GRUBB (Gypsy Roma Urban Balkan Beats) is an exhilarating show created by young Roma (14-20) and by international artists. Using traditional Roma music and dance, the young performers create a contemporary and unforgettable theatrical experience. The show, blending hip hop, rap and Roma music, deals with themes of first love and friendship, and their day to day struggle against poverty and prejudice. The show was conceived and directed by inspirational Canadian director, Serge Denoncourt.
GRUBB started life in the music and dance workshops of GRUBB School. It is the first performance of its kind by a group of young Roma whose voices have never before been heard. The show features 25 performers including a brass band, dancers, singers and rappers. Inspired by the extraordinary talent of these young performers, internationally renowned artists joined them, on a voluntary basis, supporting and encouraging them. They focused their time and energy to mentor and bring out the very best in the young Roma participants. This mutually supportive artistic relationship and nurturing of talent, which took place over a period of three years, resulted in the creation of the GRUBB show. Using choreography, music production, set design, video and photography they brought the Roma story to the stage, sharing the Roma heritage and thereby encouraging the vibrant young performers to have pride in their legacy and their roots.