Challenging Beats

Choreographer and dancer Astad Deboo is all set to regale the audience with his latest production,Breaking Boundaries.

For legendary dancer and choreographer Astad Deboo,the man who brought Indian contemporary dance to the centre stage,perfection is the key to a great show. His latest production the 70-minute dance-drama Beyond Boundaries performance may be three months away,but the master stopped by the city on Friday to make sure that the venue for his new production is just right. The production,which is a blend of varied dance forms ranging from Kathakali,Bharatanatayam to ballet,acrobatics and yogic bends will be showcased in this summer.

Dance is a journey,which can be taken forward only if you have a solid foundation. The term modern and contemporary dance is used so losely. Years of study,training in classical forms,getting something new on the table every time,is essential. This is precisely why I dont churn out a new show every year, says 66-year-old Deboo,whose production will be presented by city-based Durga Das Foundation. The 80-minute performance by Deboo in his signature style will comprise equal parts movement of rhythm,sound and spectacle.

Over three years,Deboo has been mentoring a group of 13 young performers of Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT),an NGO dedicated to the welfare of underprivileged youth in Delhi. Taking the audience through five parts,he will use the concepts of body,space,rasa bhakti and minimalism to bring out his inimitable style of dance,which will explore a new vocabulary that is rooted yet contemporary.

Initially it was tough for them to go beyond the Bollywood vocabulary,but when this dance made them aware of their bodies and what they are capable of,it was simply magical for them. As a reward,I also agreed on a fast-paced number on popular demand, said Deboo,a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Academy Award and Padma Shri,who is known to have changed the language of dance by giving it a new vocabulary in an effort to constantly innovate and create. He adds that for him it is all about connecting with children and making them break away from the limits of their disadvantaged background,in order to step into a new world of dance. This is an overwhelming feeling, he says.

But in spite of these credentials,he still struggles to garner funds and sponsorships. Its tough,but never dissuading,for the show has to go on, says the choreographer,who has been working with the hearing impaired in Chennai and Bangalore,apart from street children and the drummers of Manipur.

Now,Deboo is looking forward to interpreting Tagore and is working on productions based on three of his works including Devi,a short story,Walking Tall,from the epic song Ekla Cholo Re and Shyama,a Bengali dance musical. I read a lot of Tagores works to choose these pieces and commission myself to do something totally different instead of a full-length production, says Deboo.

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