Red

Published Friday 3 March 2006 at 17:45 by Lisa Whitbread

The Sonia Sabri Company started in 2002 and exists to present a new interpretation of the storytelling style of classical Kathak. The latest tour Red uses six central inspirations emulating from the colour and its associations and is performed with a rich vibrancy and passion true to the dance’s original style.

Sabri is joined by Amina Khayyam and Genevieve Jordan and together they display a strength and deep-set knowledge of Kathak and Indian dance. They perform in succinct co-ordination with each other, interacting sharply with an ease of understanding of each piece.

Red’s beauty lies very much in the sense of performing and creating movement organically and without a rigid structure - there comes across the feeling of fluidity and powerful gentleness.

The musical accompaniment of Alvin Davis, Satnaam Gulsian and Sarvar Sabri throughout enforces the natural, relaxed feel as they exchange glances and adapt to the changing mood of each piece and the dancers movements. Davis’ sultry saxophone tones give a great jazz feel, which work very well alongside Sabri’s tabla and Gulsian’s haunting vocals.

The best example of the company’s ensemble performance comes in Red:3 based around wavelengths and vibrations of the colour. Dancers and musicians beat out a powerful rhythm using movement, voice and their own bodies.

The combination of traditional Indian dance with contemporary is spot-on and the added blends of drama, mime and chanting create individual scenes of each piece, showing just how diverse Sabri’s company can be in creating something new, exciting and fresh.