Attakkalari Repertory Company

The Hindu : Arts / Dance : Creative expressions

2010-09-13T01:53:00.000-07:00

The Hindu : Arts / Dance : Creative expressions

Sanchaari in Cochin & Trichur

2010-09-07T03:58:00.000-07:00

Diploma Students Graduate - 20th August 2010

2010-09-07T03:49:00.000-07:00

July 1, 2010 - Invitation to Attakkalari

2010-09-07T03:46:00.000-07:00

Jayachandran invited for Internationale Tanzmesse NRW - Dusseldorf, Germany

2010-09-07T03:31:00.000-07:00

Attakkalari's Artistic Director : Jayachandran Palazhy was invited to the International Visitors Programme “Dance in NRW: internationale tanzmesse nrw” in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany from 25^th August until 29^th of August 2010.

The internationale tanzmesse nrw is a biennial marketplace and festival platform for communicating and networking in the field of contemporary dance. At the tanzmesse, international dance companies and artists present their work live on stage and choreographers, dancers, agencies, presenters and cultural institutions worldwide network and co-operate in a lively marketplace. The internationale tanzmesse nrw also includes a programme of performances, lectures and discussions.

This programme was held in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Contemporary Dance - a Tool for Empowerment Transcending Gender

2010-09-07T03:06:00.000-07:00

On August 23rd, Jayachandran Palazhy was invited by the Ladies Study Group (Kolkata) to deliver a talk. He spoke about aspects of creating images in contemporary dance and also addressed how contemporary dance can be used as a tool for empowerment transcending gender.

He was accompanied by Hemabharathy Palani and Diya Naidu - who demonstrated while he spoke. This lecture was held at Satyajit Ray Auditorium at the ICCR premises.

This visit to Kolkata also saw auditions being held for Attakkalari's Diploma in Movement Arts and Mixed Media and we look forward to welcoming students from Kolkata in next year's batch.

British Council - Global Fellowship Programme

2010-07-27T02:11:00.000-07:00

On July 27^th, 10 students from the UK visited Attakkalari for an introduction to contemporary Indian culture and arts. These Global Fellows – Connor, Haydon, Gemma, Frances, Helen, Aoife, Elijah, Jinal, Brook and Philip were accompanied by Mr. Ramesh Veluchamy – Project Manager at British Council, Chennai.

The students gained an overview of Attakkalari through an interactive presentation, then observed a class in the Diploma in Movement Arts and Mixed Media, and had an animated discussion on the relation between culture and politics in India. They ended their visit with a one hour practical movement module in Kalarippayattu.

Performance at Jaaga

2010-07-14T04:32:00.000-07:00

In September 2009, Attakkalari was awarded the Robert Bosch Art Grant. Attakkalari was one amongst six recipients chosen for this grant which specifically seeks to support the talent and work of emerging artists. The awardees were selected from various genres including dance, visual arts and theatre. The artists were chosen after a three month rigorous screening of their work and projects. To celebrate the award ceremony the repertory performed in a spectacular site specific piece at the experimental artist space – Jaaga. This piece was specially commissioned for the Robert Bosch Award Ceremony.

Workshop with students from National Institute of Design

2010-07-14T04:21:00.000-07:00

From August 24^th to August 29^th, 2009 Attakkalari conducted a special workshop on “Bodies in Space” with students from the New Media department of the National Institute of Design based in Ahmedabad. The workshop was led by Attakkalari's Artistic Director - Jayachandran Palazhy along with faculty and dancers from Attakkalri. The students have shared their reactions below:

“I became more sensitive to the relationship between my body and space – and enjoyed playing with negative and positive spaces.” – Rohini P. Shitole.

“The trust building exercises really helped. I also learnt to explore the floor with my body.” – Shailja Pahuja

“I learnt how motion from daily life can be transformed to dance.” – Kirti Anand

“Working together was never more fun. Understanding each others limitations and learning from one another.” – Pranav Gupta.

“We had never danced as a group, but due to the workshop – we were able to build our confidence as an active group….we realized that Everyone Can Dance.” – Sagar Raut.

Continuing Professional Development for Attakkalari Dancers

2010-07-14T03:40:00.000-07:00

The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme is for Attakkalari’s own internationally renowned Repertory Dance Company. Integrating movement, medium and material, CPD aims to provide tools for continuing growth and education to the repertory dancers. The modules will include technique & choreography (Movement); costumes, props (Material); fine art, theatre, film, photography (Medium) amongst other subjects to help enhance the skill set and professional development of the Attakkakari dancers.

During April and May 2009, the repertory at Attakkalari took an array of capacity building workshops as part of the Continuing Professional Development programme for the repertory. These included sessions with Janet Lilly (from the Peck School of the Arts-Department of Dance, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee). Lilly focused on Choreographic Approaches – Weaknesses and Problems.

Sine all the repertory dancers are also education outreach facilitators – we invest heavily in our dancers by providing them capacity building. Last year in April and May 2010, the repertory had modules in the use of curriculum material in dance teaching with Shabari Rao, with Raghunandan on dance and theatre techniques. Bangalore based applied theater specialist Maitri Gopalakrishna helped the repertory analyze an experiential session to look at goals and impact, helped them share best practices in the class room, and access one’s teaching styles and principles through articulating and sharing. Education specialist Arzu Mistry helped the repertory develop tools for curriculum development. She addressed “teaching for understanding” and the multiple intelligence theory in her sessions.

(Combining Visual Arts with Performance: Photo Courtesy - Arzu Mistry)

In November, 2009 the repertory trained with Chris Lechner in contact improvisation and began ongoing classes in Classical Ballet with Clare Coleman. In December, 2009 – Ben Riepe the famous German choreographer conducted classes on choreography with the repertory.

In 2010, the repertory has been having ongoing modules in classical ballet, pilates, Bharatanatyam with Minal Prabhu and in the martial art form of Kalarippayattu with Raam Kumar. In May 2010 the Kolkata based duo Ronnie Shambik and Mitul Sengupta Ghosh conducted classes in contemporary Kathak and jazz techniques with the dancers. In May and June, 2010 – Mic Croitoru from Arizona State University in the U.S. conducted body conditioning classes with the dancers. The dancers are currently undergoing sessions with Chris and Christine Lechner in body conditioning, yoga and contact improvisation.

URUVAM Performance June 12th 2010

2010-06-11T02:13:00.001-07:00

Young Choreographer's Platform in the news...

2010-04-06T23:02:00.001-07:00

Young Choreographers made their presence felt at the Museum of World Culture in Sweden. Read the article here for more news. http://www.culturalentrepreneur.se/2010/03/23/young-choreographers-platform/

For Pina...In Mumbai and Ahmedabad

2010-04-06T22:38:00.000-07:00

For Pina... in Hyderabad Photos by Mohammed Yousuf (The Hindu)

2010-02-17T21:12:00.001-08:00

For Pina... Review in The Hindu

2010-02-17T20:56:00.000-08:00

Site and insight

LEELA VENKATARAMAN

Jayachandran Palazhy's ‘For Pina' provided great visual aesthetics.

When Pina Bausch passed away on June 30 last year, the world of Modern Dance lost one of its leading influences which changed the face of how one looked at dance. Entering, in 1955, the Folkwangschule in Essen then directed by Kurt Jooss, one of the founders of German Expressionist Dance, Pina Bausch became the artistic director of the then Wuppertal Opera Ballet which was later renamed Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. Her intense productions were mainly built round human relationships and male-female interaction — a running theme through her work. Between 1979 and 2008, Pina toured India three times.

In memory of this Modern Dance icon, a site-specific promenade performance at Goethe Institute Max Mueller Bhavan, along with a film installation and live music conceived by Jayachandran Palazhy, artistic director of Attakalari Centre for Movement Arts, Bangalore, attracted a number of theatre and dance enthusiasts. Called “For Pina”, Jayachandran's work, which moved from site to site in the Max Mueller Bhavan compound, brought alive the architecture of the site as nothing has ever done before. With dancing on top of and in between short pillars raised side by side, with light and shade effects providing an added dimension, the work had a breathtakingly unique start before moving on to the roof top. Using the fence wall and the cat walk, dancers, alone and in groups, created striking freezes — the dark green of the tall palms reaching up to the roof contrasting with the stark red costumes of the dancers and the lights, all providing visual aesthetics of a high order.

Poised and excellent movers, the dancers never faltered for balance. Action then came to the ground level with the long veranda with large white columns, the portico and the cemented driveway being used as the performance site. Dancers used the full space, their movements at times full of joyous freedom and at others frenetic with excitement as they went up and down the columns. Here and in the next site along the driveway, movement was accompanied by rhythm on the mizhavu — the copper drum — played by V.K. Hariharan of Kalamandalam. The husky sound of the drum beats and the dance in the special sonic environment with cutting edge music by Lorenzo Brusci and Luca Canciello made for an unusual music/dance blend, the language of body movement of the dancers influenced by physical and performing art traditions of India.

Moving scene

The best bit was when Jayachandran danced alone with the “Yoyo”, the sonic module, and then merged into the video patterns on the screen at the back and slowly laid himself down and faded out, disappearing along with the installations — everything there one minute and vanishing into nothingness the next. There was something very moving about this scene without there being any narrative and that the entire audience felt the same was seen in the impromptu applause greeting the end of the scene.

The last bit on the back veranda of the building saw dancers in pairs, and here the male/female duets just through movement evoked feelings of easy friendliness, affection, tenderness, attraction, rejection, violence and what have you. When the female dancers had made an exit into the hall with the closed doors in the rear, with only male dancers on the stage, the final scene with the women framed against the doors that they had opened, was very dramatic. Perhaps this scene more than any other showed the direct influence of Pina Bausch.

Date:12/02/2010 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2010/02/12/stories/2010021250430200.htm

For Pina... Review in Hindu

2010-02-17T20:52:00.000-08:00

Dancing the contemporary beat

The dance tribute to Pina Bausch drew stuff from diverse dictionaries

Five men pressed flat against the walls of a distant tomb, unplastering themselves in a wash of pale red light to draw fleeting shapes with their limbs on its facets, before melting into the darkness. The lights then found six women in red, swaying gently, slowly, onto the stone platform of Muhammed Quli Qutub Shah's mausoleum.

So began For Pina, a site-specific promenade performance at the Qutb Shahi tombs, co-produced by the Attakkalari Center, Bangalore and the Goethe Institute in homage to the late German choreographer, Pina Bausch.

The choreography evoked, drew from and then took off from Bausch, to explore a dynamic all its own – making this a far more interesting tribute to the legend. So there were no fields of carnations, no pools of water, and no wooden chairs. Instead, the domed mausoleum of a long-dead Sultan rose from the ground in the dusk, as much a performer as any dancer was, softly lit, darkly shadowed and magnificently regal.

The performance led the audience all around the tomb, its segments set against different walls and terraces. In one of them, the women emerged on a ledge like a row of mermaids on a rock, arching sensually against and away from each other. On another elevated terrace, translucent black sheets billowing in the wind were splashed with bluish-white streaks of light as a dancer moved behind them… and then the spectre of a white-robed Pina glided across it all, her arms stretched up into the air, ephemeral. The space defined the dancer, the dancer defined the space.

The haunting soundscape swelled and withdrew under the night sky from speakers that wouldn't look out of place in a modern art exhibition. That every one of the twelve dancers had contributed to the choreography was evident in their individual expression. There were phrases unique to each, which then formed new strings of movement when two or more dancers came together. It was an expression of the self and an exploration of the other -- joyful, contemplative, intense and personal.

Each of these dancers has had training in Indian classical forms, martial arts and various other international dance styles. The choreography rose from this foundation and drew from it while speaking in a modern tongue. To call it ‘Indo-Western fusion' would be to reduce it to a random coupling of idioms, when in fact it is the emergence of something different and more than the parts. The vocabulary may have been drawn from diverse dictionaries, but the phrasing was unique to the contemporary dancer in India today. Jayachandran Palazhy and his dancers speak this language beautifully.

It seems rather unfair that less that 300 people could be accommodated at the Qutub Shahi Tombs last Tuesday evening. For Pina brought to the city a confident exhibition of modern dance and environmental sound design, while reintroducing us to the majesty of the Seven Tombs.

If ever there was an argument for productions to have longer runs in every city, this would be it!

Keywords: Muhammed Quli Qutub Shah, Attakkalari, contemporary dance, For Pina, Tanztheater, Pina Bausch, Goethe-Zentrum

Printable version | Feb 18, 2010 10:24:22 AM | http://beta.thehindu.com/arts/dance/article101272.ece

Attakkalari's Chronotopia in Sweden

2010-02-17T02:08:00.000-08:00

Attakkalari’s Chronotopia in Germany and Sweden – March 2010

Sunday – March 14^th 2010 – 8:00 PM - Kassel, Germany: International Dance Festival, at Staasts Theater, Schauspielhaus

Wednesday - March 17^th 2010 – 7:30 PM - Vara, Sweden: Varakonserthus

Fri – Sat – Sun – March 26^th – 28^th 2010 – 8:00 PM - Frankfurt, Germany - Künstlerhaus Mousonturm

Review for Chennai show... For Pina...

2010-01-31T21:16:00.001-08:00

By Saranya Chakrapani
30 Jan 2010 04:26:00 AM IST

A tribute to pina

CHENNAI: When you pay homage to a legendary, influential artiste like Pina Bausch, you don’t just celebrate her signature style but also showcase an evolved art form that she would have thoroughly enjoyed. It would hence be appropriate to say that ‘For Pina’ the promenade performance co-produced by Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan, India and Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts, Bangalore, was more a revival of her spirit to explore, rebel and liberate. Spaces, the mystique abode of the late danseuse Chandralekha was the perfect locale for this tribute, considering Chandralekha’s own undying urge to break conventions and use dance as her sole, sacred catharsis.
The venue, known for its aesthetic performing spaces and their silent symbiosis with nature, was the perfect location for a promenade, as the audience, along with the artistes shifted base from time to time as the evening progressed.
The expression was all about unabashed liberation - of the body and the soul— signified by swift, acrobatic movements that revealed hints of diverse dance forms, a generous dose of erotica and music that could haunt you for days to come. It was a melting pot of various sounds - some of which you were familiar with — chimes, beats, voices and extreme pitches— and others that you just couldn’t comprehend.
It however, never once did fail to synchronise with the performers’ sonic trance-like movements and energy. It also drew inspiration from traditional Indian movements and the common features of a promenade. A part of the performance had live music too — cutting-edge and flawlessly performed.
While the frenzied movements of these young men and women, clad in sensuously simple red and black, were open to interpretation, they did seem to evocate the less significant moments of our life.
The ones that we tend to overlook, emotions we are often too occupied to pay heed to and errs we could do away with.
Pina Bausch, the legendary German performer who passed away in June last year would have indeed appreciated this.

For Pina...5 City Tour in India

2010-01-27T00:23:00.001-08:00

Performance Credits:

Artistic Direction: Jayachandran Palazhy

Choreography: Jayachandran Palazhy along with the dancers

Performers: Hema Bharathy Palani, Diya Naidu, Jyotsna Rao, Remya K.N., Keya Ann D’ Souza, Sahiba Singh, Raamkumar Ravikumar, Denny Paul, Ajeesh K.B., Sumesh V.M., and Santhosh V.S.

Music Composition & Live Electronics: Lorenzo Brusci

Additional Composition & Live Electronics: Luca Canciello

Live Percussion: Kalamandalam V.K. Hariharan

Vocals: Sumathy Murathy

Video Installation: Chris Ziegler

Lighting Design & Execution: Shymon Chelad

Costume Design: Sonali Sattar | Himanshu Dimri

Photography: Sheetal Jain

Technical Coordination: Transmedia Technologies

Performance Management: Shiva Pathak

The sound modules are sponsored by Architettura Sonora, Applied Acoustics a division of B&C Speakers.

Site Specific Performance to be followed by a film screening of “Pina Bausch” by Anne Linsel (2006).

********************
Performance Dates:

28.1.2010: Chennai – Spaces, Elliot Beach

30.1.2010: Bangalore –Ranga Shankara

2.2.2010: Hyderabad - Qutb Shahi Tombs

5.2.2010: Delhi – Max Mueller Bhavan, K.G.

8.2.2010: Kolkata – Uma, 2/4 A Sarat Bose Road

Chronotopia at National School of Drama - Bharat Rang Mahotsav

2010-01-14T03:12:00.000-08:00

Photo by Chris Ziegler

· Bhopal - Sunday, January 17^th, 6:00 PM: Antarang Theatre, Bharat Bhavan

· New Delhi - Tuesday, January 19^th, 9:30 PM: Abhimanch Theatre, NSD Campus

Duration: 60 Minutes

CHRONOTOPIA: Dance Theatre Production

Inspired by the famous Tamil epic, Chilapathikkaram, Attakkalari’s multi-media dance theatre production takes the audience through an episodic journey traversing layers of temporal and physical locations that often defy conventional notions of space and chronology. It oscillates between memory and experience, and explores human predicament in a time of rapid changes. Classical Tamil poetry often employs a narrative style that establishes a connection between the landscape and the emotional as well as spiritual mind set of the characters, creating a geography of mind and imagination. Inspired by this idea, CHRONOTOPIA attempts to create a complex nonlinear dramaturgy by placing deliberately stylized physical movements in a digitally constructed and changing stage architecture. These physical movements are abstractions of images derived from contemporary experiences, imagination and memories, organized to create a sensorial journey that is without chronology.

Borders collapse, when images from ordinary human existence – childhood, friendship, marriage, motherhood, conflict and death – encounter the intervention of inexplicable forces that alter life and catapult it out of orbit.

Anchoring on a central female character represented by three dancers, the piece journeys through rural, urban, historical, contemporary and even mythical contexts. In the process, time dissolves and dislocates, infusing the landscape with tenderness and loss.

Abstract movement vocabulary for the piece is created through improvisation, drawing on images and events from contemporary life as well as imagined historical and mythical situations. These movement phrases are further developed using principles and aesthetics of Indian physical and performance traditions resulting in a rooted yet vibrant, composite yet distilled sensorial narrative.

Performed by Attakkalari’s uniquely talented Repertory dancers, the language itself is an embodiment of the human circumstance.

Highly translucent traces of projected images by Chris Ziegler, complemented by an abstracted light installation by Chris Salter and Marje Baalman, create an interactive context for the evocative highlighted by Thomas Dotzler’s restrained light design. Intricate choreography by Jayachandran Palazhy (along with the dancers) is set to an original, vibrant and melodic score by French composer Mathias Duplessy, (created in collaboration with Carnatic musicians from Bangalore).

Emotional, haunting and introspective, CHRONOTOPIA is an ode to the senses, a magical tour de force through the voyage of life.

Credits :

Artistic Direction : Jayachandran Palazhy

Choreography : Jaychandran Palazhy, along with the dancers.

Interactive Scenography: Chris Salter | Chris Ziegler

Interaction research/design (light): Marije Baalman | Chris Salter

Interaction design (video) : Chris Ziegler

Lighting Design : Thomas Dotzler

Music Composition & Production : Mathias Duplessy

Lighting programming: Marije Baalman

Lighting system design: Elio Bidinost | Harry Smoak

Sensing research/development : Joseph Malloch | Marije Baalman | Rodolfe Koholy

Costume Design: Jason Cheriyan & Anshu Arora of Hidden Harmony

Male vocals: Shri Balasubramaniam Sharma/ Mathias Duplessy

Female vocals : Neela Ramanujam

Mridangam : B.C Manjunath

Nadaswaram : M. Kodandaram

Physical Performers: Hemabharathy Palani, Sumesh V.M., Denny Paul Machampilly, Diya Naidu, Jyotsna Baleshwar Rao.

Director’s Note – by Jayachandran Palazhy

I have grown up hearing numerous versions of the Tamil epic poem Chilapathikaram (The Anklet’s Tale). The recent tumultuous changes in the world prompted me to reach out to creative collaborators (choreographers, digital artists, composers and dancers) to together imagine another version of this age old story. We attempted to explore imagined notions of time and space which went beyond specificities. We aspired to use symbiotic residues of personal memories and experiences particularly dealing with a sense of loss.

Using another aspect of theatre – the sensorial narrative - this production undertook to weave together movement, sound and visuals, using a contemporary sensibility. The movement language aimed to experiment with the varied spaces (macro and micro) embedded in Indian performative and physical traditions. The interactive scenography alluded itself to the concept of landscape in the poem Chilapathikaram - where the character’s interior feelings are mirrored in the external landscape (“thinai”). By trying to incorporate inherited cultural memories and emerging technology, we hope that this production has contributed to broadening the scope of movement theatre.

Jayachandran Palazhy is an internationally sought after dancer, choreographer and Artistic Director of Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts in Bangalore, India. He is trained in India in the dance forms of Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Indian folk dance and Kalarippayattu (martial art), and in the UK, in Contemporary dance at the London Contemporary Dance School. He has also studied Ballet, Tai Chi, Capoeira and African Dance and has toured widely in India as well as internationally.

He works extensively as a consultant in different parts of the world and is at the forefront of the contemporary South Asian movement arts scene. In addition, he has participated in artistic residencies internationally, presented papers and lecture demonstrations on subjects related to movement arts, and been the recipient of several awards.

His work often involves digital and interactive technology and he has collaborated with some of the most celebrated artists of this genre. He also directs Attakkalari Bangalore Biennial (international festival of dance and digital arts) and FACETS (an international choreography laboratory).

Past Reviews:

“It was artfully choreographed in its various portrayals. The dance ballet does not adhere to a sequential or linear narrative to convey a story, but rather it has been evoked from the performer’s memory….the play somehow leaves a mark on the audience. The play only proved that the beauty of storytelling in abstract is more challenging to the performers and the audience and adds depth to the experience of the performance.”

- In “Beyond Time and Space” By Madhuri Kalyan, Deccan Herald, Bangalore – February 13^th, 2009

Additional Press Clips:

- “Spring Dance” in India Today’s Simply Bangalore Magazine – February Issue, 2009

- “A Women Scorned” The New Indian Express, Chennai – February 13^th, 2009

- “ The New Dance Movement” in The Hindu, Metro Plus – February 14^th, 2009

- “Technology at the Feet” in “Expresso”, Chennai – February 15^th, 2009

- “A New Idiom” in The Hindu, Chennai – February 18^th, 2009

Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts, Repertory Company

Committed to developing a context for contemporary cultural expressions - particularly in the performance arts –Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts– is an umbrella organization for dance and digital arts. Attakkalari enables collaborations in an international context through residencies and training opportunities, working towards developing a contemporary “South Asian body.”

Currently based in Bangalore, India and led by its Artistic Director – Jayachandran Palazhy, Attakkalari has a wide range of activities and interests. These activities include Education Outreach, a Diploma in Movement Arts & Mixed Media, Research & Documentation, an International Contemporary Dance Festival, Technical Solutions and a Repertory Company

Attakkalari’s Repertory Company has evolved a unique movement language and is at the forefront of interdisciplinary performance works in India. Drawing sustenance from India’s immense wealth of performance traditions, Attakkalari’s work is electrifyingly energetic and contemporary reflecting the vibrancy of today’s Indian society. The Repertory Company tours widely in India and abroad, performing and receiving acclaim from audience and critics alike.

Website www.attakkalari.org

Young Choreographer's Platform

2010-01-12T03:06:00.000-08:00

Through Attakkalari’s Young Choreographer’s Platform – young artists are supported in the areas of choreographic development and subsequent performance. Resources such as peers, guides, studio infrastructure are made readily available to for the dancers, for them to focus on developing work with an individual style or language.

The Young Choreographer’s Platform is committed to the development and nurturing of new talent. It is essential to support contemporary dance as a growing and vital art form in India. The driving force behind the programme is the desire and need for a young generation of choreographers to present their work on a larger and more public platform. Therefore it is intended for emerging choreographers who have not yet presented their work in a formal theatre milieu.

Attakkalari - Performances for Special Events

2009-08-04T05:34:00.000-07:00

Asia- Africa Dance Exchange

2009-07-19T22:14:00.000-07:00

Photos from Seoul, South Korea

Attakkalari Audition this Saturday

2009-07-17T03:55:00.000-07:00

http://mybangalore.com/article/0709/attakkalari-auditions-for-diploma-program-in-dance.html

Attakkalari Repertory Member in Brouhaha International Workshop Programme – Liverpool, U.K.

2009-07-10T00:55:00.000-07:00

Brouhaha International has invited Attakkalari repertory member – Denny Paul for a dance workshop in Liverpool, UK from July 25^th to August 4^th, 2009. Denny had attended the Brouhaha International Festival in 2008 along with 3 other repertory members – Remya, Santosh and Jyotsna. This year he will be choreographing a new piece with other international dancers.

http://www.brouhaha.uk.com/

Attakkalari Repertory Member in “Asia – Africa Dance Exchange”, Seoul, Korea

2009-07-10T00:46:00.000-07:00

On SIDance (Korea)’s invitation, one of Attakkalari’s repertory members – Divya Vibha Sharma is participating in a 6 month residency programme in Seoul, Korea. From June to November of this year (2009), Divya is interacting with Korean and international dancers and choreographers to create new work which will be presented in October at the Seoul International Dance Festival 2009. Under the “Asia – Africa Dance Exchange”, she is also participating in presentations and discussions of cultural significance, learning the Korean language and traveling to historic and cultural sites within Korea. www.sidance.org

PURUSHARTHA - Multi Media Production (Edited Video)

2009-06-03T03:02:00.000-07:00

CHRONOTOPIA- Multi Media Production- Edited Video

2009-06-01T21:55:00.000-07:00

TRANSAVATAR ( 60 MNS ) Multi-media

2009-05-20T03:34:00.000-07:00

TransAvatar is a multi-media performance of contemporary dance and martial arts with integrated digital sound and technology. This unique dance production, explores the multiple identities of individuals and its manifestations in different physical and mental spaces.

In this re-worked version incorporating more dancers, Attakkalari offers a fresh approach to dance that is both visual and physical, combining elements of theatre, martial arts, classical Indian dance and acrobatics with contemporary dance. The original production was done by the Imlata Dance Company in partnership with Attakkalari.

Imaginative lighting, eclectic costumes, and talented young dancers moving at an electrifying pace interspersed with gentle, graceful moments…combine to create a captivating dynamic. Digital images projected on transparent metal gauzes in front and back of the stage envelop the live action creating a multi-layered sensorial narrative.

Through intense concentration, sensuous elegance and athletic exuberance the team of seven talented dancers and international creative artistes present the cultural complexity of a thriving, vibrant, interrelated yet diverse Indian diaspora in the global arena today. Their collective South Asian and European experience is reflected in the absorbing and shifting land and sound-scapes. The dance vocabulary brings together the earthiness and precision of Indian physical traditions and the freedom of contemporary dance. The language also draws on influences from Indian folk and popular dance along with acrobatics and improvised pedestrian movement.

“At the cutting edge…..
The work has a language and style of its own… “ The Stage

“A sense of journey and the tension of living in several places at the same time..” - The Hindu

“Demanding, inventive ……teeming with action …you need eyes on stalks to keep up with the dancers….” -The Yorkshire Post

Choreography : Jayachandran Palazhy ( India )
Digital Design : Christian Ziegler (Germany)
Music : Joseph Hyde ( UK )
Costume Design : Ursula Bombshell (UK )
Lighting Design : Helen Cain ( UK )

Initially performed and conceived in association with Imlata Dance Company ( UK)
Performed in India by : Jayachandran Palazhy, Dil Sagar, Rakesh MP, Hemabharathy, Diya Naidu and Mirra Arun.

Janet Lilly - Choreographic Approaches Workshop

2009-05-19T04:49:00.000-07:00

Janet Lilly, an Associate Professor at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, U.S.A conducted a series of technique, choreography and pedagogy sessions with the repertory at the Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts.

Janet Lilly focused on Choreographic Approaches – Weaknesses and Problems as part of the Continuing Professional Development programme for the repertory members.
As a choreographer, performer and teacher, Janet has enjoyed 19 years of professional experience in the field of dance and theater. From 1983 to 1991, she was a Principal Dancer with internationally renowned Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, also serving as the company's rehearsal director, master teacher and repertory reconstructor. As a Jacob Javits fellow, Janet received an MFA in Dance with highest honors from the University of Michigan in 1992.

Since arriving in Milwaukee, Ms. Lilly has choreographed extensively for the UWM Dance program as well as continuing to perform and present her work nationally and in New York City. Janet has received numerous choreographic grants including The Arts Foundation of Michigan and recently received a creation and planning grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Janet and the Attakkalari Repertory presented their week’s learning on Friday, April 17th , 2009 at the Attakkalari Centre for Movement Art Studios.

Photo Credits: Akshay Mahajan (except Janet Lilly photo)

AUDITIONS FOR THE REPERTORY !

2009-04-28T22:23:00.000-07:00

If you've been wondering about opportunities in dance as a career, look no further.

Attakkalari announces the India Auditions for 2009-2011 projects in the Repertory Company on May 2nd in New Delhi ( at Max Mueller Bhavan) and June 13th (Terence Lewis Dance Studio, Khar)in Mumbai.Bangalore/Pune/Hyderabad auditions will be fixed soon. The auditions are for both the Repertory and Diploma Programme.

The Attakkalari Repertory Company consists of a team of highly skilled dancers from various disciplines and movement backgrounds who are trained in Attakkalari's unique movement language. Dancers are on a regular contract with attractive remuneration and opportunities for personal and professional growth. They are assigned to exciting projects (based on capability), perform at prestigious art and culture events/venues around the world, travel and perform nationally, at select corporate events and are active participants in our Outreach Programme with schools, corporates, and other organisations.They also hold Community Classes at our studios.

You can also audition for the Attakkalari Diploma in Movement Arts & Mixed Media, a one of its kind opportunity in dance education, at the same venues on the same days.Diploma graduates will also be given the opportunity to join the Repertory after completion of the Programme.

Call +91 080 22123684/41467690 or email us at attakkalari.repertory@gmail.com for more details on how to join the Repertory and be a part of a leading contemporary dance organisation in India.

Additionally, send your :

- Photograph ( Portrait X 1 )
- Formal Performance Photographs x 2 ( optional)
- 2 movement sequences ( not more than 2 -3 mns)
- Resume

To :

The Programme Manager
Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts
24-04, BTS Bus Depot Road
Wilson Garden
Bangalore 560027.

NEW CLASS ! MATURE MOVERS by Jayachandran Palazhy

2009-04-28T22:13:00.001-07:00

Attakkalari announces the commencement of a brand new Contemporary Dance Class for those above 40. Sessions will be conducted from 6.30- 8: 00 am in the morning on Mondays and Wednesdays for those who know that dance is the way to stay young for ever ! Gentle exercises to warm up will be followed by contemporary movements set to music under the experienced tutelage of Jayachandran Palazhy, internationally acclaimed dancer, choreographer and Artistic Director, Attakkalari.

So get set to stretch, swing, extend and head in the direction of a more supple, limber, flexible and well toned body, starting this summer !

Call 080 41467690/22123684 or email us at attakkalari@gmail.com to register !

ATTAKKALARI , Rashtrapathy Bhavan Oct 08

2009-03-18T01:07:00.000-07:00

Attakkalari - On invitation by ICCR for the IBSA Summit 2008

OCTOBER 15TH 2008, Rashtrapathy Bhavan
OCTOBER 14TH 2008: KAMANI AUDITORIUM, NEW DELHI

Attakkalari was specially invited by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations,New Delhi, to participate in a cultural exchange between India, Brazil and South Africa in New Delhi ( Oct 10th - 15th 2008 ).The culmination of this interaction was a combined performance ( 20 mns ) between the three countries at the prestigious Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi, along with an Attakalari performance at Kamani ( 40 mns ) and a special performance by Attakkalari at the Rashtrapathy Bhavan ( 15th Oct) for the Presidents of India, Brazil and South Africa.

This awe-inspiring piece began with strong percussion and was followed by a section tracing the ancient origins of Kalaripayattu, the martial art form from Kerala.It transformed into a primordial story incorporating the essence of animal moves derived from Kalaripayattu.

Kalarippayattu is considered to be the predecessor of several Asian martial arts such as Kung Fu, Wu Shu and Karate. The distilled essence of primordial animal movements is combined with intricate notions of space found in traditional Indian iconography and architecture. This section was accompanied by the strong rhythms of traditional percussion instruments – mizhavu, djembe, mridangam, chenda, edakka and the shankha played live by well known, highly respected musicians.

The piece then integrated inspirations from various disciplines such as Bharatanatyam, Contemporary Dance, Kathak and even the Brazilan martial dance, capoeira, encompassing 30-45 mns of sheer physical prowess and fine technique, to end with a vigorous Kalaripayattu sequence with the long sticks, and throbbing percussion.

Duration : 30-45 mns
Performed by : Dil Sagar, Rakesh MP, Hemabharathy, Santosh,Sumesh,Denny, Ajeesh, Diya Naidu, Jyotsna, Ramya KN, Rohini Rau, CP Prasad, CV Sukumaran.
Technicals : TransMedia Technologies /Wilson/Bir Bahadur
Light Design : Pritham Kumar
Sound: Shymon Chelad
Percussion : Sri N Sankarnarayan,Hariharan, V Ashok, SV Balakrishna
Programme Manager:Aliyeh Rizvi

THE DAILY STAR REVIEW
Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Thursday, October 30, 2008 02:10 PM GMT+06:00

Print Friendly Version
Published On: 2008-10-28
Arts & Entertainment
Food and fun in Delhi
Kavita Charanji, New Delhi

Brazilian musicians perform at the programme.
Culture and cuisine came together in a delightful mélange just the other day. Regaling a captivated audience were chefs from South Africa, Brazil and India Just a sample: Kalaripayattu (Kerala) dancers who fused martial dance, strikes, kicks, grapples. In one piece two dancers, armed with swords and shields took centre stage in a mock combat. The venue was the foyer of the Ashok Hotel, New Delhi and the organiser was the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).

The scene soon shifted to the Durbar restaurant. Here a group of Brazilian musicians with instruments such as drums, saxophones and trombones delighted people who were attending the select dinner...

After the music, followed some superb food from the three countries, designed to tickle the taste buds. As part of the wonderful Indian, Brazil and South African (IBSA) festival, chefs of the latter two nations were flown in to the menu. The trio comprised, award winning Brazilian chef Mara Alcamim, Owen Jullies, director of the South African Chefs' Association and MS Gupta, corporate chef of the Indian Tourist Development Corporation (ITDC).... And on to the next day when Brazil and South African dancers showed off their fascinating dances, Brazil also featured an orchestra. The first Frevo dance and orchestra performance from Brazil was eye opening. Frevo describes a range of musical styles originating from Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil which are traditionally associated with the Brazilian carnival.

After this followed a Frevo dance which requires much rehearsals, strength, endurance and flexibility. Says a note at the programme, “The fight between the groups moved from the physical to the aesthetical.”

Now to South Africa: well known for their grace, enthralling, uninhibited dance. The troupe captured indigenous cultures and modern contemporary genres.

The last show was equally amazing. The Indian core repertory from the Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts, Bangalore (South India) was adroit in martial arts, yoga, body conditioning, classical and contemporary dance techniques, coupled with creative dance, choreography and dance. What was interesting was the background of the dancers: Bharatnatyam, Kuchupidi, ballet, contemporary dance, jazz, Kathak and Kalaripayattu.

Explaining the genesis of the concert, was Ajit Gupte, the deputy director general of the ICCR. As he said, “Currently we are having the third IBSA summit where the heads of state from India, Brazil and South Africa are coming together. On the eve of the summit, we have a celebratory and festive occasion. The summit strives to encourage cooperation between the three nations as they are among the largest developing countries…Dance, music, food are an integral part of culture and we seek to expose the people of India to different kinds of foreign cultures.”

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, Jayachandran Palazhy

2009-03-18T00:48:00.000-07:00

Jayachandran Palazhy is the Artistic Director, ATTAKKALARI CENTRE FOR MOVEMENT ARTS, Bangalore, and The Attakkalari India Biennial.

A phenomenal dancer himself he has trained in India in the dance forms of Bharathanatyam, Kathakali, Indian Folk dance and Kalarippayattu ( the martial art form from Kerala) and in Contemporary Dance at the London Contemporary Dance School ( UK).He has also studied Ballet, Taichi, Capoeira and African Dance.

He has been working extensively as a freelance choreographer, teacher and consultant in different parts of the world and is at the forefront of the contemporary South Asian Dance Scene.

His work often involves digital and interactive technology and he has collaborated with some of the most celebrated artists of the genre on Attakkalari's multi-media works Purushartha, and Chronotopia.

His latest work CHRONOTOPIA, had its world premiere at The Attakkalari India Biennial 2009 and is now ready for touring.

Jayachandran’s multi media dance production PURUSHARTHA toured the European Festival Circuit to rave reviews. PURUSHARTHA is a pan Asian collaborative project choreographed by Jayachandran Palazhy, with music composition and interactive technology by Kunihiko Matsuo from Japan in a unique blend of Indian Movement idioms and Japanese digital & Sonic Arts.

Jayachandran has also created a Research Project on Indian Physical Expressions - Nagarika:

Derived from the Sanskrit word meaning ‘a civilizational dimension’, Attakkalari’s exhaustive research project ‘Nagarika’ is an Integrated Information System on Indian Physical Expressions through technology. The project compiles and categorizes movement sequences of two specific Indian movement traditions – the classical dance form of Bharatanatyam and the Keralan martial art - Kalarippayattu.

As the Artistic Director of Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts, Jayachandran has created a brilliant team of dancers, inspired and led by his innovative and cutting edge choreography.His work tours widely in India and all over the world.

ATTAKKALARI INDIA BIENNIAL 2009 , Opening

2009-03-12T05:20:00.000-07:00

On the 6th of February, as the sun set over Bangalore, Chowdiah Memorial Hall came alive with a spectacular display of colour, energy, artistry, physicality and technology as all these combined to create the Inaugural ceremony of the Attakkalari India Biennial 2009.

The city, its inhabitants, locations, day-to-day happenings and its constant transformation was the theme of this site-specific event. Marking the opening of the Attakkalari India Biennial 2009, contemporary urban life and its distant traces were brought to life, animating the entire architecture of the Chowdiah Memorial Hall.

Dancers, choreographers, composers, musicians, digital artists, light designers, architects, carnival artists and costume designers from different parts of the world - Japan, Netherlands,the UK, Belgium, Sweden, Portugal, Spain, France and India - stretched the boundaries of performance in this trans-disciplinary work. Alongside international artistes, local folk artistes added vibrant Khamsale and Dollu Kunitha performances to the event in the spirit of the moment.

On the pathway, as a part of a promenade performance, dancers and physical performers in colourful, large carnival costumes entered along with a decorated auto-rickshaw which became the connecting theme of the event and acted as a mascot. A drum orchestra from Portugal and India in costume, martial artists with colourful sticks and flags, illuminated constructions on push-carts invoking images of a city that is constantly being rebuilt followed. The enveloping sound and huge projection created the context for an electrifying performance animating the outside space at the Chowdiah Memorial Hall.

It was truly a collaborative effort of artists from different parts of the world, drawing from their individual journeys as well as historical ones such as spice trades of yester years, On the Move portrayed urban life, its little joys as well as trials and tribulations.

Alison Pretty lead a team of seven designers from London (UK), working with 20 young designers of National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) to create the costume and visual feel of the site-specific grand multimedia promenade performance to mark the opening of Attakkalari India Biennial 2009 at Chowdiah Memorial Hall. Ali and her team of designers from Kinetika have created costumes at the Atlanta Olympics and many big outdoor events throughout the world. (www.kinetika.co.uk )

The event also involved Brouhaha, the UK-based organization who develop quality arts and cultural projects and programmes including carnivals that meet the aspirations of diverse communities at a local, national and international level. They presented Spice– a four nation (Portugal, Spain, UK and Attakkalari, India) collaborative work funded by the European Union as part of the inaugural performance at the festival.
( www.brouhaha.uk.com)

Cutting edge interactive design, an installation, music and a performance from Japanese artists Kunihiko Matsuo, Naoki Hamanaka, Mitsuaki Matsumoto and JOU altered the perception of the audience while large outer walls of the building were used for projections and lighting to create a new perception of a city in transformation. German digital artist Christian Ziegler and his team worked on the 4 glass panels on each side of the entrance to project a video installation of Bangalore, giving a panoramic view of the city while moving through it. Thomas Dotzler, Light Designer ( Sweden), Imre Dsebrik, and TransMedia Technologies ( India) also provided expert technical support for Light design and execution.

The audience watched alongside the promenade and also witnessed stand alone performances in the foyer. Inside the auditorium they were further treated to a finale performance on stage by Attakkalari, Brouhaha, Jou and Paris based musician and composer Mathias Duplessy on the Mongolian Morin Khuur/ Acoustic Guitar with celebrated percussionist Hariharan on the Mizhavu .

The idea was to bring the spirit of the city to the premises of Chowdiah and celeberate the vibrancy of a "City On The Move -Connecting People ".

CHRONOTOPIA - Press

2009-03-12T05:17:00.001-07:00

YUVA Performances

2009-03-12T04:20:00.000-07:00

1. ASHWA

Inspired by the spiritual and martial aspect of Indian culture and set to evocative music, this piece is rooted in the ancient martial art form of Kalarippayattu from the state of Kerala, which is situated at the southern tip of India. Kalarippayattu is considered to be the predecessor of several Asian martial arts such as Kung Fu, Wu Shu and Karate and is believed to have been taken to China and Japan by Buddhist monks. Here, earthy sinuous movements are interspersed with sudden leaps and jumps. The distilled essence of primordial animal movements is combined with intricate notions of space found in traditional Indian iconography and architecture. Starting with a highly stylized salutation of the cosmos , the piece demontrates the intense physicality of the performers and the breathtaking dynamism of their movements which are done with absolute concentration of mind, body and spirit.

Duration - 5 minutes/ 15 mns extension possible
Number of performers : 6-7

2.REFLECTIONS

A brief encapsulation of selected elements from the cultural milieu of India. Geometrical lines of Bharatanatyam (an Indian classical dance which originated in the temples) and postures reminiscent of Indian temple sculptures are brought to life in this thoroughly contemporary delineation of sophisticated physical movements. Images of daily life, pedestrian gestures and memories fuel the choreography. Small and precise movements of the hands and eyes are mixed with large, athletic and expansive movements of the whole body creating transient patterns and images. Beautifully designed costumes and a captivating sound score support this dynamic yet sensuous dance which is interspersed with rare moments of contemplative stillness.

Duration - 9 minutes
Number of performers: 5

3.VIVA

A Brazilian martial art disguised as a dance form, Capoeira was developed by Africans who were brought to South America against their will. When they were banned from using weaponry or even their hands to fight, they developed an inspired technique using only their legs as instruments of combat. Using this concept as a platform, Viva is an energetic dance which celebrates diversity where cultures share their heritage, respect differences and rejoice in the sheer joy of being together. African folk and Brazilian urban street moves meet Indian acrobatics and popular dance in this exuberant display of sheer physicality and camaraderie. This high-energy piece with its colourful costumes will lift spirits and effectively encapsulates the festive mood of the occasion.

Duration - 6 minutes
Number of dancers : 6-7

4.RENDEZVOUS IN JALLANDHAR

Images of everyday life in Jallandhar city (in the state of Punjab, at the north west corner of India), and its moments of joy as well as trials and tribulations were the starting point for singer/songwriter Tjinder Singh of British Asian band Corner Shop who composed the music for this piece. Set against the diffused amber light of dawn and dusk, these snippets of life are transformed into elegant movement sequences with spectacular yet effortless lifts, fluent slides and rolls creating a tapestry of pulsating motifs. The catchy music and beautifully structured interweaving patterns of movement makes this dance a visual treat for the senses.

Duration - 6 minutes
Number of performers : 7

5. KATHAK

A very short piece, it is usually set between larger pieces, like the intricate jewelled inlay work so distinctive of the Mughal period. This fluid, ethereal piece is full bodied with a richness and grace associated with the royal courts of a bygone era. It is based on the movement vocabulary of Kathak, and is performed to soulful musical accompaniment.

Duration : 2 mns
Number of performers : 4

6.BODY BEAT

An exhilarating, energetic piece marrying and synchronizing rhythm and body movement. In Body Beat dancers celebrate the human form, a sound body and the sheer joy of being physically alive. It stretches imagination and physical endurance, extending human capabilities and testing limits, every minute, just when one begins to believe there can be no going further.

Duration: 5 minutes
Number of performers : 7

7. INTERSECTIONS

In this piece, Attakkalari offers a fresh approach to dance that is both visual and physical, combining elements of theatre, martial arts, classical Indian dance and acrobatics with contemporary dance. This piece is a glimpse into the multiple identities of individuals, in different physical and mental manifestations.

Duration: 5 minutes
Number of performers : 4

8. SOUL PSALM

A reflective attempt to converse with one’s self, as well as a voyage of discovery with one’s partner. Moving in perfect unison to haunting music by Nitin Sawhney, a couple glides through space creating visual poetry in this duet. This piece is sensuous and fluid, as the dancers create a new language between them which goes beyond the parameters of conventional expression. It seeks to affirm that meaningful communication does not always depend upon the inadequacies of spoken language.

Duration: 7 minutes
Number of performers : 2

9. SWA ATMAN

From the birth of inner consciousness to a discovery of the self, Swa Atman is a journey of the soul. Dressed in symbolic mystic colours, the dancers explore the rise of our latent consciousness developing into thoughtful awareness and a final discovery of our place in this world.

Duration : 6 mns
Number of performers : 4

10. PUSHPANJALI

This is a traditional Bharatnatyam piece – the dancers present an offering of flowers and salutation to the deities, the audience, and mother earth. The choreography is by Savithri Jagannath, music by Sai Shankar and vocals by Mysore Shrinath.

Duration : 4 mns

Number of performers : 2-4

11. Cinemascope

Contemporary dance today strives to be genderless, formless and ageless. In Cinemascope we revisit conventional spaces and paradigms to create an implosion within them. We reach inside these areas to celebrate the chaos and aesthetic shift within the popular and accepted realms of cinematic body language, classical perceptions of form and movement, and a globalization of previously isolated vocabularies. What we get is the unique interaction of a recognizable framework yet a surprising dynamism that is essentially alive, resists definition and is throbbing with the confidence, the fun and sometimes cinematic feel of young India today.
Duration : 11 Mins
No. of Performers: 8 - 12
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfsGslraj2Y
12. AAYODHANAM
This piece presents the pure vocabulary of Kalarippayattu – the Southern Indian martial art form and then develops it further. The distilled essence of primordial animal movements, reverberate with traditional aesthetic. The dancers then experiment with this five thousand year old legacy and present it using a contemporary lens.

Duration : 6 Mins

Number of performers: 5 - 8

Our Past Partners have Included:

1. IBM

2. BOSCH

3. Indian Council for Cultural Relations

4. SAP technologies

5. Overseas Women's Club

6. Hindustan Unilever Limited

7. Lavanya Nalli

.......amongst others

Kalinga Martial Dance Festival , Jan 2009

2009-03-12T03:56:00.000-07:00

The Attakkalari Repertory is well versed in martial arts, yoga, body conditioning, classical and contemporary dance techniques as well as creative dance, choreography and dance pedagogy. The dancers train with national and internationally acclaimed choreographers and teachers and constantly upgrade and hone their skills, promoting kinaesthetic energy. Artistic Director, Jayachandran Palazhy's cutting edge and innovative choreography enhances the complex body movements creating a genre and language of it’s own.

Attakkalari also provides a platform for young choreoographers to create their own work, under the YUVA umbrella. These pieces are then part of a mixed bill that is not budget or technical intensive and can be performed at most venues across the cities and in India.

Attakkalari began 2009 with a vigorous performance celebrating peace at the Kalinga Martial Dance Festival on January 10th 2009, in Bhubaneshwar. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Dhauli Stupa, the festival is all the more significant as it is performed on the spot where Emperor Ashoka set down his sword and embraced Buddhism in the aftermath of the famous bloody battle of Kalinga.

The 40 mn performance was based on movements from Kalaripayattu, incorporporating elements from Capoeira, the Brazilan martial dance form, and Attakkalari's own unique style.

Invited by the Orissa Department of Tourism, and curated by well known Odissi dancer Ileana Citaristi, the Kalinga Martial Dance Festival gave the Attakkalari Repertory an opportunity to showcase their skills in various physical traditions.

CHRONOTOPIA, Heggodu

2009-03-12T03:42:00.000-07:00

Attakkalari recently performed its new multi-media work `Chronotopia ' at Ninasam, Heggodu.

Ninasam is a cultural organisation located in the village of Heggodu in Sagar Taluk of the Shivamogga district in the state of Karnataka, India. Ninasam (also spelt as Neenasam) is the short form of Sri NIlakanteshwara NAtyaseva SAMgha, an organisation dedicated to the growth of drama, films and publishing. Ninasam was the brainchild of the renowned dramatist and Magsaysay award winner, K V Subbanna. It is currently headed by K V Akshara, the son of Subbanna.

Chronotopia was performed by invitation at Ninasam, with an active `Meet the Artiste' session in both English and Kannada, facilitated by KV Akshara. Lively debates on the use of technology in performance followed, with an enquiring and receptive audience eager to know more about the performers, their thoughts and inspirations while creating the work.

It was performed at the Ninasam Auditorium, Heggodu at 7:15 pm.

Chronotopia is supported by the India Foundation for the Arts.We also thank the French Embassy in India, the Delegation Generale Des Alliances Francaises en Inde and The Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada for their support.

CHRONOTOPIA, Chennai

2009-03-12T03:15:00.000-07:00

Attakkalari recently performed its new multi-media dance work `Chronotopia ' at the Music Academy, Chennai on February 18th 2009. At 7: 30 pm.

The performance was followed by a `Meet the Artists ' session facilitated by Mr.Sadanand Menon, well known journalist, Chief Light Designer-Chandralekha's group, and a very eminent personality in the art and culture world in India.Active discussions on `Chilappathikaram' and its influence on Chronotopia, formed a prominent part of the discussion.Attakkalari was quick to respond that while it does not follow the storyline of the original epic at all, it was inspired by themes within the story, such as tenderness and loss, which it explored further in a contemporary context.

Classical Tamil poetry often employs a narrative style that establishes a connection between the landscape and the emotional as well as spiritual mind set of the characters, creating a geography of mind and imagination. Inspired by this idea, CHRONOTOPIA attempts to create a complex nonlinear dramaturgy by placing deliberately stylized physical movements in a digitally constructed and changing stage architecture. These physical movements are abstractions of images derived from contemporary experiences, imagination and memories, organized to create a sensorial journey that is without chronology.

The performance was supported by India Foundation for the Arts, ( in association with Spinz) as a part of India Foundation for the Arts, New Performance Programme 2006 -2007.

Chronotopia was performed by Rakesh MP, Hemabharathy Palany, Diya Naidu, Jyotsna M and Jayachandran Palazhy, accompanied by Chris Ziegler(Interaction design/Video), Thomas Dotzler ( Light Design) and Marije Baalman ( Interaction Design/Light), the TransMedia technical team, Programme Manager : Aliyeh Rizvi and Manager -Education & Development, Eliamma Rao.

Nakula Somanna, Faculty ( Attakkalari's Diploma in Movement Arts & Mixed Media ) also conducted an exciting workshop in Movement & Technique on the 21st,22nd and 23rd February 2009 for the dance community in Chennai.

PURUSHARTHA ( 60 MNS ) Images

2009-03-10T01:29:00.000-07:00

PURUSHARTHA ( 60 MNS )

2009-03-10T01:18:00.000-07:00

Attakkalari’s multi-media production PURUSHARTHA is the result of an intense collaborative effort between Jayachandran Palazhy, artistic director Attakkalari and Kunihiko Matsuo musical director and digital artist, Japan. Conceived and developed over an extended period of research that included trips to Japan by Jayachandran Palazhy and stints at Attakkalari, Bangalore by Kunihiko Matuso.

Other key collaborators from Japan include Mitsuaki Matsumoto sound designer, and architect Naoki Hamanaka who designed the sets.

Choreographed by Jayachandran Palazy and performed by Attakkalari’s repertory company, the movement language is reflective of contemporary India yet like most of Attakkalari’s work influenced and informed by Indian physical and performance traditions ranging from the martial art form of Kalarippayattu from Kerala, to the classical dance form of Bharathanatyam.

A stark Zen-like, pristine white stage and backdrop designed by Hamanaka are transformed by Kunihiko Matuso’s digital wizardry. Layered imagery, constantly evolving and ever changing, respond to the dancers movements.

The dancers, led by Jayachandran, bring to light the emotional portrayal of a society in India, torn between the philosophy of her past and the stark reality of her present. Vibrant images from contemporary India metamorphose into abstract geometrical shapes resulting in a rich tapestry of aural and visual imagery, taking the audience through an electrifying and moving viewing experience.

Matsuo’s unusual and innovative score, further embellished by Matsumoto’s live digital sounds, combine with the seamless layers of light and shade that take the viewers back and forth between the real & the imaginary, the traditional & the modern, the philosophical & the practical in a unique sensorial journey that both assaults and embraces the senses.

Known for his cutting edge choreography, Jayachandran engages with the concept of PURUSHARTHA (roughly translated as ‘meaning of being’) through what is essentially an exploration into individual dilemmas, a journey through temporal and physical spaces, weaving in experience and imagination and resulting in a spectacular production.

Performed to packed audiences, PURUSHARTHA had its world premier at the Biennale Bonn in May 2006 and toured most of the major festivals in Europe, including the Venice Biennale, Frankfurt Book Fair, Munich Contemporary Dance Festival, Bologna Festival of Contemporary Dance, Poland Contemporary Dance Festival, Dusseldorf International Dance Festival, the Monaco Dance Forum and the Julidans Festival, Amsterdam. PURUSHARTHA has also been performed in Japan.

A team of brilliant young dancers trained at Attakkalari and led by Jayachandran himself, perform with agility and athleticism, their sinuous and sensual movements sometimes austere and at others sumptuous, casting a spell on the audience.

At the forefront of the Indian contemporary dance scene, Attakkalari’s performance is visually stunning, energetic and entirely unique. Across Europe and elsewhere PURUSHARTHA has received standing ovations from enthralled audiences.

Key Collaborators

1. Jayachandran Palazhy ,Artistic Director

Jayachandran Palazhy has trained in India in the dance forms of Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Indian folk dance and Kalarippayattu martial art, and in the UK, in Contemporary dance at the London Contemporary Dance School. He has also studied Ballet, TaiChi, Capoeira and African Dance and has toured widely in India as well as internationally. He works extensively as a freelance choreographer, teacher and consultant in different parts of the world and is in the forefront of the contemporary South Asian dance scene. His work often involves digital and interactive technology and he has collaborated with some of the most celebrated artists of this genre.

2. Kunihiko Matsuo

Kunihiko Matsuo was born in 1969 in Mito, Japan. Based in Tokyo, he specializes in interactive technology, audio-visual design and contemporary dance. He is a core member of Nest, a multimedia performance group in Japan. He is also a founder of CMprocess, an artists collective that is working on the border line between technology, performing arts and design, offering an integrated view on digital media system design.

3. Naoki Hamanaka

Naoki Hamanaka is an architect based in Tokyo, Japan. He is a board member of Nest, a multimedia performing art group based in Tokyo. He designs not only theatre sets but also the systems of performances. His aim is not only to design the objects but also design the triggers of activities.

4. Mitsuaki Matsumoto

Mitsuaki Matsumoto is a sound performer and sound and video creator based in Japan. He plays in different contexts; acoustic improvised music (bandoneon), electronic sound accompaniment for dance and also in collaboration with instrumentalists of jazz, with whom he has performed irregular and improvised music for concerts as well as projects.

ON PURUSHARTHA

“Watching Purushartha was like seeing the various impressions and perceptions about the colour white, the Japanese sense of the austere and stark, the Indian ethos of renunciation and the electric existence of sounds that define modernity.” – Chitra Mahesh, Deccan Chronicle, Chennai, February 16th 2008

“There also lies within the entire thing a Buddhist like serenity. This is not so much in an obvious was as in the way the sounds and the movements converge in the most ancient state of being – a sense of the silence within.” - Chitra Mahesh, Deccan Chronicle, Chennai, February 16th 2008

“The overall effect was of a monochrome palette that was severe yet dramatic, threadbare in ostentation yet rich in artistic impulses. The sheen of professionalism ran through every aspect; ‘Purushartha’ was in essence ‘new age’ artistry.” – Rupa Srikanth, The Hindu, Chennai, February 15th 2008

Attakkalari has managed to go beyond the customary projections on the cyclorama.”
– Nirmala Ravindran, India Today, Simply Bangalore, February 2008

It is one of those few combinations of science and art that when depicted on the stage give out soothing effect, something that is sensuous and touched the heart. – Antara Bose,

TOUR DETAILS

1.Travel

1. Artistes ( estimated) : 8-10
2. Attakkalari Performance Team : Technicals/Manager : 2 + 1
3. Japanese Artistes : 3

2.Stage size ( optimum): Available on request.

As per rider /white linoleum mat: 8m x 8 m

3.Technical Rider & Standard Equipment list :( Available on request)

4.Tour costs to be provided for

- Performance fee
- Air travel/Visa/Insurance
- Accomodation
- Per diem for all artistes
- Local transport
- Pre-performance rehearsal space

National and International Tours:
New Delhi, India February 16th 2008
Chennai, India February 13th 2008
Bangalore, India February 8th and 9th 2008
Yokohama, Japan September 22nd and 23rd, 2007
Amsterdam - Julidans Festival, Netherlands July 12th and 13th, 2007
Monaco Dance Forum, Monaco December 10th and 11th, 2006
Dusseldorf International Dance Festival, Germany November 11th and 12th, 2006
Lublin, Poland November 9th, 2006
Warsaw, Poland November 6th, 2006
Munich Festival of Contemporary Dance, Germany November 3rd and 4th, 2006
Bologna Festival of Contemporary Dance, Italy October 27th and 28th, 2006
Frankfurt Book Fair, Germany October 6th and 7th, 2006
Venice Biennale, Italy June 22nd and 23rd, 2006
Biennale Bonn, Germany: World Preview May 14th and 15th, 2006

CHRONOTOPIA ( 60 MNS) Collaborators

2009-03-06T03:03:00.000-08:00

CHRONOTOPIA (60 MNS) Images

2009-03-06T02:39:00.000-08:00

CHRONOTOPIA ( 60 MNS) Images

2009-03-06T02:14:00.000-08:00

CHRONOTOPIA (60 MNS) Multi media-Interactive

2009-03-06T00:38:00.000-08:00

Though inspired by the Tamil epic `Chilappathikaram’, Attakkalari’s multi-media dance production does not directly re-interpret the original.Rather, it chooses to explore predominant themes from the text and in the process becomes an episodical journey, traversing layers of temporal and physical locations that often defy conventional notions of space and chronology. Establishing a link, between the landscape and the emotional as well as spiritual mindset of the protagonist, images from ordinary human existence encounter the intervention of inexplicable forces that change and catapult them out of orbit.

The performance by Attakkalari’s talented Repertory dancers, anchors on a central female character represented by three dancers. Chronotopia’s unique abstract movement vocabulary reflects and embodies the human circumstance, and in the process, time dissolves and dislocates, infusing the landscape with tenderness and loss.

Highly translucent traces of projected images (Christian Ziegler) , complemented by an abstracted light installation ( Chris Salter and Marje ), create an interactive context for the evocative performance, highlighted by Thomas Dotzler’s restrained light design.

Intricate choreography by Jayachandran Palazhy (along with the dancers) is set to an original, vibrant and melodic score by French composer Mathias Duplessy, (created in collaboration with Carnatic musicians from Bangalore).

Emotional, haunting and introspective, CHRONOTOPIA is an ode to the senses, a magical tour de force through the voyage of life.

Credits :

Artistic Direction : Jayachandran Palazhy
Choreography : Jaychandran Palazhy, along with the dancers.
Interactive Scenography: Chris Salter / Chris Ziegler
Interaction research/design (light): Marije Baalman / Chris Salter
Interaction design (video) : Chris Ziegler
Lighting Design : Thomas Dotzler

Music production, vocals & composition : Mathias Duplessy
Lighting programming: Marije Baalman
Lighting system design: Elio Bidinost / Harry Smoak
Sensing research/development : Joseph Malloch / Marije Baalman / Rodolfe Koholy
Costume Design: Jason Cherian & Anshu Arora
Male vocals ( Carnatic) : Balasubramniam Sharma
Female vocals ( Carnatic) : Neela Ramanujam
Mridangam : B.C Manjunath
Nadaswaram : M. Kodandaram

Key Collaborators

Jayachandran Palazhy

Jayachandran is Artistic Director, Attakkalari, and has trained in India in the dance forms of Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Indian folk dance and Kalarippayattu martial art, and in Contemporary Dance at the London Contemporary Dance School. He has also studied Ballet, Tai Chi, Capoeira and African Dance. He has been working extensively as a freelance choreographer, teacher and consultant in different parts of the world and is in the forefront of the contemporary South Asian dance scene. His work often involves digital and interactive technology and he has collaborated with some of the most celebrated artists of this genre. He is also Director of the Attakkalari India Biennial (International Festival of Dance and Digital Arts).

Christopher Salter

Christopher Salter received his Ph.D in the areas of theater and computer-generated sound at Stanford University. His work investigates the role of real time sound, image and technologies of interaction within the context of responsive environments and performance. He was awarded the Fulbright and Alexander von Humboldt Chancellor grants for research/work in Germany between 1993 -1995. Salter’s work has been shown internationally at venues such as Ars Electronica, Transmediale, Villette Numerique, V2, DTW/New York and SIGGRAPH, among others and has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, ID and Leonardo magazines. He is currently Assistant Professor in the Department of Design and Computation Arts at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.

Chris Ziegler

Chris Ziegler is Digital Artist with a Diploma in Architecture, 3 years acting background. The focus of his work lies in non linear visual media and interactive environments for performance. He received an Award “Young Art and New Media” in Munich with his first production “Scanned V” 2001 with Jayachandran Palazhy, followed by “Transavatar” production (2002) and “NAGARIKA” DVD-ROM (2006) . Since 1994 he works for Ballett Frankfurt and other companies on multimedia productions. He performed at transmediale Berlin, DANCE Festival Munich, VIA/EXIT France and other Festivals. He was lecturer and teacher at D.A.N.C.E (Dance Apprentices Network across Europe). At present he is “Associale Artist” at the Center for Art and Media, ZKM Karlsruhe

Thomas Dotzler

Thomas Dotzler is an experienced and versatile light designer. He has been associated with Attakkalari for three years and has worked on most of our important productions including PURUSHARTHA. His first visit was in 2005, when he worked with Kenneth Flak on “Uber”. This production was created during a three month workshop along with dancers from Attakkalari. He has also conducted workshops for Attakkalari’s Diploma in Movement Arts and Mixed Media as well as Facets, Attakkalari’s international choreographic laboratory.

Mathias Duplessy

Mathias Duplessy is a composer, guitarist, works on acoustic arrangements, is also a producer, vocalist and plays multiple instruments including the Mongolian stringed instrument the morin khuur. His range includes composing for long and short films, documentaries, theatre, dance and musicals. His unique energetic style is a combination of Flamenco, Classical, Asian and Gyspy Jazz. His musical travels include journeying through Senegal with Hamet Male, Brazil with Monica Passos, Portugal with Bevinda and Russia with Alexandre Loushik

Marije Baalman

Marije Baalman studied Applied Physics at the Technical University in Delft and graduated in February 2002 in Perceptual Acoustics. In 2001/2002 she followed the Sonology Course at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. She completed her Ph.D. on Wave Field Synthesis and electro-acoustic music in 2007 at the Electronic Studio of the Technical University of Berlin. Currently she is a post-doctoral researcher in Computation Arts at Concordia University in Montreal. Her research goes into the use of wireless networks for live performance (such as dance and music), and installations. She has performed and exhibited work across Europe (STEIM, WORM (NL), EXIT festival (F), Club Transmediale (D)) and beyond (Electrofringe (AU)). She is a contributor to "The SuperCollider Book" (MIT Press, Fall 2009).

Performed by

RAKESH : He has trained in Contemporary Dance, Bharathanatyam, Kalarippayattu, Capoeira, Yoga, Body Conditioning and Contact Improvisation and has also conducted several workshops. He is a senior member of the Attakkalari Repertory Company and is an active facilitator for the Community Class – Contemporary Dance.

HEMA BHARATHI : She has trained in Kuchipudi for thirteen years under Guru Vaijayanthi Kashi & Smt Suranda Devi. She is also trained in Contemporary Dance, Kalarippayattu, Contact Improvisation, Bharathanatyam, Ballet, Yoga, and Capoeira. She is a choreographer and a senior member of the Attakkalari Repertory.

JYOTSNA : She is experienced in several movement forms like Cinematic dance, Jazz, Choreography and Folk Dance. She also actively pursues her interests in Psychology, Theatre and Tabla. She is actively involved in our Education Outreach Programme, and is a member of the Attakkalari Repertory Company.

DIYA : She started her formal dance training at the age of eighteen with The Danceworx, New Delhi. She has studied ISTD Jazz Ballet, Modern Performance or Choreography Techniques, Kathak and Physical Theatre and has worked on Fusion based Choreographies. She is a facilitator for the Community Class-Contemporary Dance and is a member of the Attakkalari Repertory Company.

TOUR DETAILS

INDIA TOUR : DANCERS : 5 / MGR : 1 /TECH : 3 ( 9 people )

INTERNATIONAL TOURS : DANCERS : 5 /MGR : 1 /TECH : 4 ( 10 people )

STAGE SIZE :

TECHNICAL RIDER : Available on request

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION : Available on request : ( Performance CD /Press / Performance desc /Budget / Working arrangement / Performance photographs /Attakkalari info.

Chronotopia is supported by India Foundation for the Arts.

We also thank the French Embassy in India, the Delegation des Generales des Alliances Francaises en Inde and The Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada for their support.