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Telling a story the contemporary way

Anupama R. gets a peek into the world of Richard Tremblay

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION Richard Tremblay PHOTO: S. GOPAKUMAR

Two figures sway and move against the rising rhythm of the chenda in an all-embracing white environment. The wild and free movements of the couple reflect the eclectic influences of various dance forms. This excerpt from `In Himalayas' was just a peek into the world of contemporary dance choreography and into the world of Richard Tremblay the well-known Canadian choreographer.

Tremblay, who divides his time between Canada and India, is known for his adherence to Kathakali in his dance-theatrical productions.

It was his search for dance theatre from the East that brought him to India where he spent time doing research, living in the Himalayas and in Kashmir. Having been directed to Kerala Kalamandalam by Ibrahim Alkazi, former Director of National School of Drama, Tremblay spent several years at Kalamandalam learning the traditional dance form. Explaining his love and respect for this form, Tremblay says, "Kathakali is a more involving dance. I saw in Kathakali the narrative that can convey a lot.

Telling a story

It was this that inspired Tremblay to create several dance narratives such as `The anger of Achilles' and `Odyssey,' using Kathakali. The influence of Kathakali can also be seen in the use of the chenda in his works thanks to Bruno Pacquet, who is trained in the traditional Kerala percussion instrument. Tremblay is currently working on the adaptation of `Golden Fleece.'

"I want to introduce myself through my work at these presentations," says Tremblay who has held presentations at the Kerala Kalamandalam, Thrissur and at the Institute of Comparative Literature, Kottayam and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, besides the various branches of the Alliance Francaise in India.

While the presentations in Kottayam and JNU were more academic in nature, the ones at the Alliance Francaise showcase examples through video clippings. The workshop in Thiruvananthapuram concentrated solely on contemporary dance. So what is the popular appeal of this genre? "Freedom," says Tremblay. "It allows one to tell about oneself, about the society in which we live... to question the values."

In India, pioneers like Uday Shankar and Chandralekha have promoted the contemporary dance movement and according to Tremblay, "Contemporary dance here has definitely evolved over the last 30 years, not continuously, but with ups and downs." To Tremblay, if dance is a witness to our body, choreography is a statement about the body. Dance is also about freedom and energy. And it is this energy that his workshop in Thiruvananthapuram celebrated.

Showcasing several choreographers, Tremblay also emphasised the difference between contemporary and classical dance. While the latter exemplifies the form, the former begins with the work and not the form. Despite this difference, the two dance forms do not compete with each other. "Classical and contemporary are complementary in many respects," he declares.

Starting with an excerpt from his own `In Himalayas,' Tremblay moved on to celebrate the renowned American choreographer and dancer, Merce Cunningham. Dominique Bagouet and his successor, Mathilde Monnier were the French choreographers next in the limelight. The presentation also had a clip from a short film by the Canadian Eduard Lock that looked at the theme of feminine sexuality. The last piece by Chandralekha explored the same theme.

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