Scottish Dance Theatre (SDT), Scotland’s leading national contemporary dance company and part of Dundee Rep Theatre, is one of the most exciting and innovative groups working in the U.K. today. It makes its India premiere in November, with the first performance in Chennai, before moving to Bangalore, Delhi and Kolkata. The first two shows are presented by The Hindu in association with the British Council and the Scottish Government.
Working with both U.K. and international choreographers, SDT is able to create a transformational experience that constantly pushes boundaries and expectations. In India, their performances will feature three of the most talented choreographers in the U.K. today: Hofesh Shechter, Liv Lorent and James Wilton. The group’s performances have been variously described as raw, passionate, intensely physical, tender and incredibly beautiful; a set of adjectives that can’t fail to excite curiosity. Liv Lorent’s award-winning piece Luxuria is a stage fantasy — cinematic, romantic and whimsical — performed to a haunting classical score. Fringe Guru describes it as “so ravishing it takes your heart and soars away with it”, while The Guardian calls it “… lusciously sensual and yearningly romantic …”
In contrast, Hofesh Shechter’s DOG is being billed as a more raw and grungy work with carnival sounds, drumming, and tons of energy. Shechter, hailed as one of Europe’s most original and exciting artists today, created this piece exclusively for SDT.
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The riotous work, which takes a satirical look at Darwin’s essentials for survival and wraps it up into a treat for the senses, comes here with rave reviews received at its premiere at the American Dance Festival in June this year.
Finally, James Wilton’s piece Drift is a powerful duet that explores loneliness and companionship, commitment, risk and trust. Performed to a heavy rock soundtrack, it pushes dancers to their physical limits. It has the feel of a Nine Inch Nails concert. The New York Times has said it is “superbly danced”.
Each piece is between 10 and 30 minutes long, and the performances promise to leave you on an absolute high. Besides, SDT clearly takes its outreach and education initiatives very seriously, and is conducting workshops with schools, disability organisations and theatre groups in all four cities it will visit.
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Bottomline: A transformational experience that pushes boundaries and expectations.
Scottish Dance Theatre
Where:Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Auditorium (Chennai); Chowdiah Hall (Bangalore); Kamani Auditorium (Delhi); Kala Mandir (Kolkata)
When:October 21, October 25, October 30 and November 2 respectively