Going the grey way

Keeping up their tradition of showcasing unusual artists and performers, Bacchus held their Forever Young Wine Festival presenting 30 Shades of Grey recently.

The fashion-cum-dance show was a collaborative effort between dancer/choreographer Christoph Lechner and designers Sonali and Himashu. Using white cotton clothing that had easy flowing lines and plenty of room for movement, the designer duo came up with styles that were contemporary, non-fussy and elegant.

“I lived in India when I was young, specifically in Kolkata, as my parents were with Max Mueller Bhavan. When I decided to move into contemporary dance and try out new and exciting themes and concepts, that involved both fashion and movement arts, I felt that India was the right place,” says Christoph.

“The people I met in Bangalore from the fashion and theatre world instantly gelled with the concept I had in mind, which was primarily showcasing clothing and fashion through dance and movement, taking it off the ramps and into new spaces,” he adds.

He and his wife are on an extended stay in the City and are collaborating with dance schools, theatre people and fashion designers to come up with original and innovative performances. The upper levels of Bacchus were converted into a glass enclosed performing arena and the two sequences were very different in style and treatment.The first one was edgy with electronic beats and muted lighting throwing the whites into shades of greyish tones that merged and emerged from the shadows.

The second sequence had more mellow overtones with the brighter illumination showing off the designs of the clothes and the effortless skill and movement of the performers. “We specially designed clothes that were stylish and comfortable using natural fibres that breathe easily. White is a classic colour that works well with different kinds of lighting so the whole collection is white,” says designer Sonali.

Besides the Lechners, the other performers were Sunita, Kirtana Kumar, Brinda Jacob-Janvrin, Mayura, Sharanya and Vibhina. Mixing and melding together theatre, dance music and fashion, the twenty-minute performance was both innovative and dramatic holding the audience’s attention quite effectively.