Turning of Bones

Seismograph of the Soul: Akram Khan’s reputation as a defining trailblazer of our time is no accident. There are few choreographers with such a keen sense of the human psyche. Few, too, who probe hidden abysses as thoroughly as he does. Especially since Akram Khan—and this is what makes his work so special—consistently situates dance within very concrete contexts. Whether it’s World War I in *XENOS*, the Babylonian *Epic of Gilgamesh* in *Outwitting the Devil* (which premiered at the 2019 COLOURS Festival), or, most recently, nature ravaged by the climate crisis in *The Jungle Book Reimagined*.

Now, British choreographer and company director Akram Khan has collaborated with Gauthier Dance for the first time—the highly intensive creation spanned nearly three seasons. The title of the program, *Turning of Bones*, alludes not only to *Famadihana*, a ritual of remembrance practiced primarily in Madagascar, in which people remove the wrapped remains of their ancestors from their graves to reconnect with their forebears and their legacy. They refresh the names on the cloths, carry the bones above their heads, and dance with them. Famadihana could in fact also describe the approach to this production, in which Akram Khan delves into the history of his own works.

The source material consists of five productions that have become classics, which he created either for himself as a dancer or for the Akram Khan Company. They share a common message: delusion and arrogance cause people to repeat the same mistakes throughout history. For *Turning of Bones*, Khan drew from *Vertical Road* (2010), the group piece *iTMOi* (In the Mind of Igor)—created in 2013 to mark the 100th anniversary of Igor Stravinsky’s *Le Sacre du Printemps*—and *Jungle Book reimagined*. Also included is the striking “Head Dance” from *DESH*, which explores his father’s homeland, Bangladesh, and the poignant piece *Mud of Sorrow*, which had its digital premiere during the winter of the 2021 pandemic. All of these elements have been further developed and tailored to the new overall structure of *Turning of Bones*.

On the one hand, the emotional thread is provided by the original music by Aditya Prakash. Above all, however, a narrative framework connects the scenes into a new whole. It is the story of two lovers who are tragically confronted with the theme of sacrifice and being sacrificed.

In contrast to the elaborate stage designs and settings of the original versions, Akram Khan aims for a completely different, more abstract atmosphere for this evening, one that places the dance and raw emotions at the center. This uncompromising, utterly challenging approach has found not only a kindred spirit in Gauthier Dance but also ideal rehearsal conditions. This was made possible in no small part by a two-week residency at the wonderful Orsolina 28 Art Foundation in Moncalvo (Piedmont) immediately prior to the premiere.