New Kathak production combines zen, sound vibrations

New Delhi: Noted Kathak dancer and choreographer Chetna Jalan is ready with her new production `Emoko,` which combines elements of Zen meditative practices with phonetic sound vibrations and the European dance philosophy of Laban. "I wanted to go back to the origin of movement of the human body in dance. What we now say as hybrid or fusion means deliberately involving other styles of dance. I didn`t want to do that but wanted to study the phonetic aspects of dance and my search led me to the Samveda," Jalan told reporters. The choreographer who trained in theatre arts from the American Conservatory theatre in San Francisco spent over five years developing her current production, which received a good response when it was first staged in Kolkata in February this year. "I was searching for a new imagery in kathak and in due course explored the zen movements of meditation. Zen dance master Sun Ock Lee from Korea guided my troupe in the principles of Zen meditations and explained how to delineate movement from sound," says Jalan. Jalan`s seven member troupe is scheduled to give two performances in the capital this Sunday. The production `Emoko` - which in Korean means "Who am I?" seeks to share the experiences of a dancer with the audience. "In the traditional performances of kathak you need to prepare the audience for the dance. The dancer wants to dazzle first. I wanted to change all that and go back to the source of dance and introduce the first scene as one of silence and stillness," says Jalan. The search of imagery different from that portrayed in traditional kathak led the sixty-plus choreographer to explore the system of movement analysis pioneered by European dance therapist Rudolf Laban and also look into the Sama veda for inspiration. "The Sama veda has always enchanted me , not for its textual meaning but for its awe-inspiring phonetic sound. I was eager to explore what energies the sound released within dancers` bodies when they began with – and always returned to – the neutrality of body and inner silence imbibed from Laban movement analysis and zen meditation," says Jalan. Elaborate sets designed by Sanchayan Ghosh, a noted installation artist from Shantiniketan adds to the production which highlights the dancers quest for self. "Ghosh`s has created a very expensive backdrop for our production. It is an elaborate art piece involving a lot of mechanics but not very gadgetry. It could be called an installation art," says Jalan. For the production "E-mo-ko" extensive research was also conducted on the modes of chanting in India, Tibet and South Korea, says the choreographer, who runs the Padatik dance based in Kolkata. Bureau Report