“Repetition is
not repetition…the same action makes you feel completely different by the end”-
Pina Bausch (27 July 1940- 30 June 2009)
On the 14th of November 2019, Compagnie
7273 comprising Laurence Yadi and Nicolas Cantillon performed at the Odd Bird
Theatre, New Delhi. An event that was part of Indent Symposium: The Body and
the Performative, supported by the Pro-Helvia Swiss Council was part of the
group’s India tour. The other places they performed at include Kolkata and
Kathmandu. What was introduced through a 40 minutes solo piece was a mode of
dance that the duo calls the Multi-style Fuitt-Fuitt. It is an original art
form that the duo has created through collaborative research and association
since 2003. It is based on the elements of Maqam in Arabic music. Simply put,
it means ‘in between’ two notes. It is a quarter-tone.
I got an opportunity to converse with the artists. I
asked them a couple of questions to learn a about this unique dance technique
–‘Fuitt-Fuitt’.
The
Artists interpret:
What does Fuitt-fuitt mean?
It just means a little bit of nothing. It is in
between of notes and rhythm. It is based on Maqam; an Arabic musical component
which is also there in Indian Classical music. It refers to the quarter tones.
In a musical piece how one note ends here and there is the explanation of this
in-between element that yearns to find the connection with the rhythm and
groove. The style has developed from former dancing experience of Ballet jazz
and experimentation with classical, Middle Eastern rhythm, Bollywood
choreographic moves, dancing style of Uday Shankar as well as Hollywood ethnic
style. It is like cooking with many styles that have influenced the formation
of multi-style fuitt-fuitt.
How is it
different when performing as a group as opposed to doing a solo act?
In Fuitt-fuitt, all dancers dance the same thing.
However, each personality relates to the groove of music differently. Usually
there is a team of 10 dancers but when we travel, we come together for a three
months tour. In a group one needs to be more attentive to what is around; alone
there is more freedom. When doing a solo piece, one needs to carry everything
by oneself. Nothing can be lost on stage. However, depending on the place and
the stage, the choreography finds a new life and expression.
How would you describe this piece?
In Fuitt-fuitt, one needs to flow like water and
take on any form. It has to be very organic and the movement is millimeter by
millimeter. This however was special and a very intense piece. Our creative
process with the musician Maurice Louca (Cairo) was for a period of three
months. We spoke together and discovered that the principal movement of this
piece would be trekking. We got to the idea within a week but the practice was
physically demanding and it was quite hard during the creation period. Infact,
I came back from Kathmandu little before the performance. I could hardly feel
my body anymore but it brought out another kind of energy. It felt good. This
piece premiered in Geneva in 2017.
Photo Credit: Mehdi
Benkler Laurenceyadi
Discovering
the body in movement:
A woman clad in black attire began rapid, continuous
vibrations that were made visible through foot, leg, chest and shoulder
movements. It slowly transpired as the energy of the entire body going back and
forth, sliding, bending, extending, containing but never once stopping. Myriad
emotions came to the surface. All through the performance, resilience, inner
strength, pain, fleeting moments of joy, dream and processes of nurturing
became prominent. It seemed like a journey of discovery, acceptance, endurance
and curiosity. During interview, I found out that the movement was meant to
depict trekking through distant landscapes, storybooks, photographs, art worlds
and experiences. The body in movement was the vehicle that enabled all these
explorations. The very organic aspect brought forth different levels of trance
and hypnotism in the atmosphere. The dominant sounds in music were jingle of
the triangle, a feeling of the sound of smallest balls of ‘ghungroo’ used in
Kathak dance, mild to medium to bold percussion sounds and occasional guitar strums
to let the gravity take a backseat. It certainly felt like the rhythm and the
movement was engaged in an intimate interaction allowing the body to continue
its wandering.
Photo Credit: Gregory Batardon
The duo has published a book that talks about the
multi-styles of Fuitt-fuitt in 2014. They have won many awards for dance and
choreography. Compagnie 7273 held a workshop on Saturday, 16th
November at Studio 155, Gurgaon from 10 am to 1 pm.
