Water across a bridge

But the first chance to collaborate came through a third person 8212; Pedro Cortes. A musician whose lineage boasts generations of gypsy guitarists, he is an old-timefriend of La Conja together they had set New York ablaze with their pulsating Spanish rhythm and sound. Previously sticking to blends of Jazz, Afro-Caribbean and Middle-Eastern with the pure Flamenco, when Cortes composed Pani 8212; a 22-minute sitar-guitar duet 8212; he knew La Conja could do it justice. And that was important. Pani was more than just an alloy of two different music forms. For Cortes, it was going back to roots. The first time gypsies packed their bags, it was in India. It is said they were descendants from the 20,000 musicians and dancers who were lent to the court of the Persian monarch, Behram Gour. But on their return, they were expelled by the Mongols who were routed from Delhi. Their customs and language appear to have an Indian origin and, Cortes points out that pani means water in Calo, the language of the Spanish gypsies.

quot;Though I have heard a lot of Indian music in America, this is my first time in India. We also have what you call raagas. A lot of it is similar,quot; adds Cortes.

LaConja obviously agreed with him. She also saw Pani8217;s similarities with Indian music, and called in Puri 8212; who was in New York at the time 8212; for her inputs. quot;We recorded a fusion dance to some parts of his music and I think Pedro was really surprised with what we had done,quot; says La Conja. quot;Yes, I was quite amazed. I knew we had something substantial then,quot; replies Cortes.

New York audiences were the first to see Flamenco Natyam and the response was stunning. The same hour-and-a-half long performance will be presented in Mumbai, today. It starts with a solo by Puri, then by La Conja and finally both of then dance together to the original Pani. Both dancers will be wearing striking black and red costumes in their own traditional styles. The colours are typical Flamenco but a far cry from traditional Bharat Natyam costumes. The first two sections have also been composed by Cortes and will have Anuradha Pal on the tabla, Zunain Khan on the sitar and S Shankarnarayan on the mridangam. Geetha Murli, a Carnaticvocalist, is also part of the ensemble. Puri, who is an Odissi dancer, explains why the fusion used South Indian dance and music. quot;Dances like Kathak or Odissi look very pretty,quot; she says, quickly demonstrating both, quot;but a forceful reply to music is not there. Bharat Natyam has that. And South Indian music comes from the gut and has that energy, that force.quot;

And though by the very nature of fusion, boundaries have been blurred and crossed, the artistes involved have stuck to the classical rule book. Says Cortes, quot;Modern dance has no rules. In a way that is nice but in the classical arts, there is more challenge 8212; a feeling of let8217;s see what I can do within these dictums8217;.quot; Both he and La Conja are hoping for a continuous process of exchange with India and want to bring down their respective music and dance groups 8212; Amanecer Flamenco Progresivo and Mimbre Vareta. quot;Maybe out of this, a whole new vocabulary will develop,quot; says Puri. A hybrid dance with its own colour and its own set ofrules.

Today, at the Experimental Theatre, NCPA. Time: 6.30 pm.