Ballantine’s Presents Nonstop’s Breakin’ Gravity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr15-4YELkc
#STAYTRUE
BALLANTINE’S PRESENTS: NONSTOP’S BREAKIN’ GRAVITY
A PHYSICS DEFYING STREET DANCE FILM 115FT OFF THE GROUND
Marquese ‘Nonstop’ Scott, the world’s foremost ‘gravity’ defying street dancer does it for real in new Ballantine’s Stay True Story, premiered globally today
4TH FEBRUARY 2016: Ballantine’s Scotch whisky today launches the latest film in its ‘Stay True Story’ series, collaborating with world renowned street dancer Marquese ‘Nonstop’ Scott, whose gravity defying style of dance has seen him rack up over 350m views on YouTube alone.
The film ‘Ballantine’s Presents Nonstop’s Breakin’ Gravity’ sees the dancer undertake his most ambitious performance ever. Defying gravity 115ft in the air, while rigged up on a rope and harness, Nonstop transforms the vertical side of a California building into his dancefloor.
This is the sixth instalment in a series of collaborations between Ballantine’s and unique characters from around the world who define Ballantine’s mantra of ‘Stay True’ and embody the Founder’s spirit of ‘living the real you’. Nonstop has a true authenticity and is the latest in a line of renowned creatives to collaborate with Ballantine’s for the series, including British ‘GIF’ artist INSA (‘Space GIF-iti’), Africa’s biggest DJ & producer export, Black Coffee (‘Human Orchestra’) and world champion freestyle skateboarder, Kilian Martin (‘Carmen’).
About the film and experiment
As documented in the film, Nonstop has become one of the most viewed and followed street dancers on the internet today. Known for his unique fusion of popping, animation and breakdance that’s often described as gravity defying, the inspiration for the film’s experiment was born out of his long held ambition to break free from the constraints of gravity. To make this challenge a reality, Ballantine’s enlisted the help of pioneering ‘vertical dance’ arts company BANDALOOP, whose stunning performances fusing choreography, physicality and the art of climbing have been seen on canyons, skyscrapers and buildings around the world.
BANDALOOP provided several days of training to familiarise Nonstop with the concept of moving from floor to vertical plane, after which it was down to him to transform his signature moves to a wholly new dimension; which required creativity, strength and endurance over the course of just one day to capture the film’s final performance.
About Marquese ‘Nonstop’ Scott
Nonstop’s passion for dancing started as a boy on the streets of Crenshaw, Los Angeles. Battling his friends and family wherever there was music, he never stopped staying true to that first passion, earning him the name he uses today.
He has fought hard to have his dreams become reality – from a career in the army, thinking it would never happen, to returning home and working demanding supermarket shifts, Nonstop always stayed true to his heart. He has believed in himself and worked hard, only inadvertently becoming a viral star on his 60th upload with self-shot film, ‘Pumped Up Kicks’, which has been viewed over 122m times alone. It is this story, spirit and conviction that led Ballantine’s to partner with the dancer for the series.
On the concept and undertaking featured in the film, Marquese ‘Nonstop’ Scott comments: “This has quite literally always been a dream of mine. People have long said that my style makes them think that I am defying physics; that it doesn’t look real. So what better way to push me further as an artist than to try and deconstruct the laws of gravity, push my body to the limit and create a performance that appears completely impossible!”
Peter Moore, Ballantine’s Global Brand Director, says of the project: “Nonstop’s Breakin’ Gravity’ is a project that really gets to the heart of what ‘Stay True’ means. Nonstop is a truly inspirational person who has never let life get in the way of his first passion – dance. With this latest Stay True Story, together with BANDALOOP, we’ve been able to take his art that one step further and make the impossible possible.”
Thomas Cavanagh, BANDALOOP Executive Director adds: “We had been looking at Nonstop’s films online for a while and always thought he would be a perfect dancer to work with on such an ambitious project. His unique style lends itself to such an otherworldly performance. Combine this with our expertise in vertical-dance and you have a solo performance of mind-blowing scale that we’re all hugely excited about.”
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For more information please contact:
Alex Wilkinson, M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment
+44 7969573313 / [email protected]
Daniel de Freitas, M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment
+44 7525616196 / [email protected]
Notes to Editors
About Ballantine’s
Ballantine’s is the No.1 Scotch whisky in Europe and the No.2 Scotch whisky in the world with the range selling over 70 million bottles a year worldwide. Ballantine’s has won more than 130 trophies and medals at international competitions in the past ten years for its outstanding quality, as a result of its unique richness of character and perfect balance. The range, from Ballantine’s Finest to the exclusive 40 Year Old, is the most extensive in the world of Scotch and is maintained by Master Blender Sandy Hyslop, continuing the brand’s tradition of Master Blenders that dates back to 1827. In 2013, Ballantine’s continued its innovative approach by launching Ballantine’s Brasil, a spirit drink made from selectively cask steeping Scotch whisky with Brazilian lime peel.
About Chivas Brothers
Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, the world’s co-leader in wines and spirits. Chivas Brothers’ award-winning portfolio features some of the world’s most revered Scotch whisky brands including Chivas Regal, the world’s first luxury whisky and the No.1 Scotch whisky in China; Ballantine’s, Europe’s No.1 Scotch whisky; The Glenlivet, the world’s No.1 single malt whisky; and Royal Salute, the world’s only exclusively prestige Scotch whisky range. The portfolio also includes two of the world’s leading English gins – Beefeater, the world’s most awarded premium gin, and Plymouth gin – plus a selection of highly acclaimed single malt whiskies, including Aberlour, Longmorn, Scapa, Strathisla and Tormore. The range is completed by a collection of blended Scotch whiskies operating in many of the world’s key whisky markets which includes 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport Scotch.
