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Previews | DANCE
INDIAN DANCE DAKSHA SHETH DANCE COMPANY Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Wed 27 Sep
When Indian dance appears in British theatres, one of two styles is usually in attendance: Bharatanatyam or Kathak. But they’re just the tip of the iceberg, as we’ll discover when Daksha Sheth Dance Company arrives in Edinburgh this September. In Sari, the acclaimed Indian choreographer will gift us a whole range of styles from across the country. ‘Daksha’s style draws its inspiration and vocabulary
from India’s rich and varied traditions of dance and movement,’ explains Devissaro, visual and musical director of the company, and husband of Daksha. ‘This journey took her into the towns and villages of regional India, to research folk traditions like Mayurbhanj Chaau from east India, the martial arts of Kalaripayattu and Silambam from south India, and the gymnastic traditions of Mallakhamb from western India.’
It’s an approach that has resulted in ground-breaking
productions, placing the company at the forefront of contemporary dance in India over the past 30 years. This latest production uses dance and striking theatrical design to celebrate the sari, a unique garment worn in India for centuries, which has an emotional tie completely in contrast to the western approach to clothing. ‘A sari doesn’t go out of style – it’s not something you
have to throw away after six months because the fashion industry tells you it’s out of date,’ says Devissaro. ‘Saris are ageless, precious and valued garments, beautifully crafted and handed down from mothers to daughters. They gain, rather than lose, value for the wearer over time, because of the rich and deeply personal associations they have.’ (Kelly Apter)
TRIPLE BILL RAMBERT DANCE COMPANY Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Thu 26–Sat 28 Oct
In 1976, Nina Simone performed an eight-song set at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Her mental health far from robust, and the gig was a poignant shambles with flashes of brilliance. It was while watching a clip from the show that choreographer Ben Duke began thinking about the pleasure and pain of performing. It resulted in Goat, a new work set to some of Simone’s best-loved songs (performed live by jazz singer Nia Lynn) and due to receive its world premiere in Edinburgh as part of Rambert’s forthcoming triple-bill.
‘I’ve loved Nina’s music for a long time,’ explains Duke. ‘But this bit of footage was the real
stimulus for the piece. She’s singing ‘Feelings’ and is kind of unhinged, but it takes you through a range of emotions which is just extraordinary, and incredibly theatrical.’ Duke began talking to the Rambert dancers about the personal problems and world issues
performers are expected to leave at the door of the rehearsal room, or side of the stage, and just get on with it.
‘There’s a pleasure in moving, but how does that fit alongside difficulties in relationships, family stuff or world events happening outside?’ says Duke. ‘Nina Simone is an example of someone who has sacrificed a lot, exchanging a private life for her incredible performance persona. And I’m not saying the Rambert dancers have done the same to that level, but it’s the idea of going onstage in the middle of emotional turmoil and having to pretend that everything is OK.’ (Kelly Apter)
WORLD PREMIERE RICHARD ALSTON DANCE COMPANY Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Fri 22 Sep
For choreographer Richard Alston and his loyal fans, the company’s annual tour to Edinburgh has become a fixture in the city’s dance calendar. This autumn, however, audiences are in for an extra treat, as Alston has chosen the Festival Theatre for the world premiere of his new piece Carnaval. Showing alongside two of his other works — one a revival of 2004’s Gypsy Mixture, the other
Chacony, created last year around composer Benjamin Britten’s response to the liberation of Auschwitz - Carnaval is certain to provide the light and colour in a triple bill of ranging emotions. But it wasn’t fantasies of Harlequins and Columbines that sparked the choreographer’s imagination. Instead, his inspiration was entirely aural.
‘It is always music that inspires me,’ Alston says. ‘I was listening to Schumann through my headphones at home and the piece of music that began to catch my attention, because there’s somehow a lot of movement in the music, was a piece called Carnaval.’
This triggered a memory of having seen Schumann’s Carnaval danced before, in the 1960s by the Western Theatre Ballet – the company that went on to become Scottish Ballet. Deciding he needed a ‘fresh approach’, he tossed aside notions of traditional carnivals and has chosen to conjure up a contemporary party. It only remains to be seen how Edinburgh audiences will respond — according to Alston, they don’t pull their punches. ‘They look very hard and they tell you whether they like it or not. So far, we’ve always been very lucky.’ (Lucy Ribchester)
1 Sep–31 Oct 2017 THE LIST 85