Blending Contemporary Dance with Indian Classical Forms

Akram Khan, a British artist of Bangladeshi descent, transcends cultural boundaries with his unique style that fuses contemporary dance with the Indian classical dance form, Kathak.

He choreographed for pop star Kylie Minogue at her request, and was part of Danny Boyle's creative team for the London Olympics, choreographing and performing in a segment of the opening ceremony. As a leading contemporary dance artist in the UK, he commands a global following. His previous works, such as 'zero degrees', have explored his own identity. Now, his autobiographical narrative, which once again delves into his roots and examines his existence, is finally coming to Japan.

'DESH' means 'homeland' in Bengali, the language spoken in Bangladesh and other regions. In the performance, Khan uses his supple body and spoken word to convey the memories of his homeland held by its people, the memories recounted by his father, and his own memories that intertwine and diverge from these.