Rite of Spring, done the Lyfestile way.

Rite of Spring, done the Lyfestile way.

This Friday (April 29), Club Lyfestile will perform their most ambitious dance to date. I sat down with Club Lyfestile member Mike Rehrig to chat about sexy singlets and tomorrow's "Rite of Spring" performance.

Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" became an instant sensation (prompting riots and upheaval) in its day and continues to fascinate current movers and shakers.

Club Lyfestile, a D.I.Y. dance collective formed in 2006, will perform their own version of the notorious piece at The 5th Side (part of the Maas Building) in South Kensington tomorrow night.

"This dance is a departure from anything Club Lyfestile has done before," says Mike Rehrig, "Normally, we come up with an idea and make music -- usually it all happens within 2 weeks to a month. This one started out more artistically. We thought, 'We're gonna redo Stravinsky's Ballet.' As we've been working on it, it's become more of a party dance, as we usually do. It's different because it's a lot bigger than what we usually do. We even have different divisions for labor: a choreography team, set design, costume and music."

In addition to his dance role in the collective, Rehrig also helps to design and create costumes. Reaching into his messenger bag, Rehrig produces a singlet he sewed for last month's Future Islands show. Rehrig describes the costume as a, 'Joosed-up wrestling singlet (when I say Joose -- I mean the alcoholic energy drink) with sexy, skinny suspender straps, with a sparkle razz-ma-tazz power pyramid on the crotch with a turquoise spandex Brazilian-waxed landing strip and a honey-gold back panel, with extra space for a bumpin' booty.' When I prompt him to give me a sneak peak at the "Rite of Spring" get-up, he smiles coyly.

"It's a secret."

This particular performance is unique in its scope. "I'm pretty new to Club Lyfestile," says Rehrig, "but we don't generally perform as the headlining act. We usually perform as an opening act for bands or collaborate with someone else."

And the work that goes into such a special production?

"We've been working really hard for months and months. Tip Flannery goes to the studio and works all day on the costumes -- like 10 hour days. Last night we were in the studio until 2AM."

The late nights and endless practices are par for the course. Club Lyfestile members aren't in it for hype. It's not just about dancing, it's about a lyfestile.

(Pictures courtesy of here & here.)

Preceding the dance will be live performances by Spirit Animal, Adult Content, and Jeff Melkerson. Following Club Lyfestyle’s performance will be a dance party with DJs Emilio Airhorn, Scotty Too Dope, and GRAVITRON.