Moves inspired by architecture

This was definitely something very new for dance lovers. India Habitat Centre’s curious and rather imposing architecture finally found for itself a lover who appreciates its Amphitheatre, niches, crevices, arches and even floors.

The City’s most well-known hub for cultural activities recently came alive with a Dance Walk where 10 emerging dancers presented their productions in various locations of the venue. As the audience moved along with the performers, it turned out to be an enchanting evening - and opened up new possibilities for exploration of the now familiar  zone.

The long column in the Amphitheatre, for instance, became a fallopian tube  and had a young dancer curled up in its innards. She was the female foetus. While the act highlighted the disturbing trend of female foeticide, it also showed how a baby enjoys the safety of her mother’s womb oblivious of whether she will be born a boy or a girl and or whether would be born at all.

Another performance was the Vintage Point Kathak, where audience got a chance to watch the dancer from a bird’s eye view and then again from the front. As the audience members peered over from small triangular spaces at the swirling dancer below, it showed how circular spaces (Chakkars) in Kathak can be enhanced when watched from spaces of the balcony.

Talking to Metrolife, Chavi Bansal, the choreographer, said, “Instead of using the indoor space of the Stein Auditorium I decided to use the outdoor space as Habitat Centre is an amazing building. I thought I would take that as my starting point to make short dance/theatre pieces spread across the whole building inspired by lines, colours and textures of the space.” 

But it wasn’t only about exploring the outdoor space, the choreographer also showcased the agony of an Indian bride who is forced to smile simply because on her ‘special day’ she is expected to be happy. It showed what a bride has to deal with when she goes through the motions of faking a smile. The piece starts with a pretty smile of a woman but as she keeps on smiling without blinking her eyes or without  swallowing, it slowly turns into a very, ugly and painful smile with saliva starting to flow alongwith tears from her eyes.

Four Pillars was inspired from the sculptures. Here the dancers showed the varying aspects of different relationships, highlighting that one can be sometimes stuck in a relationship and it can be difficult to move away even when you want to.

A most innovative concept that was executed brilliantly.