Bangalore: The award-winning, international 2Faced Dance Company, headed by artistic director and choreographer Tamsin Fitzgerald and known for its physically adventurous dance work, has returned to India to deliver the second phase of Outlands - an exciting programme of dance performances, educational and development opportunities - from 20 January to 13 February 2017.
National Dance Award nominated company, 2Faced Dance, were awarded Arts Council England ‘Reimagine India’ funding to deliver Outlands’ programme phase one in January 2016 and phase two in 2017, return to India to continue their work with partner organisations during this unique and ground- breaking international cultural exchange.
Partner organisations - Sumeet Nagdev Dance Arts in Mumbai, Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts in Bangalore, and Darpana Academy of Performing Arts in Ahmedabad.
Talking of the UK-India Year of Culture, Alan Gemmell OBE, Director British Council India has said: "India and the UK have years of shared history and the UK-India Year of Culture seeks to promote this spirit of cultural partnership. This marks the culmination of four years of Re-Imagine, which was designed to build new creative connections between India and Britain that celebrate, connect and inspire. Throughout the year, we will be bringing together major UK and Indian institutions and artists of all fields to showcase British and Indian creativity and strengthen cultural ties."
In India, and under the Outlands umbrella, 2Faced Dance will present its current touring work RUN in Mumbai and Bangalore, deliver The BENCH India, a pioneering, one-off opportunity for emerging female choreographers (marking first overseas presentation of The BENCH programme previously seen in the UK), commission two emerging female choreographers and bring their work to the UK to tour in autumn 2017 and deliver free educational and practical workshops in several locations in India.
The BENCH India is a unique opportunity for five emerging female choreographers working in India to participate in a 9-month mentorship and training programme, giving aspiring artists the confidence to put their work on an international platform and get their artistic voice heard.
All five of the selected choreographers will pitch for one of two 245,000INR (£3000) commissions to create a new work and tour it to leading UK theatres in September and October 2017. Pitches will take place at the Attakkalari Biennale in Bangalore on Tuesday 7 February 2017.
Peter Knott, Area Director (Midlands), Arts Council England, said: “We’re delighted to be investing in Outlands. Our Reimagine India funding is all about promoting cultural understanding and exchange across the world and at home. 2Faced Dance has already begun to forge exciting partnerships between dancers and choreographers in the UK and India, and with our support it will be great to see this cultural exchange continue to flourish.”
This second phase of Outlands allows 2Faced Dance to continue work that aims to ensure the longevity of opportunities for female choreographers whilst recognising the wealth of talent, experience and creativity female artists offer to local, national and international communities.
Speaking about the company’s trip, Artistic Director Tamsin Fitzgerald said: “This visit to India signifies a crucial development for the sector, uniting female choreographers from across the world and demonstrating the real need for gender development globally. We are also delighted to be able to showcase RUN to an international audience. This production marks a pivotal point for the company within both our touring history and the important work that we are leading on within gender equality. With a remarkable company of dancers and an exceptional choreographic, design and musical team, RUN demonstrates a real commitment to supporting women as artists. Not because we have to, but because they are talented, produce great work and this needs to be shared with people across the globe.”
2Faced Dance completed a highly acclaimed RUN UK tour in autumn 2017, visiting 10 venues and selling out in Birmingham, Bournemouth and Leeds. The company is delighted to present their latest triple bill of dance in Mumbai and Bangalore.
Sumeet Nagdev from Sumeet Nagdev Dance Arts has said of the company’s visit: “When I first met Tamsin in early 2016, I was so impressed by her commitment to bring women to the forefront of leadership in performing arts. More so in India, there is a need to highlight that performing arts is as lucrative a career as anything else, after all its one of the most satisfying and spiritual ways of life, so I believe. With The BENCH India, 2Faced Dance Company has pulled out a winner. Taking women choreographers to global platforms shows that there is so much that Indian women can share if given the right opportunity and platform. Talking of women leaders, take Tamsin as a fitting example of leading an all male dance company that not only does contemporary dance but also fuses it with breaking, which has more, popularly been male dominated. I am glad they are performing their popular production ‘Run’ in Mumbai to set in motion ‘The BENCH India’.”
Performing at National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai on Thursday 26 January and Gurunanak Bhavan Auditorium, Bangalore on Wednesday 1 February, RUN is a gritty and explosive evening of works by three leading female choreographers - Tamsin Fitzgerald, Rebecca Evans and Lenka Vagnerová – who explore human choice and our decision to fight or take flight from the darker side of humanity.
With ground-breaking movement and theatre, designs and original musical composition, RUN is an exhilarating evening of contemporary dance theatre from 2Faced Dance.
Short documentary from 2Faced Dance’s visit to India in January 2016: