We live in a time of uncertainty. The goal posts move, perspectives shift, the rules are thrown out at a moment’s notice.
Silent Trio Beats is a new highly physical dance work by Raghav Handa that draws on Kathak rhythms & the principle of dynamic shift – extreme rapid motion punctuated by sudden periods of stillness. Using this framework, Silent Trio Beats will use bodies and minds to physically test these uncertainties.
Working with the dhol, a traditional Indian barrel drum, the tabla and the trital – a rigid rhythmic structure disrupted by an ‘empty beat’ – Dhol-Master Maharshi Raval & three diverse performers will test notions of movement and speed against stasis and exhaustion. Traditional notions of order in Indian dance will be challenged by changing the relationship between the dhol player and the dancers.
Traditional Kathak dance has the tabla leading the dancers, but Silent Trio Beats up-ends this idea, with the dancers rebelling against the power of the drum. Structured as a game or series of challenges, the dancers and the drummer push each other to their physical limits, going from tightly choreographed intricate gestures to thrilling and expansive highly-physical movement.
The work playfully challenges traditional form and aesthetic, triggering new conversations for those familiar with Kathak dance, while allowing an accessible entrance for audiences unfamiliar with the movement style.
