This weekend, a curated show of four contemporary dance performances aims to coax the audience to question, think and change their views on the art form
A contemporary performance by Ammith Kumar and Tarini Tripathi
Dance is poetry in motion goes the famous phrase and, like poetry, the art form is often subject to individual perception. Whether it is classical, traditional, folk or contemporary, artistes have explored these dance forms to suit their mode of expression. Yet, for audiences, these performances are often limited to entertainment. This weekend, a group of performers aim to change that perspective by making the audience question and interact with the performances.
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The idea for the show, Viewpoint, was sparked when Shruti Maria Datar struggled to find a space for contemporary dance expression in the city. Having returned after stints in Belgium and Bengaluru in 2014, the choreographer found herself out of place in a space dominated by the commercial form. “The idea is to encourage independent forms of expression through dance which are distinct and give you food for thought,” she says. The project, Viewpoint, will bring together four dance performances curated by Datar to kickstart — what she calls — a community platform for contemporary performance artistes, separate from the commercial realm in the city.
Datar in a performance
Datar points out that the term contemporary refers to any performance that expresses an idea or opinion about the events taking place in the world. While she started out with a traditional education in Bharatanatyam for a decade, she found it restricting. Datar says, “Contemporary dance is a form that allows you to express emotions and ideas across the spectrum.”
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The curation includes Araajakta by Melitta D’Souza, Something by Jimit Thakker, Out of Hand by Ammith Kumar and Tarini Tripathi and Tighten the Strings, Twist the Pegs by Hrishikesh Pawar. She emphasises the originality of the works as a reason to highlight them. “These are original pieces — from movement to music — and are process-oriented works that are artistic in their expression.” Melitta D’Souza, whose performance is an introspection on chaos, says, “I feel that there is a lack of awareness among the audience, who are mostly familiar with the entertaining part of dance routines. There needs to be more exposure to the thinking side of dance as well.”
Melitta D’Souza and Shruti Maria Datar
This requires more than just willing performers. Datar points out that there will be an interaction with the audience, enabling performers to take feedback while also understanding perspectives.
“In the Indian scenario of art, we tend to patronise our audience and underestimate them. Art is something everybody should connect with,” she explains.
She aims to make the show a bi-annual event to raise awareness about the dance form that is often sidelined or reduced to dramatic performances on reality television, she says.
ON September 17; 7.30 pm
AT Harkat Studios, Andheri West.
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