Journalism of Courage
Using the excavator as a stage for a dance performance might sound odd to most,but not to French artistes Philippe Priasso and Dominique Boivin. The duo,who go by the name Beau Geste,enthralled the Pune audience when they performed at the Film and Television Institute of India on Thursday. Titled Transports Exceptionnels the act had Priasso perform death-defying acrobatic dance on the excavator,as the choreographer,Boivin,looked on.
We have been doing this since 2005, said Priasso,who has participated in 500 shows in 42 countries. The India tour has them performing in Delhi,Hyderabad,Bengaluru,Chennai,Pune and Chandigarh. What is unique about the art form is that the machine that we use is different each time. It becomes a challenge and a novel experience for us as well as the audience, added Priasso.
When asked about their most memorable performance,Priasso instantly thinks of the ones outside a cathedral and the Chambord Castle in France. At the cathedral,as the fork lift elevated me to the statues of Virgin Mary and the apostles and saints,I felt as though we had managed to merge God,his creations,man and machine,into one,” he states,adding,”On the other hand,Chambord Castle was built after Da Vinci died. His complex artistic blueprints are evident in the structure and while performing there we felt that were being transported back to his time.”
