World-renowned choreographer Akram Khan returns to his roots and delves into his past in his latest creation, Gigenis: The generation of the Earth. The work marks Khan’s first venture into curating an ensemble piece showcasing Indian classical dance — a rarity within the mainstream dance industry.
Over the last 23 years, Khan has developed a uniquely individual voice as a protagonist of cross-cultural encounters. It is this very encounter that provokes a personal need for this new creation. Drawing from his deep-seated connection to traditional practices and his ability to weave narratives through movement, Khan's Gigenis transcends time, invoking the collective memories of our civilization.
Embarking on his new artistic journey as a director, Khan shares the stage alongside a distinguished ensemble of acclaimed artists from the realm of Indian classical dance. This ensemble includes Kutiyattam artist Kapila Venu, esteemed bharatanatyam soloists Mavin Khoo and Mythili Prakash, as well as duo Vijna Vasudevan and Renjith Babu, with a score devised and performed through a collaboration of live musicians. Gigenis explores the personal embodied memories of each artist, resonating with the essence of our shared human experience.
"I feel humbled to be working with the Sarfati team in this new artistic chapter, where I will be sharing the stage alongside extraordinary Indian classical soloists from specific generations. Gigenis is a profound tribute to that reflection, a reconciliation between the past and the present times, a genuine celebration of our collective love for dance — boundless, timeless, as well as deeply rooted. It is a work that comes out of an urgent personal response to the endangerment of tradition. Honouring the tradition of kathak, I am excited to be that storyteller once more, not through my body but through the bodies of the most prodigious current and future masters of classical Indian dance.” - Akram Khan
A choreographer and dancer rooted in the tradition of his practice, and a creative interpreter of stories that need to be "felt" — Khan has revolutionized the world of dance. His deeply moving style is simultaneously poetic, innovative and experiential underpinned by intelligently crafted narrative structures. With his bilingual mastery of Kathak and contemporary dance, he has developed a uniquely individual voice as a protagonist of cross-cultural encounters. It is this very encounter that provokes a personal need for this new creation: a unique work featuring an ensemble of seven renowned artists of Indian Classical Dance (including Khan himself) and seven live Indian Classical musicians. Drawing from his deep-seated connection to traditional practices and his ability to weave narratives through movement, Khan's Gigenis transcends time, invoking the collective memories of our civilization. Gigenis represents not just a performance but a profound statement — a testament to the enduring resonance of tradition in a rapidly changing world.