A contemporary Indian dance performance by noted dancer Astad Deboo will greet Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk on his coronation as the fifth king of Bhutan in a ceremony on November 7. The newly crowned monarch who at 29 years would be the youngest reigning king in the world, will watch Deboo perform to the beat of over 30 Manipuri traditional drummers in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu as part of the two-day celebrations. President Pratibha Patil, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee are scheduled to attend the ceremony among other high-profile invitees. "I would present two creations for the celebrations. The first is a 20 minute performance for the King and the heads of the state where I would be accompanied by 30 pungcholam drummers and later they would go solo," the Padma Shri awardee said. A second 80-minute performance by Deboo in his signature style comprising equal parts movement of rhythm, sound and spectacle would be open to the public on the evening of November 7 and 8. "It is the first time that I will perform in Bhutan. It is a great honour because I am the only Indian artist to be chosen to represent India," says Deboo who is known to fuse traditional dance with contemporary elements and present in a style that is modern. Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk will be coronated as the fifth King of Bhutan, 34 years after his father Jigme Singye Wangchuk was crowned. The performance, which is sponsored by Indian Government, would be included in a series of celebrations following the ceremony attended by world leaders and leading trade and tourism industry representatives. Deboo has worked with the Manipuri drummers in the past too and had performed at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2006. "I have been working in Manipur for the past 11 years and my most recent work which audiences in Bangalore and Mumbai are familiar with I have collaborated with eight drummers from Manipur," says the dancer who is credited as the pioneer of modern dance in India. Having mastered Kathakali and Kathak, Deboo also learnt the styles of contemporary dance in New York and London and experimented with a variety of forms, themes, concepts and performance spaces collaborating with other dancers, composers and designers. "When Dr Singh came to know of my association with the drummers he asked me to perform in Bhutan. I have worked with Seityabanji and his troupe and auditioned for the drummers and finally settled on the 30." says Deboo. The vocabulary of avant garde will be juxtaposed with traditional elements of dance to create a unique dance at the ceremony. The choreography is a modification of Deboo's new work 'Rhythm Divine' that has been seen in parts by audiences in Mumbai and Bangalore and would be performed in totality at Kalakshetra festival in Chennai later this year.
