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Mourad Merzouki
Credit: X/@MouradMerzouki
An acclaimed French contemporary dance production featuring Indian artistes will premiere in Bengaluru on Saturday. It is called Cartes Blanches.
The show is choreographed by Mourad Merzouki, who created the official dance of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris recently.
A French choreographer, Merzouki’s legacy lies in hip-hop.
The Bengaluru show is also an ode to body movements. There is no narrative but through movements and world music, the dancers will express memories etched in their bodies. The piece is set in a cosy living room, decorated with a big chandelier and a baroque-style sofa.
Indian dancers bring with them unique gestures and body movements that differ from those commonly seen in France, Merzouki commented on the collaboration in a press note.
The Indian cast comprises six artistes from Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi. They were chosen from auditions last December when Merzouki’s troupe was in India to stage ‘Pixel’. Choreographers conducting their rehearsals were on the jury panel of the breaking event in the 2024 Olympics.
Merzouki first showcased Cartes Blanches in 2016 to mark 20 years of his dance troupe, Compagnie Käfig. Cartes Blanches translates to ‘white blank canvas’. The anniversary show provided a blank canvas for the company’s main dancers to showcase their creativity and personality.
The French Institute in India is bringing the show with Prakriti Foundation.
September 7, 8 pm, Prestige Srihari Khoday Centre for Performing Arts, Konanakunte. Tickets online.