The French title "Classique Nu" - much more elegant and artistically meaningful than literally translated into English as "Classic Nude" - perfectly describes the intentions of this performance - the etenal classical (western) music that never ages with time combined with the beauty and the vulnerability of the human body and soul in its most natural form.
Using Indian dance movements and technique, danced in the nude ("nu") by one of the most experienced and technically perfect Indian dancers, the piece brings together the eternal wisdom of western and the eastern tradition.
The sculpturesque poses, reminiscent of the ancient sensual carvings in the Hindu Temples merge with the purity of (western) classical music. For some parts of the performance, video images of the dancer herself are projected onto the black stage background and on herself, at times giving the appearance of a spirit from within, or ghost from her past. As there are no costumes to hide parts of the body, the involvement and participation of all muscles, shapes and features of the body can be appreciated and admired.
The performance premiered at the Avignon Festival Off in 2010 and continues to evolve further in response to the specific stage characteristics and environments.
The stage set is deliberately extremely simple, just the naked body, music, some video projections, and a chair are all that is needed. There is a direct feedback between the dancer and the lighting with no pre-programmed or pre-packaged settings, thus allowing the dancer maximum flexibility.
Who is this performance for?
Although we have labeled the performance for "Adults+18", in France one of the press reviews summarised it with these words -
"One can say that this is a show for everyone – all ages and races and countries".
It seems the performances moved women most and it was them who stayed on afterwards to talk. It appealed to them because of the seemingly total abandonment of the body and the confidence of the dancer to live it. They saw it as a tribute to women and a statement impossible for them to make themselves. The show contained the sensuality, the femininity and the seduction but not the titillation.
It showed the power and the savage part of what we are. Here is the sacred feminine that is being sought after in daily life.
She is not young, nor naive. She is a woman who has much experience in life and in love. Here is a woman who is in charge of her own sexuality and is totally comfortable in her own body and expression. From the comments and questions from the audience one could say that this is what many women today seem to be looking for.
Written by Jorg Hacker