Blog Post Five - My Chosen Practitioner

 Akram Khan - 

Lee.S (2019) 'The body is the most truthful and most direct way of saying things because it is the most primal.' [Online] The Guardian, Available at - Akram Khan: ‘My children have forced me to look at the future’ | Akram Khan | The Guardian, Accessed: 17/10/21.
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I have chosen practitioner Akram Khan to influence my choreography. Akram Khan, is a highly renowned choreographer and dancer, born in 1974, London, Wimbledon. (Slanders, 2003) However Khan is of Bangladesh Heritage, and was taught Bengali Folk dance by his mother. (Slanders, 2003) Age seven Khan began Kathak a classical dance style from north India an evident influence in his works. (Roy, 2009) He is also influenced by pop culture of the time as he would often practice to popstars such as Michael Jackson on the Tv. (Roy, 2009) This results in his eclectic fusion of styles. 

Critics would often call his work 'Contemporary Kathak' as it combined multiple theatrical elements with strong Kathak roots. (Roy, 2009) However he takes this positively and uses it as a way to make the audience think for themselves giving them specific images for them to make their own interpretations.

Khan is a collaborative choreographer and lighting music, props, costumes are all integral to his works to communicate the story. (Roy, 2009) I was mostly drawn to the storytelling involved in his work. Khan bases most of the narratives of his works on his own personal experiences. However there is always an overarching theme that runs throughout through a network of resonating themes and images. I really liked this about his way of choreographing as I feel I want to communicate a story through my choreography and having reoccurring imagery throughout will help me communicate this.

When teaching choreography Khan almost always gives every step with a piece of imagery "Your arm moves with the weight of a rollercoaster - emphasize the down then once its taken off, its soft." (Stahl, 2014) An aspect of his choreography i also find interesting is the dynamic contrast of speed and stillness. I think this is a good aspect to influence my own choreography as we have a very juxtaposing image that can be reflected in the dynamics of the movement.

References - 

Stahl. J (2014) Peek Inside Akram Khans Creative Process, [Online] Dance Magazine, Available at Peek Inside Akram Khan's Creative Process (dancemagazine.com) [Accessed 17th October 2021]

Roy. S (2009) Step-by-step guide to dance: Akram Khan [Online] The Guardian, Available at Step-by-step guide to dance: Akram Khan | Akram Khan | The Guardian [Accessed 17th October 2021]

Slanders, L (2003) Akram Khan [PDF Online] Available at https://www.akramkhancompany.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Akram-Khan-by-Lorna-Sanders-May-2003.pdf [Accessed 17th October 2021]

[Lee.S (2019) 'The body is the most truthful and most direct way of saying things because it is the most primal.' [Online] The Guardian, Available at - Akram Khan: ‘My children have forced me to look at the future’ | Akram Khan | The Guardian, Accessed: 17/10/21.] 

Bibliography - 

Stahl. J (2014) Peek Inside Akram Khans Creative Process, [Online] Dance Magazine, Available at Peek Inside Akram Khan's Creative Process (dancemagazine.com) [Accessed 17th October 2021]

Roy. S (2009) Step-by-step guide to dance: Akram Khan [Online] The Guardian, Available at Step-by-step guide to dance: Akram Khan | Akram Khan | The Guardian [Accessed 17th October 2021]

Slanders, L (2003) Akram Khan [PDF Online] Available at https://www.akramkhancompany.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Akram-Khan-by-Lorna-Sanders-May-2003.pdf [Accessed 17th October 2021]

Akram Khan's Giselle: The Creative Process / English National Ballet (2016) [Video/ Youtube] English National Ballet, Available at Akram Khan’s Giselle: The Creative Process | English National Ballet - YouTube [Accessed 17th October 2021]
 
Lee.S (2019) 'The body is the most truthful and most direct way of saying things because it is the most primal.' [Online] The Guardian, Available at - Akram Khan: ‘My children have forced me to look at the future’ | Akram Khan | The Guardian, Accessed: 17/10/21.




 






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