Attakkalari India Biennial Premieres In Bengaluru

A dance production by Attakkalari India Biennial that takes inspiration from Karnataka’s heritage and Vachana literature kicks off the 10th edition of South Asia’s preeminent contemporary movement and digital arts festival

As the new year sets in, Bengaluru gets ready to host the 10th edition of the Attakkalari India Biennial, arguably South Asia’s largest contemporary movement and digital arts festival.  The Biennial began its celebrations in December 2021 with talent-incubator initiatives – Platform 22, AIB Open Studio, and Writing on Dance lab. The months of January and February are set to unveil a calendar packed with vibrant performances, master classes, film screenings, dance installations, and a conference on dance.

Kicking off the celebrations for the milestone edition is the premiere of Sthavara-Jangama, a dance production conceived especially for the Biennial on January 8, 6.30 pm, at the Bangalore International Centre (BIC). Choreographed by Attakkalari’s artistic director Jayachandran Palazhy, the collaborative effort features well-known names in the Kannada culture scape. Renowned Kannada poet, playwright, and scholar HS Shivaprakash is a consultant and advisor on literature and heritage for the production and award-winning musicians MD Pallavi and Bindhumalini don the title of music composers for it. Germany-based award-winning theatre director and digital artist Chris Zieglar brings in his expertise, creating digital imagery specifically for this production.

The word Sthavara Jangama in Sanskrit refers to moveable and immoveable objects. In this production, Sthavara-Jangama explores the intangible relationship that exists between human beings and the physical spaces and built architectures around us. The piece travels between the past and presents so you have ancient architectural marvels from south India, particularly the Vijayanagara empire morphing into restless imagery from current urbanscapes. The production ties in Kannada Vachana philosophy that exhort breaking away from rigid societal norms on one end and on the other, it also explores how notions of home can transform from that of a safe and secure place of refuge to one of seclusion and tension. The images of distraught migrants walking all the way home during the peak of lockdown in 2020 are the most recent instance. A site-specific promenade performance, Sthavara-Jangama will incorporate the venue into the choreography. It will be performed by the Attakkalari Dance Company and guests. The event will be hosted by Vasanthi Hariprakash.

Talking about composing music for the dance production, National award-winning musician Bindhumalini said, “As music composers, we are getting to explore voices, poems and expressions through music and songs about spaces – within and without. I am excited to be part of a journey that involves dancers, architecture, and digital image projection.”

Popular bhavageethe singer, actor, and music composer MD Pallavi said, “It’s exciting to be composing for Sthavara-Jangama and working with Jayachandran for this much-loved event. Bindhu and I are taking our collaboration forward with it as our third project. It is quite an ambitious production, with site-specific choreography and music and an attempt to take the audience on a literal and historic journey.”

Encapsulating the entire experience of how working on Sthavara-Jangama has been like, choreographer Jayachandran Palazhy said, “Working on Sthavara-Jangama has been exciting, often challenging, and most fulfilling endeavor. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to work with an exciting team of artists on this project, especially during these testing times. Working with brilliant composers and singers like MD Pallavi and Bindhumalini on this project is a treat in itself. Their inimitable live music score brings songs, words, and sounds from across India that encapsulate the times we live in, and at times take us on an insightful journey to the past. It is always fun to work with young dancers who are bringing their own signatures to each and every move of the choreography. Acclaimed German digital artist Christian Ziegler’s cutting-edge images will be animating the architectural facade of Bangalore International Centre with landscapes, streets, and edifices of this land, both from the past and contemporary times.

Costumes by Aloka D’souza and lights by Shymon Chelad add color, texture, and intimacy to the piece. I am grateful for the helpful advice of poets HS Shivaprakash and K Satchidanandan on the historical aspects of the production.”

Tickets for the performance priced at Rs 300 are available on Instamojo, Bookmyshow, and PayTM Insider.

Address of the venues:
Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts
377/22, 6th Cross Rd
Vinayaka Nagar, NGO Colony
Wilson Garden
Bengaluru-27

Bangalore International Centre
7, 4th Main Road
Domlur II Stage
Bengaluru- 71

For Attakkalari, contact: 9972950973
Email: festival@attakkalari.org