Winged

Thousands of birds forming ever-changing patterns in the sky without a leader: each bird responds only to its immediate neighbours, and yet the flock moves as a single living organism. In Winged, choreographer Kalpana Raghuraman translates this fascinating phenomenon onto the stage. Five dancers and two percussionists from HIIIT, formerly Slagwerk Den Haag, constantly listen, watch and respond to one another. This creates a choreography that is both free and precise, as if dance and music breathe together.

The movement language of Kalpanarts, Raghuraman’s company, is unique. The choreographer blends the South Indian classical dance Bharatanatyam with contemporary dance and urban influences. Rhythmic footwork, expressive hand gestures and powerful body lines form a hybrid dance language in which tradition and innovation reinforce one another. At Kalpanarts, each dancer is also a musician: the body creates rhythm and becomes an instrument in its own right.

-|-That rhythm forms the heart of the performance. Inspired by Indian rhythmic systems and polyrhythms from various cultures, patterns are constantly shifting. The live percussion forms the musical backbone: a rhythmic impulse sets a movement in motion, whilst a change in the choreography influences the musical flow.

At times the dancers move as a cohesive group; at others, the structure breaks open, creating tension between the individual and the collective. How much autonomy can you relinquish in order to move together? Winged presents this question not as a thought, but as an experience.