When feet talk

He is a dancer magician. Many say that his dance supersedes even the music, but few would disagree that if Bollywood chooses to make films around dance-musicals they have to be anchored by Shiamak Davar.

And now his company is all geared up to bring life to Shiamak’s vision of things we do not see, places we fear to visit and situations that make us wary, through contemporary dance movement. Selcouth is a blend of Indo-contemporary and modern dance with a strong ballet base. This performance is an illustrative perspective of what life is all about, showcasing almost everything right from dance, drama, love, humour, horror to curiosity.

With ballet, it is the gracefulness of movement, achieved through that muscled physique, which is noteworthy. Retaining the strength and technique of contemporary ballet, Selcouth rips the frills and tutus off the dancers. With nothing left to distract one’s attention, the audience will be compelled to focus on the dance. The performance challenges the way dance is perceived in India. With a style bordering on the Bauhaus philosophy of ‘form following function’, each dancer has a specific role — from being as passive as a prop to being as aggressive as a character in a frenzy.

“Shiamak, known for mentoring technically and theoretically flawless dancers, will be presenting a very different form of dance. It will be extremely exciting and wonderful to see the younger generation from his company, brimming with energy to perform and set the stage on fire,” says Swapnokalpa Dasgupta, from NCPA.

When and Where: January 17 at Jamshed Bhabha Theatre NCPA from 8.30 pm onwards