Blog Post Ten - Critique Three - Akram Khan - 'Zero Degrees'

Zero Degrees, first premiered in 2005, at Sadler's Wells in London. (Mackrell, 2005)
The piece is a 75 minute duet performed and co-choreographed by Akram Khan and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. (Akram Khan Company, 2015) When the two choreographers met in 2000, they recognised strong connections and resemblance in their work. (Mackrell, 2005) Both originated from Islamic families and were brought up in Europe. (Scherr, 2008) They explore this dual identity and meeting of different cultures through the intricate Indian kathak dance combined with the stealthy, precision of the contemporary movements. (Mackrell, 2005) When Khan and Cherkaoui came together to plan a joint work in 2005 cherkaoui asked khan to tell him something he had never told anyone before this conversation was recorded and was the beginning idea for the piece, this conversation was translated into a dialogue that is used to open the work. (Mackrell, 2005)

The piece begins with the two performers sitting cross legged at the front center on a brightly lit stage. They begin the piece by breaking the fourth wall and using dialogue in unison in correlation to lots of gestures and hand movements. This dialogue tells the story of a time Khan and his Bangladesh cousin were boarding a train from India to Bangladesh. Police guards confiscated their passports as the two go on to explain the importance of identity held within the passport "if that passport disappears, where is my proof of identity?" Even though Cherkaoui was not there with khan when this happened, the unity within their dialogue and movement even down to the detailed hesitations make it appear as though they lived this experience together. (Scherr, 2008)Throughout the work the themes of duality are very clearly explored throughout the movement style.

The choreography follows a journey between the two dancers as they exchange movements from both choreographic styles. (Akram Khan Company, 2015) The dancing begins as the two performers face each other like a mirror image and start to intertwine their arms around one another. The movements almost seem to reflect like a mirror image, sometimes breaking out into each other's space or breaking away from the symmetry they create. (Scherr, 2008)

There is a clear use of accumulation here and repeated motifs to highlight distinctive shapes and images they make within the body. Throughout this section themes of submission and power are explored as the movement gradually becomes more rhythmic and intense, as they appear to almost fight one another. (Scherr, 2008) I feel their choreographic intention here was to communicate and explore the difficulty and confusion of both of their dual identities, delving into themes of feeling like you belong in comparison to always feeling a bit out of place because of the other identity you hold.

When the movement begins to become progressively violent and aggressive, they transfer this energy into the dummy doubles. (Scherr, 2008) Made by the acclaimed British sculptor Antony Gormley, these dummies were real life casts of Khan and Cherkaoui's bodies and act as co-performers on stage as the two performers integrate the dummies into their movement. (Mackrell, 2005) They carry, drag, sit on, stand and mobilise the dummies so the dummies appear as other performers on stage. (Mackrell, 2005) From my personal interpretation I think this could suggest the emptiness of the body as just a vessel. The dummies are white and appear lifeless however towards the end of the piece it is although the identities of Khan and Cherkaoui have been translated into them as the dummies are left on stage alone. 

References -

- Mackrell, K (2005), 'Zero Degrees,' The Guardian, Accessed: 30/11/2021

- Akram Khan Company, (2015), 'Zero Degrees,' (Company website) Accessed: 30/11/2021

- Scherr, A (2008), GO: Akram Khan and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui's "Zero Degrees,"  Accessed: 30/11/2021

Bibliography - 

- Mackrell, K (2005), 'Zero Degrees,' The Guardian, Accessed: 30/11/2021

- Akram Khan Company, (2015), 'Zero Degrees,' (Company website) Accessed: 30/11/2021

- Scherr, A (2008), GO: Akram Khan and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui's "Zero Degrees,"  Accessed: 30/11/2021

- Keerie, L (2017), Zero Degrees Episode 1 (Recorded Performance) Accessed: 30/11/2021

- Keerie, L (2017), Zero Degrees Episode 2 (Recorded Performance) Accessed: 30/11/2021

- Keerie, L (2017), Zero Degrees Episode 12 and 13 part 2 (Recorded Performance) Accessed: 30/11.2021

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