Astad delivers dance expression

Aendra Medita, Contributor, Bandung

Renowned contemporary dancer-choreographer Astad Deboo brings new aesthetic meaning from Indian dance to a Bandung audience with his dynamic movements, using dance as rite and rhythm.

In his Dance Expression show at Selasar Sunaryo Art Space last Saturday, the Indian dancer, who had performed at the Great Wall of China and alongside Pink Floyd in London, presented three of his choreographies.

Astad is popular among world-class dancers for his innovative pieces drawn from classical Indian Kathak and Khatali dances, combined with his knowledge of dance styles the world over.

While most dancers devote their performances to the Hindu deities Shiva and Ganesha as a form of worship, the recipient of the Sangeet Natak Academy Award for Creative Dance from the Indian government, who studied modern western dance techniques at the London School of Contemporary Dance in London, devotes his dances to space and the body, which are integrated into his choreography and accompanying music.

"I feel that my every move responds to a dynamic space," said the 56-year-old dancer, who is considered to be a pioneer in modern Indian dance, after the show.

The dancer was in the West Java town after taking part at the JakArt@ 2003 International Arts, Cultural and Educational Festival in Jakarta earlier. For the Bandung show, he collaborated with Sunaryo as stage director.

In the first dance, Aavan, Astad emphasized his dance on space and body movements, transforming the surrounding space as power through his movements following the music prepared by Amelia Cani. Performing on top of the amphitheater wall's backdrop, where some bamboo covered in white cloth became the centerpiece of the stage, the dance recounted the birth of the meaning of humanity.

In the second piece, titled Stepping Out, with music prepared by Gert Anklah, Astad presented dynamic movements through simple, but rhythmical acts. In the dance, Astad worked on the space by playing with the white backdrop and stage lighting. Through the dance, Astad wanted to show he was now in the reality of life, with freedom to move.

The second choreography was performed to relate the first and the last choreography, Every Fragment of the Dust is Awakened, presented with powerful and repeated movements.

Unfortunately, the lack of proper lighting failed to provide hoped-for results for the entire performance. Nevertheless, artistically, the entire show was successful, despite the presence of some in the audience who, in ignorance, distracted other people's attention by taking pictures using flash during the performance.

Still, watching Astad's dances was like being witness to a rite, but in the show, it was similar to the struggle between birth and life, giving rhythmical expression to the performances.