Dream of an Elsewhere Premieres in Kolkata: Redefining Dance and Performance

Dream of an Elsewhere Premieres in Kolkata: Redefining Dance and Performance

The groundbreaking contemporary performance piece Dream of an Elsewhere made its debut in Kolkata as part of the prestigious SappTop Series, Session VI. This immersive production offered audiences a profound exploration of movement, sound, and perception, challenging traditional artistic boundaries.

A Collaborative Creation by International Artists

Created by renowned French choreographer Michel Casanovas and Swiss musician Eveline Noth, the work deliberately blurs the lines between conventional artistic categories. The performance questions established ideas of dance, performance, and the performing body through innovative techniques.

Blurring Boundaries Between Movement and Stillness

The production evolved into a shared conversation rather than a traditional collaboration by intentionally merging movement with stillness, dance with non-dance, and music with silence. Roles between dancer and musician remained fluid throughout the performance, creating a dynamic and unpredictable artistic experience.

Audience Participation and Engagement

Audiences were actively invited to renegotiate their perspective and engagement with the performance. At various moments, viewers were asked to close their eyes or change seats, transforming them from passive observers into active participants in the artistic experience.

Ten-Day Residency and Participant Involvement

The showcase followed an intensive ten-day residency at Sapphire, which included educational visits with international teachers to Tepantor Theatre Village and Santiniketan. Eight talented participants from Sapphire contributed to the residency:

• Ankita Duttagupta
• Promita Karfa
• Avirupa Das
• Soma Chattapdhyay
• Abrar Saqeeb
• Raju Sarkar
• Bijoy Sharma
• Oushnik Halder

This innovative performance represents a significant contribution to Kolkata's vibrant cultural landscape, pushing the boundaries of what constitutes dance and musical performance while creating new possibilities for audience engagement and artistic expression.