The classically Indian-inspired dance company Angika seems to have it all: Fusing the spirit of classical Bharata Natyam dance with contemporary dance the company has been variously described as hip, stylish, spiritual and sumptuous.
Playbox Theatre Company in association with Angika, the UK’s leading South Indian dance company, has created a new work entitled Ether. Angika’s all-female company is premiering Ether with two shorter works, Urban Temple or Bhakti.
Angika’s newest work Ether has been described as its most daring meditation on Bharatanatyam; a centuries old tradition of dance originally performed in the temples of Southern India as an offering to the gods. Writing about the premiere of Ether, The Stage’s Dance critic reported, “In this hypnotic performance Angika gives … (Indian dance)…a makeover; blending it with MIDIval PunditZ’s score of electronica. It works like a dream.”
Angika is currently on an extensive tour of the UK until June 15th, 2006. The new full-legth work Ether will be programmed with new work Urban Temple or Angika’s popular Bhakti, depending on the venue.
Mayuri Boonham and Subathra Subramaniam, the Artistic Directors of Angika formed the company in 1997. The London-based duo are committed to recontextualising their traditional dance heritage within the pulse of contemporary Western life. Angika are regarded as one of the UK’s most dynamic and imaginative exponents of British Indian fusion-style dance. The work of Angika is seen to bring a vital contemporary edge to the rich vocabulary of classical Indian dance. Boonham and Subramaniam’s choreographic work has been described by dance critics as embodying an exceptional subtlety, wit and beauty.
Angika draws its choreographic inspiration from both the riches of Indian philosophy and the chaos of contemporary life. The Ether or “Akasa”, is the medium of movement and impulse which pervades the human body and the entire Universe. The result is a choreographic palette of hypnotic rhythm, subtle balances and stillness. The concentrated vitality and sculptural geometry is a hallmark of Angika’s dance aesthetic.
Angika regularly collaborate with a wide range of artists and designers and have commissioned some of the most exciting international composers and musicians to create original soundtracks specifically for their choreography. A stand-out feature of the company’s current work is their long-term creative partnership with MIDIval PunditZ, the uber-groove-meisters of New Delhi’s dance-music scene. The MTV-winning duo have created memorable scores for acclaimed films such as Monsoon Wedding and Closer. The composers’ skillful synthesis of classical South Indian carnatic and contemporary music is the sound Angika have been searching for to match the style of their dance. In Ether’s specially commissioned score Midival PunditZ skillfully blend drums, sitar, flute, shehnai, and voices in a synthesis of classical South Indian and contemporary dance party music.
Ether brings together a quintet of dancers from five countries. The piece was designed to create a sensuous visual feast for the audience. Ether explores ‘Akasa’, which can be translated as the medium of movement which pervades the living, breathing, moving Universe. The Angika creative team worked successfully with Jonathan Burrows as their choreographic mentor in the company’s previous widely acclaimed production, Bhakti. For Ether, Angika worked with Russell Maliphant as their dance consultant.
Ether is a full length work which furthers the company’s critically acclaimed creative partnerships with MIDIval PunditZ (dance score), Aideen Malone (lighting design) and Gabriella Ingram (costume design). This long-term collaborative approach is central to the company’s philosophy.
Dance critic Donald Hutera of The Times, described Ether as possessing, “…a goddess-like glamour…Lighting designer Aideen Malone contributes…glowing Rothko-like coloured backgrounds. The score by…MIDIval PunditZ, features sprays of ambient sound over varied beats…Extended balances are an early motif. Later the dancers…criss-cross paths punctuated by stamping feet, wheeling arms and twisting torsos… (In)… Urban Temple…Three dancers sashay upstage, hips swaying gently and looking over their shoulders like classical Indian pin-ups. All display the upright stance and intricate, floral finger work of Bharata Natyam, suggesting temple carvings come to life. Yet they also…identify themselves as mobile phone users or commuters on public transport.”
Urban Temple alternates with Bhakti as the second work in the double-billed touring programme. Bhakti has gained mass appeal on tour and was selected for the prestigious biennial British Dance Edition 2006 festival.
Urban Temple was originally commissioned by London’s prestigious Royal Festival Hall as a site-specific piece for the Ballroom space during the company’s residency as part of Summer on The South Bank in 2003. ANGIKA offered a unique open-house opportunity for local and regional artists to participate in the development and performances of Urban Temple. Early this year Urban Temple was extensively reworked as a new production and is currently touring with Ether.
The Ether production is touring with a strong educational development programme for dance devised with and by the company. Angika’s programme aims to provide an exciting dance experience for all participants. The company is also strongly committed to including and encouraging talented new-comers to its dance performance practices. This series of workshops has been devised for all ages and levels of experience. Angika also offers after-show Q&A sessions for interested groups. Contact Angika for more detailed information or to make a booking.
Angika’s Ether will conclude its tour in London on June 8,9 and 10th at The Place, and with a final show on June 15th at the Arts Depot. At present Angika are the new Choregraphers-in-Residence at The Place, which is home to contemporary dance in the UK and one of its most prestigious dance institutions.
Visit the Angika website or the Playbox Theatre Company’s website for a detailed current tour listing.
For more information visit the following websites:
www.angika.co.uk
www.playboxtheatre.com
www.theplace.org.uk
www.artsdepot.org.uk
www.punditz.com
www.thetimesonline.co.uk
www.thestage.co.uk
