About DARK, HAPPY, to the CORE

DARK, HAPPY, to the CORE is a three-act work that takes a boisterous peek into the study of the mythos of ecstasy and euphoria.

Originally commissioned by Roskilde Festival, this riotous and complex exploration studies not only what makes us human and what binds us together, but manifests a panoply of symbols, archetypes, and structures for dancing that generate affect and feeling. By taking audiences on a jaw-dropping journey from ritual darkness, through the happy hardcore, and all the way to the calm, collective, Caribbeanist cool, DARK, HAPPY, to the CORE strives for the utopian with dedication, and without concern for ever reaching it.

About Marikiscrycrycry

Malik Nashad Sharpe is a choreographer and movement director working with dance, dark fantasy, and horror. Creating primarily underneath the alias Marikiscrycrycry, he makes provocative performance works that are formally engaged with construction of affect, atmosphere, and dramaturgy from more marginal perspectives. He graduated with a BA in Experimental Dance with highest honours from Williams College, and holds a certificate in Contemporary Dance from Trinity Laban Conservatoire for Music and Dance, where he won the Simone Michele Prize for Outstanding Choreography.

His works address violence, alienation, horror, melancholia, belonging, and the horizon and his many works have been widely presented across the U.K., Europe, Canada, and the USA. His work has been commissioned by The Yard Theatre (U.K.), Theatre La Chapelle (CA), Festival Trans-Amerique (CA), New Queers on the Block (U.K.), Marlborough Productions (U.K.), Dansehallerne (DK), MDT (SK), Attenborough Centre for Creative Arts (U.K.), Dance4 (U.K.), The Place (U.K.), Theatre in the Mill (U.K.), Fierce Festival (U.K.), CCN Caen (FR), Block Universe (U.K.), Dansehallerne (DK), MDT (SE), Cambridge Junction (U.K.), Roskilde Festival (DK), amongst many others. He has shown his work in venues including Battersea Arts Centre (U.K.), Montreal arts et interculturels (CA), Birmingham Hippodrome (U.K.), Edison/Betty Nansen Teatret (DK), Pia Bouman at Soctiabank Theatre (CA), University Settlement (USA), Schauspielhaus (AT), Insitute of Contemporary Art (U.K.), Kampnagel (DE), Tate Britain (U.K.), MDT (SE), Beursschouwburg (BE), Inkonst (SK), Project Art Centre (IE), Bora Bora (DK), Abrons Arts Center (USA), Portland Institute of Contemporary Art (USA), and in festivals such as ImpulsTanz (AT), Birmingham International Dance Festival (U.K.), Glasgow International Dance Festival (U.K.), American Realness (USA), Les Urbaines (CH), Skopje Pride (MK), Mayfest (U.K.) Audra Festival (LT), Edinburgh Fringe (U.K.), NottDance (U.K.), Roskilde (DK), amongst others.

In the 16th edition of Festival Transamerique, he premiered High Bed Lower Castle (2022), a work co-created with Montreal-based choreographer Ellen Furey to critical acclaim with critics deeming it ‘bold, rich, dreamlike’ (Artichaut) and ‘remarkable, mesmerising’ (Westmount). And in 2023, he premiered his production of DARK, HAPPY, to the CORE at Roskilde Festival to widespread critical acclaim, with critics calling the work, ‘jaw-dropping’ (******* in Scenenblog), ‘entertaining, good style, sexiness’ (***** in Politken), ‘quivering, smouldering, postapocalyptic’ (Seismograf). In 2025, he will join Norrdans (SE) as a lead choreographer, creating new touring repertory work for the company.

As a movement director, he has worked widely across the British theatre sector, including on the productions of Henry V (Shakespeare’s Globe/Headlong), Bootycandy (Gate), Closer (Lyric Hammersmith), The Glow (Royal Court), Scandaltown (Lyric Hammersmith), Two-Character Play (Hampstead Theatre), Fairview (Young Vic), and Effigies of Wickedness (Gate/English National Opera), A View from the Bridge (Headlong/Chichester Festival Theatre/Bolton Octagon), Mates in Chelsea (Royal Court), and Ada (National Youth Theatre). He has also movement directed fashion campaigns for top-tier brands, like Converse, and Doc Martens, and has choreographed music videos LYZZA, BOX, chi, Deto Black, p-rallel, Chinchilla, and Shy Smith. He has consulted countless artists in movement dramaturgy and choreographic practice around the globe.

In 2019, he was named a Rising Star in Dance from Attitude Magazine, and in 2022 he was featured on the prestigious Forbes 30 under 30 list for his unique and pervasive choreographic achievements. In 2023, he was nominated for the Premio Cunha e Silva Prize at Galeria Municipal do Porto (PT).

He is currently an Associate Artist at The Place, and a former studio resident of Somerset House Studios.

Artistic Team & Credits

Choreography Malik Nashad Sharpe
Dancers Sarah Baugsto, Ciara Blankenship, Max Cookward, Paolo De Venecia Gile, Robin Dobler, Carl Giacomello Scharnberg, Yasmin Grant
Costume Designer Erik Annerborn
Costume Assistant Acuarela Beard
Sound Isla Bane and Protea
Lighting Designer Jacob Bjerregaard
Producer Michael Kitchin
Production Manager Froud

Curated for Roskilde Festival by Nina Rasmussen
Commissioned by Roskilde Festival
Co-produced by Dansehallerne
Support by Horizon Onward Touring Fund