Ballet, fantasy, children’s tale, romance and hope – all this and more summarises what The Nutcracker has come to mean to audiences all over the globe, who see the viewing of this Ballet as a Christmas tradition. Written in 1810 by E.T.A. Hoffman, a German Romantic author, composer, artist, and writer of fantasy and fiction. Hoffman craved to disturb the trends of the … Continue reading The Nutcracker – Created for Christmas!
Yesterday I left you with a slight teaser of TOROBAKA and a glimpse into the magical synergy that dancers Akram Khan and Sylvie Guillem exhibited in “Sacred Monsters”. Today as I woke up, this exploration into the the-indefatigable-akram-khan seemed incomplete, and hence I thought I would present to you little snippets of his genius, his performance, and his passion for the art form. … Continue reading Can’t Let go : Akram Khan
For this of you who do not know this man, myth, talent and creative genius Akram Khan, I present his latest creation TOROBAKA as part of 45 Days of Dance Stories. But, first I must bow down to this dancer, choreographer, collaborator and magic-man – Akram Kkan, His energy and vitality, his cross disciplinary works of art, his duets, and his vision … Continue reading The Indefatigable Akram Khan
For most dancers honing their craft and body is an endeavour that stretches across a lifetime. It is a journey of the self through arduous hours of training, of bending and breaking the body into various positions, and drilling movement, sequences and steps within that same body. It is often about reaching a place within that is untapped, scared and unknown, and asking it … Continue reading Arms – Catch and Release
Sticking to the Bollywood theme of yesterday and moving upwards in the body of a dancer, for 45 Days of Dance Stories, I give you the upper torso, and the woman who has made her on and off screen dancing career with the -chest-thrust – the Dhak-Dhak-Queen : Madhuri Dixit. Similar to the pelvic-thrust discussed yesterday this upper-torso movement finds resonance in traditional … Continue reading Upper Torso : The Dhak- Dhak-Queen
What is the history of the perlvic thrust? Sex. A natural movement made during coitus was co-opted by performers, rockers, musicians and Indian Film choreographers to titilate and shock audiences. Made iconic in the West by the likes of Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson, the pelvic thrust dance-move carries with it a wealth of sexual innuendo. Then, is it any wonder that … Continue reading Hips : The Quintessential Bollywood Pelvic Thrust
As a twelve year old fiddling around with my Das’s turntable and rummaging through his LP collection, I would often come across the strange, the weird and the wonderful. The “star” in this last category of pure joy and wonder had to be the soft and smooth notes of Frank Sinatara’s voice, carrying over melodies composed by the likes of Michel Philippe-Gérard and Anka. … Continue reading Legs : Carry Me to the Moon and Back
D's Art Takes 