MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. British dancer and choreographer Akram Khan will perform his final solo work, Xenos, at Moscow’s Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Academic Music Theater as part of the Territory Festival. In an interview with TASS, the renowned dancer talked about his future career.
This is not Khan’s first visit to Russia. "I love to perform in Russia mostly because of the culture, heritage; some of the great theatre pieces and writers and ballet dancers and musicians have come out of Russia," the dancer said when asked what he expected from the Russian public. "Arts and culture seem to be deeply grained in the everyday life. I feel, when I’m performing, the audience is very knowledgeable and very warm. They are passionate about arts and dance," he added.
In mid-July, the media reported that Khan was going to retire from full-length dance performances. "I’m not ending a career. I’m just not going to perform full-length solo work after Xenos, just small pieces. I’m focusing on choreographing for other bodies," the dancer pointed out.
His latest work, Xenos, will be the first event of the Fourteenth International Contemporary Art Festival dubbed "Territory." The festival itself will take place in the fall but given Khan’s heavy schedule, it was decided that he would perform the piece in the summer. Xenos reflects the experience of the colonial troops recruited on behalf of the British Empire during World War I.
"I think we are in a time when stories are being omitted, edited, silenced and the victory is to be able to tell these stories," Khan noted. "Voices that are being silenced, that are being omitted and edited should be allowed to speak. For far too long women’s voices have been shut down, the immigrant voice has been shut down. The dominate voice has been the white man in our civilization and it needs to change. I made this piece to understand the stories of the colonial soldiers, and their contribution to WWI, because their stories have very much been ignored in history," he said.
While working on Xenos, Akran Khan teamed up with set designer Mirella Weingarten, composer Vincenzo Lamagna, lighting designer Michael Hulls, dance and theater dramaturg Ruth Little, Canadian playwright Jordan Tannahill and costume designer Kimie Nakano. Five international musicians join the dancer on stage: percussionist B.C. Manjunath and vocalist Aditya Prakash from India, as well as bass player Nina Harries, violinist Clarice Rarity and saxophonist Tamar Osborn from the United Kingdom.
Territory Festival
Xenos is brought to Russia by the Territory Festival and Moscow’s Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theater. The theater’s spokesperson told TASS that Khan’s Kaash show is scheduled to be performed in Moscow on July 12, 2020.
The Territory Festival has taken place in Moscow annually for the past 14 years. It is Russia’s biggest event that brings together contemporary art works of all genres. The festival will take place on October 10-24, 2019.