Dance, theatre, and the oldest martial arts form of Kerala, Kalaripayattu, are coming together for the first time on stage to pay a tribute to mother earth. Curated by Alliance Française de Delhi, Bhu showcases the journey of a man who discovers his deep union with earth, finds an inner balance within himself, and questions the muscle memory of the dancer—one with earth and nature. The exhibition will take place on Sunday.
The idea of blending modern theatrical, choreographic tools and the traditional form of Kalaripayattu into a contemporary show emerged after Thierry Moucazambo, co-ordinator and assistant director of Bhu Project, met Guruji Lakshman Gurukkal, a Kalaripayattu master, and learnt that the art form symbolises a warrior and a healer, and also draws nuances from Ayurveda and spirituality.
“When we met, he told us to create a show linked to Kalaripayattu, but to express the art through dance and drama. We were also inspired by Kalaripayattu as it borrows from nature and also gives it back, finding a balance. So we thought to combine it with dance and theatre. So, when we had to showcase the journey of a man who discovers his connection with earth, Kalaripayattu fitted well as it builds a connection with the five elements of the nature, and earth is one of them,” he says.
But, to capture the emotions of the Kalaripayattu artists using dance and theatre would not have been easy. So, instead of training new artists, the team decided to feature performances of six trained Kalaripayattu artists (all from India), who are also known as warriors/dancers/healers and masters in energy, along with three musicians. “We knew that only they would be able to express real emotions and style, and hence we chose real performers to do justice to the act,” explains Moucazambo.
The show will witness performances by Guruji Lakshman Gurukkal. The performance narrates a story of transformation of an angry man who builds a connection with the universe, and maintains balance with the nature and its five elements by defeating his ego through Kalaripayattu.
This is not the first time that the show is being opened to the public. The organisation has already performed in Chennai, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Now, Alliance Française de Delhi also plans to take this art form across the world.