Kung Fu x Breakdancing + Raps = meet Akim Funk Buddha

The list of accomplishments that Akim Funk Buddha, the Zimbabwe-raised entertainer, has built up over the years is mind-boggling: a Fringe NYC Outstanding Choreography Award; appearances on Letterman and Sesame Street; and choreography, direction and production credits for handfuls of national tours, residencies and one-offs. No list, it seems, could be much longer - but then one realizes that all those accomplishments are the products of his vast array of talents, including everything from break dancing to rapping (together, he and his brother claim to be one of the first African hip-hop groups to release an EP in the United States) to drumming to Mongolian throat singing to Shaolin Kung-Fu to acro-aerial dancing to, yes, you guessed it, human statue and body balancing. Watch his reel above for a sense of the man's many talents, then follow me after the jump for more.

In performance, Akim and his cast members combine these talents to engage narratives in ways that other, more single-minded shows, simply cannot, and that no audience has ever seen before. Indeed, like most good art, you just have to see it to believe. Luckily, he’s got a few performances coming up, including an August 9th show in Massachusetts (click here for details).

To get even more of a feel for what exactly goes down at Akim's shows, take a look at this video from his "Hip Hop Holiday" Show.