Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Netflix’s MOVE profiles some of contemporary dance’s most prominent choreographers in accessible, fresh ways

• By drediman
• November 10, 2020
• No Comments

I recently had the chance to consume two episodes (Episode Two, Episode Five) of Move, Netflix’s new documentary series profiling some of contemporary dance’s most prominent choreographers. The great thing about the series’ five slickly-produced episodes is that you really don’t have to be a dance aficionado to find it compelling. One of Move‘s primary strengths is its ability to convey these dance-makers’ obsessive, deeply personal passion for movement – as well as their philosophical approach to choreography – in accessible but fresh ways. And regardless of your experience with this most ephemeral of art forms, the show’s candid peeks into the creative process make for illuminating television.

The subject of Episode Two is Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin, the artistic director of the world renowned Batsheva Dance Company (one of my personal favorites). The episode follows the politically-aware choreographer as he readies his Tel-Aviv-based company for the premiere of one of his works. Along the way, we learn about “Gaga”, Mr. Naharin’s freeing and free-form approach to dance, whereby the body dictates movement. According to Mr. Naharin, only by respecting the body’s idiosyncratic needs and getting in touch with one’s primal instincts can a dancer transcend meaningless physical motion and truly express themselves (the episode also documents this philosophy’s holistic therapeutic effects). It’s no surprise, therefore, that Mr. Naharin and his Batsheva dancers have consistently championed guttural authenticity over classical notions of choreographic beauty, producing and performing some of the most visceral and sensual pieces of dance I’ve seen.

The last episode of the series focuses on Akram Khan, another iconic contemporary dance choreographer. Born and raised in England but of Bangladeshi descent, Mr. Khan is depicted as a tortured artist torn between his South Asian heritage – he was trained extensively in classical Indian dance – and the desire to be accepted by the West. The docuseries suggests that this struggle was the dominant force in the shaping of Mr. Khan’s aesthetic. Indeed, even though many of his dances have largely drawn inspiration from panoramic sources like mythology and history, Mr. Khan’s choreography is distinctly characterized by tension and inner strife. His demons also seem to have developed the choreographer’s expert ability to calibrate the discipline and rhythmic exuberance of Kathak with the fluid expressiveness of contemporary dance. Although much of the episode chronicles Mr. Khan’s turbulent coming-of-age in England (much of it colored by acts of racism towards him and his family), it movingly culminates with uplifting “full-circle” events like fatherhood and his eventual reconciliation with his heritage.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

MOVE
Television / Documentary Series
Netflix
Approximately an hour per episode