WORK AND PEOPLE THAT I ADMIRE

AKRAM KHAN- ZERO DEGREES
I first saw this piece whilst training in 2007 at Sadlers Wells theatre and instantly felt drawn to it. Here is a video clip of the piece:




Akram Kahn is renowned for developing his own "contemporary Kathak" style and has won numerous awards including a Time Out, Critics Circle and Southbank Show Award. In "Zero Degree", Akram Khan combines his own unique style with that of Moroccan- Flemish, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. "Zero Degrees" explores a theme of borders such as those between countries and cultures and more significantly, those between life and death. The story of the piece is recounted by two dancers in three spoken episondes, of their uncomfortable experience during the transition through an Indian border. The tell us of the panic of a lost passport, and the eventual discovery of a corpse sharing their train journey.

The piece begins with an open curtain, showing a simplistic set of white with only one wing upstage of each side. Also positioned either side are two remarkably lifelike, white, male figures, contributed by sculptor, Anthony Gormley. They could be the visual aid of the dead corpse and help to portray the contrast between life and death. Similarly this could be interpreted that the bodies represent how losing a passport could lead to the eventual loss of identity in foreign countries. These figures are befriended, mocked and even assaulted by the dancers throughout the piece. The icy whiteness of the stage and props create a very cold atmosphere, despite the story being about the passing of borders in hot climate countries, therefore creating a contrast between the visual environment and the plot and showing not the climate of the country but the cold harsh reality of the experiences there. These colour tones also relate to the title of the piece. The lighting, by Mikki Kunntu, mirrors this cool feeling using clear, white, or grey tones. Shadows are created giving the impression that there are more people on stage than there actually are and these shadows vary in shape and size, showing the influence and power that people can have over others or the fear of those vulnerable.

The music is written by Mercury Award winning composer, Nitin Sawhney. The score has traditional Bangladeshi and Indian infliences and is played by four musicians situated behind a gauze upstage. They cannot be seen all the way through the piece and are highlighted by spotlights at certain prominent moments.

The piece begins with Khan and Cherkaoui sitting cross-legged in central downstage, narrating the story behind the lost passport in perfect unity of voice and hand gesture which then leads to a hand and arm duet, blending the ethnic origins of both artists. They are wearing simple costume of plain coloured trousers and a t-shirt which could be worn on a visit to a hot country. Cherkaoui's "rubber-boned flexibility" is presented in an intensley fluid solo in which he covers the whole stage keeping his head of shoulders in contact with the floor at all times using rolls, somersaults and balances. Meanwhile, Khan sits on the chest of one of the dummies examinig body parts such as the hands, and comparing them with his own, as if comparing the differences between people from varying cultures or backgrounds. Towards the end of Cherkaoui's solo he begins to slap hiself with the hand of one of the foam dummies and later begins to abuse it by kicking and slapping it. Khan reacts to this violent abuse my mirroring the dummy simultaneously, making the audience feel uncomfortable. At this point there is no musical accompaniment so the only sounds are that of body parts being harshly banged and slapped against the stage surface. This only emphasizes the violence of the actions.

Not only is the story line full of contrasts an borders which are mirrored by set, props and lighting but there is also a significant variation in the physique of the two dancers, Khan having a more muscular controlled body compared to that of the paler, thinner Cherkaoui.

At the climax of "Zero Degrees", Cherkaoui cradles a broken dummy, while Khan dances a lament, showing the effect of the loss of a loved one. He then begins to shake vigorously as if fitting, before becoming still and lifeless as the dummies. Following this, Cherkaoui picks Khan up and carries him offstage, while the musicians softly play into silence on an otherwise empty stage. This section shows the transition of life into death.

This piece inspired me for the way that such a strong choice of subject matter is portrayed in such a clever and unique way. It is visually movin and very sentimental.