements, moving, turning, flashing on and off, spiralling…the buildings seemed to be a vertical veil, shimmering almost weightless, a luxurious cloth hung from the dark sky to dazzle, distract and hypnotise.” fritz lang
photo courtesy of patrick chareyre
growing up in an environment that borrows traits of modernism, it doesn't take much to provoke some sort of personal protest within most people. the yamakasi boys decided that they would provide their own past time, costing no money, which would provide them with both a sport and a new form of movement. the early beginnings was hours and hours of training on less perplexing walls and hand rails which set to develop the style in which they are to move. yamakasi, unlike it near brother parkour - which is the act of mounting as many urban obstacles as possible - works on the art and flow of the movements that are used. it is simply not just jumping from building to building, but incorporating that into a choreography of rehearsed movements of obstacles.
the movement is practiced on many urban obstacles
i read this as a post modern approach to a system that has tried to classify its people. during the 60's, all of the western societies went through a phase of classifing people and housing them accordingly - thus the massive housing commission or 'project' buildings that are present within most large cities. paris was no exception to this by coming up with a most successful plan to place all of their middle class within these projects. as with most of these areas, crime is ever present, so it is refreshing to see a movement that rises from this. one that is not only developing a new response to modernism, but that is good for the body, contains a philosophy, is generally helping people, and is thoroughly cool.
however, when something is cool there is always someone trying to market this cool - which never works. enter hollywood with their attempt to turn a cultural movement into a blockbuster. come see 'yamakasi!' the movie and be inspired to jump from building to building! they should leave culture to the fringe movie makers. there is also a documentary that has been made on these guys, and this does them much justice. for more info check out this.
is it gymnastics or rock climbing?
“A street as if in full daylight lit by neon lights and topping them, oversized, luminous advertisements, moving, turning, flashing on and off, spiralling…the buildings seemed to be a vertical veil, shimmering almost weightless, a luxurious cloth hung from the dark sky to dazzle, distract and hypnotise.” fritz lang
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