What doesn’t have technology playing a role in it? Apparently nothing! Twenty dance artistes in Bengaluru and UK have been glued to the screens, collaborating choreography, breaking down movement and learning skills via live streaming technology.
On August 5, this initiative by Bengaluru-based dance artistes Ajeesh Balakrishnan and Kayleigh Anne Crook of the Chhaya Collective will give the city a taste of their cross-artform collaborative practice at the Shoonya – Centre for Art and Somatic Practices.
Ajeesh believes that this is a great opportunity for dancers from the city to collaborate and learn from those from another continent. “It allows to engage with international artistes, to skill share and begin creative conversations, and widening their perspectives of dance globally,” he says.
International opportunities are often offered to large scale companies, “And I believe the special thing about this project is that it is for anyone working professionally in the arts, despite working outside of large scale companies or outside of catchment areas — we all have the opportunity to develop our practice and build greater creative horizons...” says Ajeesh, who has toured with Attakkalari across Europe and Asia and has showcased his own choreographies across the world.
“This is a pilot project and has been set up to explore the potential of cross-cultural collaboration through virtual means,” says Kay, a freelance dance artiste and teacher with roots in Devon.
The project by UK artistes will be projected on Shoonya’s walls, and artistes from Bengaluru will explore an open improvisation in response to them.
Facilitating collaborations between intercultural and interdisciplinary artistes across the border, they work to develop a theatrical language, capable of translating through movement, words, images and music — something that is accessible and speaks in multiple tongues.
With this in mind, the duo has a portfolio of interesting work to show for. For instance, they worked in Kothanur (an area in the outskirts of the city), with a team of local artistes to look at the impact of urbanisation and globalisation on rural villages outside the hub of the city.
Last year, they also collaborated with a musician and filmmaker to create a duet that toured, and had workshops across Portugal and UK.
“In the UK, we have a great desire for the East and in India, a desire for the West. When we meet, we can see ourselves in the other — a meeting of creative minds, something that holds great potential,” explains Kay.
From the virtual world, this project aims to get the dancers from UK and India to meet physically and share their work, while continuing to use the live stream and a virtual pen-pal system to share creativity and keep the ball rolling.
With a presence in Exeter, UK, this September, they hope to introduce a dance school for youth in Bengaluru too. For them, the scope is endless.
