Akram Khan - A Dance/Art Phenomenon
Singapore always has a special place in my heart. I stayed there for little bit more than a year and my first yahoo id is registered at Singapore and so it got the 'yahoo.com.sg' extension :-). Today I was going through the Singapore Arts Festival Site today.
About Singapore Arts Festival:
Once a year in Singapore, the arts bloom in full intensity and splendour. With a diverse and colourful programme of music, theatre, dance and more, the Singapore Arts Festival never fails to challenge and inspire. For 24 glorious days, delight your senses with stellar performances by artist from 5 continents and discover a season of the finest.
In hilights section I came across
Akram Khan Company and tried to explore about that company and found some really wonderful information.
Akram Khan Company
In Akram Khan's words:
To know is nothing at all… to imagine is everything."
"To bring together a Company of such diverse cultures, experiences and voices is a blessing for me and to the work. It is a reflection of what I am today, which is to be in a state of “confusion”: where boundaries are broken, languages of origin are left behind and instead, individual experiences are pushed forward to create new boundaries and a singular emerging language that becomes universal to us all.
To form a Company means that this is not a phase or a project as such, that eventually ends at its sell by date, but is actually an ongoing journey of exploration, enriching and defining what we struggle to say…
The future (projects) or challenges, I know nothing at all of the result, or the outcome, but for me to imagine or realize them is everything, it is the research of Kathak (which we have only explored until now, a drop in the ocean) and to slowly become what we originally set out to do, which was to become storytellers (Kathakers) of a new breed, with a unique voice, with new boundaries and new stories.”
About Akram Khan and Company:
Prior to December 1999 Akram Khan had an established career as a solo artist. In December, he teamed up with Farooq Chaudhry, currently the Producer, who instigated his move to the prestigious X-Group choreographic project at (Performance Arts Research Training Studios) P.A.R.TS in Belgium. During his six months at P.A.R.T.S., Akram was provided with resources (e.g., space, dancers) and specialist support to develop his craft as choreographer. During this period, he presented the solo work, “Loose in Flight” at British Dance Edition in Newcastle, which proved to be a runaway success, and grabbed the attention of UK and international promoters alike.
Akram Khan’s participation in the X-Group project concluded in July 2000 with the presentation of the trio “Rush”, which at that stage, was a work in progress. The work, “Rush” signalled Akram Khan’s start as a group choreographer and soon after, he co-founded the Akram Khan Company with Farooq Chaudhry.
Since the Akram Khan Company was founded in August 2000 it has established itself as one of the foremost young dance troupes in the world. Its touring programmes have featured in leading dance festivals and venues all over the globe often playing to sell out houses and attracting rave reviews from the world’s press. The company has given 306 performances in the past four years. During this time, the artistic director Akram Khan has picked up a string of high profile awards and nominations.
Posted by Ramdhan Yadav at May 10, 2004 07:47 AM Perma Link
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