Blog Post Eight - Critique 2 - Akram Khan - Dust

'Dust' - Akram Khan


Morgan. D, (2014), Akram Khan and ENB dancers in Khans 'Dust', Accessed: 20,11,21

'Dust' was first performed in 2014 at the Barbican, London. The piece is part of The English National Ballet's production 'Lest We Forget' Which commemorates the anniversary of the First World War. Akram Khans 'Dust' is about women's roles and the empowerment of women, as they became the main workforce in the country. (Akram Khan Company, 2015) Khan said "I didn't want to show the men dying in the trenches literally. I wanted to reflect that even though people are dying, the women working in the factories still have to build weapons for the war." (Sherstiuk, 2017) Khan wanted to show the strength of the women during this time and found the shift in gender roles an interesting choreographic avenue. He realised the women would have known they would be letting go of fathers, husbands, sons and brothers yet were making weapons that would kill others relatives. He said "It didn't matter what side you were on - they all felt loss and death. But in order for someone to live, someone else was putting their life on the line. That cyclical thing was what I wanted to explore." (Akram Khan Company, 2015)

Akram Khan challenged the dancers and had them work in a way they might not have been used to. Using lots of grounded low movement with bent knees and strong purpose, in contrast to the light airy look of a ballerina. The piece was also performed in bare foot which the classical trained dancer would not be used too. (Sherstiuk, 2017) The women wear long flowy skirts with tight vest tops in neutral brown colours and a scarf to cover the head. The men only wear the bottoms which are baggy trousers that are tighter around the calf. Also in a neutral brown colour.

The piece begins as the dancers begin to walk randomly onto stage, gradually forming a line of alternate men and women with one man central to the line. The line of dancers clap in unison with white powder on their hands forming a big cloud of dust, as the man central to the line drops to the floor. (May, 2018) He begins to twitch and squirm as the remaining dancers slowly lift their hands to the sky to reveal their white palms. The man comes back to the line whilst the ensemble appear to join, connecting their hand to the elbow of the person in front of them. They look as though they have become one big arm as they lift the central man off of the floor. As he begins to move his arms the impulses ricochet down the line creating a rippling wave effect. (May, 2018) Khan analysed the World War One images for detail and something he noticed was all the soldiers were covered in dust. He described it as  "skin like a snake." (Sherstiuk, 2017)This is resembled very clearly at this point. Suggesting they represent the machines of war like one large conveyor belt.

As the percussion begins to come in the men disperse from the stage symbolising them going off to war. The women now populate the stage as their movements become more strong and powerful emphasising the work of the women on the front line at this time. (Sherstiuk, 2017) There are specific motif developments of the women performing a swinging action of the arm over the head as if hitting a hammer on a nail. They repeat this at different sections of the piece. Perhaps suggesting the continuous work of the women making the weapons for the war.

The piece finishes with a duet with the central male and one of the female dancers involving lots of weight taking of each other contact work and lifts, they work together as we see the relationship unfold, reminding the audience of the loss and death that was felt by the women at this time and the cyclical cycle of sacrifice and loss.

References -

- Sherstiuk.S (2017) Jocelyn Pook Dust Akram Khan, English National Ballet, (Online) Available at:Jocelyn Pook Dust Akram Khan, English National Ballet - YouTube Accessed: 20/11/21

- Akram Khan Company (2015) Dust / English National Ballet, (Company Website) Available at: DUST / English National Ballet - Akram Khan Company, Accessed: 20/11/21

- May.E (2018) Review: English National Ballet's Lest We Forget - "Compelling, visually, emotionally & intellectually arresting" Available at:Review: English National Ballet's Lest We Forget - "compelling, visually, emotionally & intellectually arresting" | The Wonderful World of Dance Magazine, Accessed: 20/11/21

- Morgan. D, (2014), Akram Khan and ENB dancers in Khans 'Dust', Accessed: 20,11,21

Bibliography -

- Sherstiuk.S (2017) Jocelyn Pook Dust Akram Khan, English National Ballet, (Online) Available at:Jocelyn Pook Dust Akram Khan, English National Ballet - YouTube Accessed: 20/11/21

- Akram Khan Company (2015) Dust / English National Ballet, (Company Website) Available at: DUST / English National Ballet - Akram Khan Company, Accessed: 20/11/21

- May.E (2018) Review: English National Ballet's Lest We Forget - "Compelling, visually, emotionally & intellectually arresting" Available at:Review: English National Ballet's Lest We Forget - "compelling, visually, emotionally & intellectually arresting" | The Wonderful World of Dance Magazine, Accessed: 20/11/21

 - Morgan. D, (2014), Akram Khan and ENB dancers in Khans 'Dust', Accessed: 20,11,21

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