BANGALORE: The Chowdiah Memorial Hall saw the launch of Shobana Jeyasingh’s Bruise Blood and Faultline in India recently. The British Council, supported by Arts Council England and TVS, put on a sensational dance display performed by the International Dancers of the Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company. Soprano Patricia Rozario, beat boxer Roxorloops and composer Glyn Perrin provided the wonderful live music. This magnificent double-bill was inspired by the commotion of cities, and the youth growing within them.
Faultline was influenced by Gautam Malkani’s very successful novel Londonstani (2006), which explored alienated South Asian youths, and their experiences in Britain. The performance was executed upon a projected backdrop of darkly macabre black and white blurred images of buildings, youths on the street and a girl silently shouting as the tempo increased. The incredibly emotional and slightly aggressive dance expression was very impressive. The hauntingly beautiful soprano voice of Patricia Rozario contributed to the disturbing mood. Rozario, combined with the powerful percussion and the skilfully hostile dancing, created a moving performance. The dancers incorporated common gestures, such as running their fingers through their hair and straightening their ties, which added to the sense of a contemporary story being told. The exaggerated use of slow motion within the dancing was vastly effective and showcased the remarkable talent of the dancers.
Bruise Blood was an extraordinary display of dance, music and spoken word. Most notable were the unusual talents of beat boxer RoxorLoops, who brought a great deal of energy to the stage. The dancers even incorporated Roxorloops into their routine which was fascinating to watch. He recorded his own sound bites whilst on stage and then gradually layered others on top to create a fantastic auditory experience. The side stage lighting, casting the faces of the dancers into shadow, was picturesque.
The dancing was exceedingly varied, from large group acts completely taking over the stage, to moving duos dancing and invading the personal space of their partners. The theme of the colour red was also prominent in the costumes, lighting and backdrop. It increased the sense of urgency and mirrored the title of the piece. Shobana Jeyasingh has obviously exerted an enormous amount of effort into the choreography of both pieces and the brilliant results definitely did her justice.
