As a part of the 'Attakkalari India Biennial 2013', Bangaloreans were recently exposed to 'Urban Ballet', a dance by Compagnie Revolution, a French dance company. The programme combined classical dance and hip-hop-inspired movements to create a delightful visual treat.
Composed of four acts that depicted four incarnations of the body, the world of artistic director Antony Egéa was a fascinating one to explore — courtesy the dancers who transported viewers there. The show began with a solo by an artiste dancing to Vivaldi's Stabat Mater, moving with fluidity and without inhibition around the stage — sometimes, only on the strength of both hands. He also performed something similar to the Whirling Dervishes. This was followed by a group dance with perfect coordination to the music of Ravel's Bolero. It was almost like a slow-motion version of a hip-hop routine, that incorporated a lot of horizontal movements.
What was amazing was to see both the flexibility and physical strength of each dancer. They could effortlessly perform unimaginable twists and turns. The effective mood lighting for each piece also
deserves a mention.
Probably the most appreciated dance was the third act, where three dancers (two boys and one girl) nearly merged into one intimate body. They moved their legs and hands in a manner which suggested they were tapped — twitching and trying to break free, but remaining knotted up. The audience were seen cringing because even for those who weren't dancers, the discomfort was tangible.
"It was beautiful and very unique. It's not easy to merge two contrasting dance forms, but I think they pulled it off. My favourite was the third dance — it was an intimate experience just to watch that," shares Maneesh, an attendee.
The last piece was a contemporary one, with the performers dressed in clothes associated with street dancing. This one saw a final amalgamation of each dance form and even included a dance off, with break dance and freestyle. The music here had elements of dubstep and drum 'n' bass, adding to the authenticity of the modern form.
"I really enjoyed it, but I found it strange for a French company to have an all-white troupe, since street dance originates from coloured people. But the dancing was absolutely wonderful and they managed to get both dances in their pure forms," expresses Vipul, a connoisseur of dance. Post-event, there was an audience interaction with the troupe, which allowed interpretations to be shared and gave the audience a deeper insight into the dance. As one of the dancers explains, "The dream was to mix the two dances, develop a new form and soften the rough and tough hip-hop using the gentle classical movements."
Composed of four acts that depicted four incarnations of the body, the world of artistic director Antony Egéa was a fascinating one to explore — courtesy the dancers who transported viewers there. The show began with a solo by an artiste dancing to Vivaldi's Stabat Mater, moving with fluidity and without inhibition around the stage — sometimes, only on the strength of both hands. He also performed something similar to the Whirling Dervishes. This was followed by a group dance with perfect coordination to the music of Ravel's Bolero. It was almost like a slow-motion version of a hip-hop routine, that incorporated a lot of horizontal movements.
What was amazing was to see both the flexibility and physical strength of each dancer. They could effortlessly perform unimaginable twists and turns. The effective mood lighting for each piece also
deserves a mention.
Probably the most appreciated dance was the third act, where three dancers (two boys and one girl) nearly merged into one intimate body. They moved their legs and hands in a manner which suggested they were tapped — twitching and trying to break free, but remaining knotted up. The audience were seen cringing because even for those who weren't dancers, the discomfort was tangible.
"It was beautiful and very unique. It's not easy to merge two contrasting dance forms, but I think they pulled it off. My favourite was the third dance — it was an intimate experience just to watch that," shares Maneesh, an attendee.
The last piece was a contemporary one, with the performers dressed in clothes associated with street dancing. This one saw a final amalgamation of each dance form and even included a dance off, with break dance and freestyle. The music here had elements of dubstep and drum 'n' bass, adding to the authenticity of the modern form.
"I really enjoyed it, but I found it strange for a French company to have an all-white troupe, since street dance originates from coloured people. But the dancing was absolutely wonderful and they managed to get both dances in their pure forms," expresses Vipul, a connoisseur of dance. Post-event, there was an audience interaction with the troupe, which allowed interpretations to be shared and gave the audience a deeper insight into the dance. As one of the dancers explains, "The dream was to mix the two dances, develop a new form and soften the rough and tough hip-hop using the gentle classical movements."