Originally it was meant to be a festival, a celebration of Indian classical artistes in different cities, in the vein of the dance programme that Akram Khan, along with Malaysian dancer Mavin Khoo, curated for London’s Darbar Festival in 2017-19.
But, when it came to putting GIGENIS – The Generation Of The Earth together, British choreographer Akram, who is internationally renowned for his invigorating blend of the classical Kathak tradition and contemporary dance, realised he wanted more.
“Classical Indian dance is very much my home and I hadn’t choreographed for a group of dancers entirely steeped in that tradition,” he told tabla! “I thought: ‘Why don’t I explore my own language?’, while combining it with contemporary dance.”
The 50-year-old, who is of Bangladeshi descent, came out of retirement to bring six esteemed Indian classical dancers – kutiyattam artiste Kapila Venu; odissi soloist Sirikalyani Adkoli; and bharatanatyam exponents Khoo, Mythili Prakash and partners in life Renjith and Vijna Vasudevan – and himself onto the stage for a world tour that’s the first of its kind.
The work, which premiered in Aix-en-Provence, France, in August, is travelling to seven cities, with Singapore the second and only Asian stop.
It will be staged at the Esplanade Theatre on Nov 15 and 16 as one of the highlights of Kalaa Utsavam – Indian Festival of Arts 2024.
“We are in an era where our minds often insist that we must see something to believe it,” said Akram.
“But in the traditional classical forms that shaped my upbringing, it was through belief that we could truly see. The work is a celebration of that wisdom, and honours the culture that continues to guide my artistic journey.”
According to the double Olivier Award (highest honour in British theatre) winner, who choreographed the London Olympics’ opening ceremony, GIGENIS is inspired by the Mahabharata – but it is not a story from the Indian epic.
It is about a mother of two sons who has lost her husband to war. And towards the end of her life, when one of her son dies in battle, she reflects on how this all came to be.
How she saw the world when she was a child, how she saw the world when she married, how she saw the world when she gave birth, and finally, how she sees the world when she experiences the death of her son.
“I find myself continuously returning back to this tale since performing in Peter Brook’s Mahabharata over 35 years ago,” said Akram, who choreographed a section of Australian singer Kylie Minogue’s Showgirl tour in 2005. “GIGENIS is a kind of metaphor of how I feel about the world today.”
Gigenis in Greek means giant or titan. It derives from Greek mythology and is used to describe something of significance.
“It references the powerful themes of greed, loss, joy and fear as seen in the Mahabharata,” said Akram.
“’The Generation Of The Earth’ serves as a bridge between the past and the present moment and is reflective of the ongoing relevance and impact of these ancient narratives on present and future generations.”
For fans of Akram’s breathless dancing, it has been a long wait to see him in action again. For the dancer, being back on stage in a new role is “incredibly humbling”.
“I’m not just a dancer but a director, guiding six extraordinary soloists from different generations and discipline: kathak, odissi, bharatanatyam and kutiyattam,” he said.
“While I continue to honour the tradition of my form, Kathak, my role as a storyteller has evolved. I am telling a story through my body and also through the remarkable bodies of these current and future masters of Indian classical dance.
“Together, we have created a dialogue that honours the past while looking towards the future.”
GIGENIS will travel to Sadler’s Wells in London later this month, the Theatre des Champs-Elysées in Paris (January), the Joyce Theatre in New York (February), UCSB Arts in Santa Barbara (April), The Kennedy Center in Washington (April) and possibly Mumbai.
