Watch a dance performance that blends Bharatnatyam with classical Dutch music

As you watch the minute-long trailer of Simeon, the first thing you're struck by is the uniqueness of the dance form at play. While the contemporary style might seem familiar, the way it all comes together is a new experience entirely. Simeon is an ensemble work created by dancer and choreographer Kalpana Raghuraman.

This work is a tribute to Dutch contemporary composer Simeon ten Holt.

This one-of-a-kind choreographed symphony juxtaposes Bharatnatyam with classical Dutch music. Through music and dance, it poses questions on negotiating the everyday landscape of urban lives.

Raghuraman has trained in Bharatnatyam, but uses the form rather differently. "I use the techniques, add different elements and take it out of context to tell my story. I use facial expressions to evoke emotions. Usually emotions are hinged on a story, but, in this performance, you won't see a linear story that rationalises the emotions," says the 42-year old, who is the first professional Indian choreographer in Netherlands.

Does lack of a story run the risk of confusing the audience, we ask. "Confusion is not necessarily a bad thing. It allows people to experience emotions more and live the moment fully. They are used to looking for a story, this will engage them in another way," she adds.

The title of the piece pays homage to the Dutch composer Simeon. The absorbing score follows the tenets of minimalism. Four musicians from the Matangi String Quartet will keep the dancers company on the stage. The dancers and musicians will challenge and complement each other with speed and flow, stillness and staccato. The one-hour-10-minute performance is in two parts - the first part has a trio of dancers who emote through facial expressions. The second part has five dancers who, through their repetitive movements and patterns in the music, show the monotony of daily urban lives. "The dancers will display tired out movements, the music also will repeat the tunes and beats to signify the auto-pilot way in which we function - the pain of a big city struggle," says Raghuraman, who alongside running her dance company KalpanArts Reimagined, is also a life coach. "Everywhere you go, people are dealing with the issue of monotony and the pressure it creates on them. In this piece, however, we have used Holt's beautiful music to say that even struggle has its own beauty. There are certain aspects in his music that are very Indian. This piece is an invitation to the audience to view life from another perspective altogether."

Kalpana Raghuraman

The mash-up of Indian classical dance with Dutch music is the essence of Simeon. "I want to explore how a classical [dance] technique can be used to talk about topics other than the gods. Not that talking about Krishna or Radha is in anyway limiting. But, we can look beyond as well," Raghuraman says.

When: June 30, 8 PM
Where: Rangsharda Auditorium, Bandra West
Entry: Rs 500 to Rs 3,540
Log on to: in.bookmyshow.com

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