THE HANGOVER REPORT – Akram Khan returns to his roots and to the stage in the exquisite GIGENIS: THE GENERATION OF THE EARTH

Mythili Prakash, Akram Khan, and Mavin Khoo in “GIGENIS: The generation of the Earth” at The Joyce Theater (photo by Camilla Greenwell).

Although I thought I had seen the last of Akram Khan as a performer, it’s nonetheless a welcome the opportunity to see the legendary British-Bangladeshi choreographer/dancer return to the stage in his latest full length work GIGENIS: The generation of the Earth, which opened last night at The Joyce Theater for a weeklong run (having also recently presented sold out engagements by Camille A. Brown and Compagnie Hervé KOUBI, The Joyce has had quite the successful winter season thus far). Inspired by a segment of the Mahabharata, the piece tells the mournful inter-generational story of a family beleaguered by a hunger for power.

Known for his unique blend of kathak and contemporary dance, Khan is undoubtedly one of the few bona fide icons of the dance world. Upon first glance, GIGENIS is a clear homage to his roots in Indian classical dance. But although the piece is choreographed in that style and tradition, there’s a distinctly contemporary way in which Khan conveys storytelling through movement. Throughout, his sense of line, fluidity, and composition is formidable, bringing texture and aesthetic unity to the work. At once intimate and panoramic, there’s a timeless quality that pervades the piece — GIGENIS speaks to modern audiences across time, space, and culture, commenting on our unsettled times while exploring notions of memory and ritual.

In addition to himself, Khan has employed the talents of a group of superb Indian classical dancers. Most striking among them is Kapila Venu, whose fierce and mesmerizing opening solo sets the pungent tone of the work as a whole (the other astonishing dancers are Mavin Khoo, Mythili Prakash, Vijna Vasudevan, and Renjith Babu). Also noteworthy is the exquisite live music (the work of a multitude of composers), which is performed by seven musicians on platforms surrounding the dancers. Also contributing to the atmosphere is Zeynep Kepekli’s moody lighting and Dave Price’s haunting sound design.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

GIGENIS: THE GENERATION OF THE EARTH
Dance
The Joyce Theater
1 hour, 5 minutes (without an intermission)
Through February 16

Categories: Dance

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