In up to date dance, few troupes have managed to mix the bodily and the digital with the finesse of Compagnie Käfig. This French dance firm, below the visionary management of Mourad Merzouki, has been redefining the boundaries of dance and know-how since its inception in 1996. The identify Käfig, which means ‘cage’ in each German and Arabic, is a testomony to Merzouki’s philosophy of not being confined to a single model. This December, India will witness this groundbreaking fusion first-hand as Compagnie Käfig brings its celebrated manufacturing, Pixel, to its shores.

Pixel is a digital spectacle that challenges the standard notions of area and motion. In collaboration with the French digital manufacturing studio Adrien M & Claire, Merzouki has created a world the place dancers work together with a digital atmosphere, blurring the traces between actuality and phantasm. This synergy of virtuoso hip-hop, up to date dance, and digital artistry has captivated audiences globally since its premiere in 2014.

Merzouki shares, “I wanted to open up the way where the synthetic world of digital projection interacts with the dancer’s reality. Besides video projections, I wanted Armand Amar’s music to fit closely to the choreography and the images, like a warmer invitation to travel. Accompanying the performers, his music brings out the energy as well as the poetry lying in the dancer’s body.”

The tour organised by the Alliances Françaises in India is akin to a bridge between the French and Indian creative communities. The Alliances Françaises have lengthy been instrumental in fostering cultural ties between France and India, and this tour is a continuation of that custom. The upcoming performances in New Delhi (December 8 at Kamani Auditorium), Mumbai (December 16 at NCPA), and Goa (December 19 at Serendipity Arts Festival) aren’t standalone reveals however alternatives for collaboration and studying. Workshops, masterclasses, and auditions by Merzouki and his workforce are deliberate to supply Indian artists an opportunity to have interaction with and be taught from these masters of dance.

Merzouki’s work is characterised by its accessibility and attraction to a broad viewers. His choreography, whereas technically demanding, speaks to each connoisseurs and novices of dance. This inclusivity is, maybe, what units Compagnie Käfig aside. The firm’s signature model is a mix of the virtuosity of hip-hop, the aesthetics of recent scenography, and the emotive energy of music, making a dance expertise that’s each visually beautiful and emotionally resonant.

As ‘Pixel’ prepares to make its mark on Indian soil, it brings with it not simply the promise of spectacular performances but additionally the potential for lasting creative collaborations. In partnership with the Prakriti Foundation, the up to date dance and hip-hop communities of India might be given a chance to function in Mourad Merzouki’s upcoming present, ‘Cartes blanches,’ which will be released in India in 2024. This tour is a celebration of the universality of dance, transcending cultural and linguistic barriers.

As Merzouki says that the company is eager to reconnect with audiences post-COVID, sharing their fresh blend of dance and technology with the world. “It’s a chance for Indian audiences to witness a dance phenomenon that has been charming the world and for Indian artists to have interaction with and be taught from a number of the finest in up to date dance,” he concludes.

As ‘Pixel’ prepares to weave its digital magic throughout Indian levels, it guarantees to be an unforgettable expertise for all concerned.

Published on: Saturday, December 09, 2023, 11:59 PM IST