The Hogstad Brothers have consistently strived to find new ways to use the dance floor to elevate souls to a higher level. While the backbone of their work will always be amazing music woven together to lift bodies into another, ecstatic plane, over the years they have pushed this further with added layers of psychedelic and interactive visuals that create a fully three-dimensional experience. A trademark of this interactive experience: a hacked infrared camera pipes abstracted images of dancers into massive projections surrounding the dance floor. With National Stardust The Hogstad Brothers have endeavored to take the next step towards an immersive experience by partnering with MinuteZero, an amazing immersive theater company founded by dancers and performers that cut their teeth in the storied two-year run of Queen of the Night, a creation of the producer of Sleep No More.
The immersive dance party we’re creating together is centered on elevating the dance floor experience. While there are theatrical elements, partygoers will never move into a passive performer-audience relationship. Dancers will move through the crowd, interact with individuals, highlight dramatic moments with beautiful staged choreography, and play games with revelers between interludes. The action, like the music, will never stop.
This night will be centered around David Bowie, his web of musical influence, and his fearless, loving spirit. Bowie was a performer that could not tolerate borders, whether between genres, genders, or races. Bowie loved music for its beauty and universality. If he heard something amazing, he gravitated toward it, praised it, emulated it, and left his own mark on it through his songwriting genius. During an interview in 1983, Bowie unapologetically cut into MTV’s newly dominant practice of ignoring black artists. The hypocrisy of loving Bowie and ignoring pieces of what made Bowie was too much.
He loved early electronic music from bands like Kraftwerk, funk music from bands like Parliament and Mandrill, and 80s disco like that produced by Nile Rogers, along with other genres such as New Wave (e.g. Joy Division) and Punk (e.g., The Clash). While this music had a strong influence on Bowie, Bowie’s resulting work impacted the progression of the genre as well. James Brown himself sampled Bowie’s plastic soul anthem “Fame”. Kraftwerk explicitly talked about their relationship with Bowie on their groundbreaking electronic single “Trans Europe Express”, which was eventually sampled by Afrika Bambaata on Planet Rock, one of the foundational tracks of early hip hop. Eventually hip hop would sample several Bowie tracks directly. There is maybe no artist with a wider web of influence in music.
Music was one aspect where he trampled borders, and fashion was another, as he set trends with his wildly theatrical and androgynous costumes. Bowie’s images now permeate our culture and encourage a fearlessness that many aspire to emulate.
Our creative team is looking forward to bringing you this unparalleled experience for one amazing night, at one of the most beautiful venues in the city: National Sawdust. National Sawdust’s graphic, striking architecture will be fully exploited in our visuals and dance choreography. Get fabulous and get ready. There will be surprises, delights, and joy abounding.
-The Hogstad Brothers & Kristin Yancy of MinuteZero