Photo by Andy Ross

Scottish Dance Theatre set the Indian stage on fire during their four-city tour between Oct. 18 and Nov. 2

Dance speaks before and beyond words. It is visual and visceral, present and immediate, yet triggers the subconscious and a sense of shared consciousness. Following these basic theories of dance, the Scottish Dance Theatre, principal contemporary dance company of Scotland and part of Dundee Rep Theatre, toured four Indian metropolitan cities— Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru and Kolkata — from October 18 to November 2. Starting from duets to single performances, the dance forms were witty, sophisticated, raw and a delight for dance-lovers.
With three of the “signature” works of Scotland — Dog, Luxuria and Drift — SDT’s performances in India featured three of the most talented UK-based choreographers — Hofesh Shechter (performance titled “Dog”), Liv Lorent (performance titled “Luxuria”) and James Wilton (performance titled “Drift”) — highlighting a range of different approaches to dance-making.
James MacGillivray, acting artistic director, SDT, says, “The dance forms do not tell a story, or follow a linear narrative — rather they convey themes, ideas and issues which relate to the human condition — who we are today in this society, this culture.”
The dance form “Dog” questions who we are, and where we, as a civilisation, have come to. It explores the notion of suppression and repression — whether it is peer pressure, family ties, societal or governmental pressure, or simply the struggle to be at ease with oneself.
“Luxuria” is about lust, love, desire and passion. It is about people’s desire to have more — and to never be satisfied with what we have now — no matter how much we want it, or how much we love it.
“Drift”, represents a relationship between two people who have known each other for a long time, and the struggles and difficulties of a relationship. As much as we trust the other one, and love them, we can’t help but try to deceive or trick the other one — taunting them to take risks.
The dancers in SDT are from across the globe and are trained in particular forms such as ballet. But they are versatile enough, and like Indian contemporary dancers they, too, are passionate about breaking ground and staying honest and true to their own and the choreographer’s inquiry. MacGillivray says, “Many of the India dancers we have met are masters of one technique, or form. But amazingly everyone appears to share a desire to transcend mere steps and choreography and to find oneself within the work.”
The organisers feel that there is a common ground of artistic inquiry here in India and are spending a lot of time to improvise and come up with new dance forms to help dancers find movement through freedom and self-expression. “We have been blown away by the skill, integrity and history of the dance forms here. We spend a lot of time improvising material sourced from an honest starting point within the individual. I think this has been most ‘helpful’, or of most use to the artists we worked with,” he adds.
Looking at the economical and cultural relations developing between the two countries and the appetite for contemporary dance here in India, the organisers wanted to visit India for the last three to four years and share their part of contemporary dance. “Our former director, Janet Smith, undertook a research trip to India in 2010 and set the foundations for the tour we have just undertaken. It is an honour for SDT to be here and share some of what is happening in the field in the UK and to discover more about what is important and happening in India,” MacGillivray says.
In its outreach programme, SDT held learning and outreach programmes for students and worked with charities in Chennai and disabled students in Kolkata. They are happy to see young boys accepting contemporary dance with open hands and giving it a chance. “Some of the most memorable experiences are like working with the charities in Chennai and disabled students in Kolkata, particularly the SchoolsConnect Progra-mme organised by Ranan in Kolkata. We had extended contact with 20 young boys who had never seen contemporary dance before but who have been transformed by our engagement with them — even blogging and making videos of their experience,” says the artistic director.
Although contemporary dance doesn’t seem to create the superstars that we often associate with other art forms, MacGillivray feels that dancers like Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham and Pina Bausch broke the mold and choreographed innovative dance forms. “Modern day choreographers, such as Hofesh — who has choreographed Dog — continue to do this with great acclaim. It is more the choreographers who will achieve this status today, as the dancers will tend to move from company to company, and may stay anonymous.”
Looking at the overwhelming response each of the four performances received, the organisers are planning to come to India again in March to further this relationship. “We hope that this trip is just the beginning. We have been forging relations with companies and schools, and hope to be able to work collaboratively in the future. Our incoming artistic director, Fleur Darkin, plans to return to India in March to further the artistic conversations with the groups we have met this time round.”
Thanking the people for supporting SDT and urging young dancers to keep their hearts and minds open as there is no right or wrong to read dance, MacGillivray says, “Allow yourself to absorb and keep inquiring. We have had an incredible experience in India, and that is thanks in large part to the openness and generosity of the audiences.”