The Stage

Mirage double bill

Published Tuesday 21 March 2006 at 16:05 by Pat Ashworth

Nina Rajarani had the terrible misfortune to break her collarbone early in the second half of this breathtaking double bill of Indian classical dancing, now nearing the end of its Spring tour. She was taken away by ambulance and it is to the company’s great credit that they managed to continue without her in a dance in which she had a key role.

She had given a stunning performance in the first half in K_d_la… Is it Love?, a piece of her own choreography. In the role of a woman in dialogue with herself about the strength of her absent lover’s devotion, she is at once coy and sensuous, demure and knowing. Her technique is beautiful, her speed and rhythm extraordinary and her feet fascinating to watch. A single toe movement can convey volumes.

This first piece, danced with four male dancers, is performed to live music and fluent vocal accompaniment by Y Yadavan. He scarcely draws breath.

The second piece is the intense Checkers, a fierce expression of rivalry and confrontation with a strong African influence. Great arcs and lines of movement from the men can suddenly be held in poses that are almost yogic. They hold attention with their eyes too, as if dancing for each individual audience member.

It was not apparent which movement of Rajarani’s swift sequence caused her injury. The men’s recovery five minutes later was a tremendous display of resilience and inventiveness, a bold demonstration by professionals whose dancing with each other is instinctive. An altogether extraordinary evening.