'In-between spaces': an investigation into the embodiment of culture in contemporary dance

Author:Lucy Smitha Affiliation: aUniversity of Chichester, Chichester, UK

DOI: 10.1080/14647890801924725 Article Requests:: Published in:, Volume, IssueMarch 2008 , pages 79 - 86 Publication Frequency:3 issues per year

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To cite this Article: Smith, Lucy 'In-between spaces: an investigation into the embodiment of culture in contemporary dance ', Research in Dance Education, 9:1, 79 - 86

Abstract
Beginning with the theory of cultural embodiment, this paper suggests that the work of some contemporary choreographers, because of the use they make of their cultural backgrounds, inhabits 'in-between' spaces. Cultural embodiment, it is suggested, leads to the choreographer's absorption of movement as a source of historical information and an extension of their cultural characteristics. Shobana Jeyasingh is cited as an example of a choreographer who applies elements of the Indian dance form Bharata Natyam to her contemporary choreography in Duets with automobiles, exploring Rosi Braidotti's idea of nomadic subjectivity. Similar to Jeyasingh, Akram Khan's choreography is also informed by both eastern and western cultures. The classical Indian dance form of Kathak is embedded into Khan's movement vocabulary. With Rush and Zero Degrees, which are analysed, it is suggested Khan produces a 'double consciousness' of two cultures. As a result of the cultural hybridity explored in Khan's works, new identities are formed in the overlapping cultures and it is

proposed that Khan's work exists in 'in-between spaces'. Keywords:culture; embodiment; hybridity; Akram Khan; Kathak

Introduction
This paper focuses primarily on the work of Akram Khan with supporting examples of work by Shobana Jeyasingh. Akram Khan's work is contemporary to the extent that it embodies some of the popular trends of English society currently. For example, there is now an increase in the awareness of multiculturalism. The dance world often reflects this by the exploration of cultural hybridity. The embodiment of cultural characteristics; gestures and movements that are absorbed by the body as a result of living in a particular way within society is discussed. The author and

social commentator Ian Burkitt () suggests that this could happen without recognition, as the mind transfers thoughts to the body, storing them beneath consciousness. Helen Thomas, dance writer and cultural and social theorist, proposes that, in dance, the body becomes an 'academic enquiry' ( , 14). These references suggest that bodily movement is a source of historical information and communication that can be identified through a cultural context. Different dance forms can be seen as results of cultural embodiment, examples are classical Indian dance and ballet. Cultural embodiment can also be seen in the work of contemporary choreographers who produce diverse movement vocabulary as a result of their cultural hybridity. Shobana Jeyasingh, in her dance work Duets with automobiles (), a meeting between eastern and western customs, reflects the ideas of anthropologist, Ted Polhemus (in Thomas ). Valerie Briginshaw in her book Dance space and subjectivity () suggests that Jeyasingh explores Rosi Braidotti's () idea of nomadic subjectivity in Duets with automobiles. Furthermore, the work makes way for fresh spaces to be discovered suggesting a new culture, resulting from the meeting of differing traditions. As Briginshaw () argues, Jeyasingh's work could also relate to the theory of hybridity and 'inbetween spaces' as explored by postcolonial theorist Homi Bhabha in The location of culture (, p.1). Khan is one of the most significant contemporary choreographers of today. As Kush Saini suggests, 'Khan's technique and delivery reinforce his position as one of the most exciting and distinguished in British dance' ( , 13). His movement vocabulary exploits cultural hybridity. He explores western contemporary ideas, whilst at the same time being fully engaged and aware of his Indian culture. Khan's cultural background, and an analysis of the Kathak elements in his work, are discussed here in the context of the origins and characteristics of Kathak, with reference to the traditions, religious aspects and sacred manuscripts of Indian culture. Hopefully the questions and ideas raised will lead readers to discover how cultural embodiment can be observed in contemporary dance, in particular in Akram Khan's work, and how this might be associated with other art forms outside dance.

Dance as an embodiment of culture

The body is a sponge. It absorbs any information that you give it and has a way of making decisions for itself, not necessarily consciously. It's like the body is a character, a character built on the dancer's experiences too, of life, of dance, of walking, of family, of the past, of the weather. (Khan quoted in Ellis, )

Dance is a valuable resource for the understanding and development of cultural practices. Choreographers and viewers of dance can gain insights into a particular culture from the movements, gestures and ideas evoked through aesthetic means. Anthropologist Mary Douglas, suggests that 'the body is an image of society and that rituals concerning the body's boundaries correspond to the notions of the political, social and cultural or geographical boundaries of social groups' (quoted in Burt , 119). The body is key to understanding culture and society. The body absorbs the way humans exist and the understanding of the culture around us develops the human's self-image. When embodying culture, it is considered that the mind and body are closely linked. The mind processes thought which then translates and develops into the body through seeing,

hearing and actions. Without the body, thought processes could not take place, as Burkitt believes 'the mind is an effect of bodily action in the world and of becoming a person from the recognition of one's position in a diverse network of social relations' ( , 12). Mark L. Johnson divides embodiment into three levels, one of which is 'cognitive unconscious'. This is when thinking and actions become simultaneous beneath the level of consciousness (quoted in Weiss and Haber , 82). Directing these autonomous actions to the body, humans produce movements to gain comparisons with the world around them. With the help of the conscious, the body becomes a means of communication as both are fused when being engaged with social activities. The body is a major source of communication with which we correspond with each other and interact with objects. Through the embodiment of culture, the body becomes an historical artefact that absorbs the outside space through which it lives, and is able to reproduce bodily character. As Weiss and Haber state, embodiment is a 'way of living or inhabiting the world through one's acculturated body' ( , 14). Culture is defined as 'the characteristic features of a civilisation including its beliefs, its artistic and material products, and its social institutions' (Encyclopaedia Britannica, CD-Rom 2005). Cultures consist of components that are individual, unique qualities embedded into a single society, resulting in an exclusive approach to tradition and way of life. Humans relate to each other by identifying characteristics that they are familiar with and that coincide with their culture. Subsequently, gestures and ways of moving are repeatedly copied over time, thus becoming the essence of a cultural being. A culture nurtures and makes the body behave in a certain way through movements of everyday living. As a result, dance can be seen as an extension of these embodied movements as they begin to have an influence on the way this art form is evolving and forming. Many classical forms of dance are considered a hybrid and an embodiment of culture from earlier periods. For example, ballet is a hybrid form of dance in itself. The word 'ballet' derives from the Italian word 'ballare', which means to dance. However, the ballet terminology of steps, jumps and turns was developed in France. Ballet was originally a form of entertainment for Royal families and an extension of French court dance. This evolved during the reign of King Louis XIV in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries from 1643 to 1715. Classical Indian dance has a strong cultural background and its ancient history is reflected in the movement created. One of the main concepts that underlies classical Indian dance is the strong religious beliefs of its

people. Similar to Europe's romantic ballets such as La Sylphide (1832), narrative is important to the structure of traditional works where the sacred texts of Hindu philosophy are continuously re-enacted with stories of the Gods, Vishnu and Brahma. The God Shiva is often presented through karanas, which are units of movement and hastas; hand gestures symbolising anything from animals to moods. The karanas are a key part of Indian mythology and are 'God-given activities' (Sanders , 82). The images of karanas are preserved on the walls of the Natrja Temple in Southern India (Sanders , 24). Similar to a ballet dancer's perfect posture, Indian dancing suggests the same faultless quality with a straight back pose, creating parallels with Indian sculptures of the past. The historical background of the classical Indian dance of Kathak is examined later. Kathak gives today's audience an insight into the stories and values of Indian religion. As Khan's mother claims, 'when you go to Kathak dance class, you learn the philosophies and heritage of India as well as how to perform' (quoted from Powell ).

Furthermore, if these cultural characteristics permeate a choreographer's body, then they are likely to be represented through their movement vocabulary. Choreographers, as well as using their formal dance training, will assimilate other cultural influences, which help to create unique dance identities. Western contemporary choreographers are clearly influenced by culture. As Polhemus indicates: Dance is composed of those gestures, postures, movements, and movement qualities most characteristic and most essential to the activity of everyday, and thus crucial in cultural continuity. (Quoted in Thomas , 7)

Cultural embodiment and in-between spaces introduced in Jeyasingh's work

A contemporary choreographer displaying several of Polhemus's ideas in dance is Jeyasingh. Born in Chennai, India and now living in London, Jeyasingh is a trained Bharata Natyam dancer who toured as a solo performer in Britain through the eighties. In 1989, she founded the Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company, and she began to experiment with ways of extending the classical discipline of Indian dance. In her film Duets with automobiles (), classically trained Indian dancers lightly trace with hand movements, geometric spaces produced by the London architecture that can be seen through large windows. Sections of Jeyasingh's Duets with automobiles are described by Briginshaw as 'in-between' spaces. The borders connecting eastern and western culture are blurred by Jeyasingh's Bharata Natyam influenced choreography with elements of an upright torso, intricate head and eye movements, as well as rhythms produced by the stamping of feet. The London environment of office buildings and skyscrapers contrasts with the classical Indian movements. During the performance, dancers follow and outline with parts of their body, patterns on a mosaic floor. A dancer brings her ear towards the mosaic, listening and connecting to these patterns. The dancers appear to be tracing the lines of the mosaic as though they were following a map, a metaphor for the journey between two cultures, the moving across boundaries, that Briginshaw () suggest resonates with Braidotti's idea of nomadic subjectivity. Jeyasingh's choreography investigates the idea of being able to transfer homes to different places, resonating into 'unfixed homes' (Briginshaw , 99). The transference between places produces an increase in the development of new identities resulting in spaces 'in-between'. The meeting of two cultures can generate a new understanding of cultural distinctiveness and a

new cultural identity. With Duets with automobiles, Jeyasingh extends the classical vocabulary of Bharata Natyam while still using the traditional classical Indian elements. These examples of cultural embodiment suggest that humans are not just living in the present, but can also be associated with the past. The moving body is capable of becoming a means of gaining historical information, experienced and interpreted by others to achieve a deeper understanding of a country's tradition and heritage. 'Dance is a distillation of culture' (Polhemus, quoted in Thomas , 11). It is a reflection of identity, helping to form a deeper understanding of the way that cultural traditions have influenced the body over time. This theory could be applied to other choreographers and artists, including Khan.

Kathak and Khan's choreography: evidence of hybridity and inbetween spaces

Khan is enlightening his audience by working with cultural differences; a hybrid approach to his choreography means his personal origins and identity are kept. The roots of culture embodying and enriching the choreographer's life are reflected in Khan's work. However, Khan challenges Burkitt's idea that individuals of the western world have now contributed to the separation of 'their existence between mind and body' ( , 7). Khan is fully aware of his Indian ethnicity and reveals this through dance movement. A dazzling mixture of stillness and speed and an intricate and stunning approach to movement describes Khan's choreography at its best, whilst at the same time, giving his audience the opportunity to engage in the understanding of racial identification through his work. Embodied in his movement is the classical dance form of Kathak, which has absorbed many aspects of Indian culture. India is the most complex of the higher civilizational areas of the world in its peoples, its languages, its cultural and spiritual traditions, its social and political functioning. (Berry , 11) For societies of an Indian heritage, the practices of art forms have become a major part of their culture. By means of embodiment, many aspects of Indian culture have had a growing influence on the rise of the classical Indian dance form, Kathak. Embedded into Kathak are various approaches and concepts that are derived from sacred and long-established beliefs that are inimitable to the culture of India. It has been suggested that cultural characteristics are embodied in every human, transferring from the unconscious mind to the moving body. Kathak performance is articulated in a way that communicates this through stories of sacred Gods and myths from ancient scriptures. For the traditional Indian dance artist, their art is seen as a sacred act, a journey that one takes to gain an expression of the divine self. Vatsyayan describes that this high state of being is achieved through religious and sacred practices, including the training of yoga (, 5). The discipline of yoga seeks to help people keep in touch with their 'inner-selves', strengthening their minds so that a superior relationship can be made with the body. The Hindu mind views the creative process as a means of suggesting or re-creating vision, however fleeting, of a divine truth; and regards art as a means of experiencing a state of bliss. (Vatsyayan , 3) Massey states that the meaning of Kathak derives from Kathaka, the word for storyteller (, 15). Kathak dance

was developed in Northern India, where the religions of both Hinduism and Islam are practised. Kathak was created in parallel with the philosophical ideas and spiritual traditions of these religions. The Indian Kathak technique is embodied in Khan's choreography as a backbone for his movement style. With reference to Johnson's theory of cognitive unconscious, Khan demonstrates a 'subconscious mixing of the learning processes of Kathak and contemporary' (Sanders , 19). Through this combined understanding of two cultures, Khan expresses a unique movement vocabulary, a result of cultural hybridity.

An Indian heritage, and the knowledge of diverse identities from living in South London, have enriched Khan's dance work. Cultural hybridity is now experienced all over the world resulting in 'in-between spaces'. These spaces are seedbeds for hybrid identities, merging and overlapping cultures. As Debra Craine suggests, Khan 'is always looking beyond boundaries' (). As a result, societies begin to mingle and over time, become a fusion of ethnicities, a notion that is more apparent and fashionable in this century, extending the forms of cultural diversity. Khan was born in Balham, South London in 1974, to Bangladeshi parents. His mother introduced him to Bengali folk dancing. By the age of seven his mother had enrolled him in Kathak dancing, Khan's guru, Sri Pratap Pawar, recognised his ability to dance from an early age. When Khan reached 18, he became Pawar's disciple and took part in his first solo recital called Rangmanch Pravesh (1992). As a child, Khan was also interested in forms of western culture; these included theatre, acting and modern dance with Michael Jackson's Thriller (1983) being cited as a particular influence. The South Bank Show on Khan, broadcast by ITV in 2002, included a clip of the young Khan dancing passionately to a piece of pop music. Rush (2000), 'a physical state between tremendous speed and serene stillness' (Previous work, Akram Khan Company Website ), was the first dance Khan choreographed for his company. It starts with three dancers, Khan, Gwyn Emberton and Moya Michael, emerging from the corners of the stage, dressed in black. They wait in darkness with an intimidating stillness. This approach can be compared to an amad in Kathak where 'the dancer stands erect, relaxed, looking straight ahead' (Sanders , 36). As a result, the dancers in Rush begin by standing in a line facing outwards as though they are absorbing the space, each other and the audience. Energy is built up in preparation and anticipation of the performance. Similar to Duets with automobiles, it is the beginning in the blurring of cultural boundaries between eastern and western culture. In Kathak movement, energy starts from the dancer's torso and then ripples to the extremities. Khan explores this in Rush by going beyond the fast movement of contemporary dance, to a way of containing the energy from the centre to a certain part of the body where it stays for a while. As a result the dancer's body is neither a contemporary dance body nor a Kathak body, it is rather an 'in-between' 'double body' (Bakhtin quoted in Briginshaw , 17). This idea is revealed when the dancers are still but alert and ready to pounce. The energy is brought back into the dancers' limbs by an unexpected pulse, as though a thump from inside their bodies takes

them travelling and unwinding into a new movement motif. Therefore, Khan is displaying Kathak movement qualities as well as contemporary dance influences in his work resulting in a double movement vocabulary. For Bhabha, an 'in-between space' 'innovates and interrupts the performance of the present' (quoted in Briginshaw , 110). This idea is displayed in Rush as elements of Kathak rhythm are combined with the dancers' movement, introducing the audience to a complex and chaotic performance. Khan has chosen an Indian time cycle of nine and a half beats, producing intricate structures and visual rhythms that keep the dancers on their toes, and out of complete unison. 'In performance they were assisted by calling out boles (rhythmical symbols used in Kathak) to initiate the movement patterns' (Sanders , 54). However, dancers usually have to rely on their own awareness of rhythm. Layakari is known as a time measurement and is a mathematical concept that is seen regularly in Kathak.

In Khan's Zero degrees (2005) east and west appear to meet, as it initiates a new culture through Khan's two individual consciousnesses of Kathak and contemporary, leading to an 'in-between' space. Zero degrees, performed at Sadler's Wells in , follows a narrative approach, with live tabla drums and mesmerising singing, elements that are imperative in traditional Indian music. Khan, and fellow performer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, sit cross-legged at the front of the stage that is divided by a single white line. In a pool of light, they begin to talk casually to the audience about an eventful journey from Bangladesh to Calcutta. This could be considered an example of cultures moving away from their original origin and coming together in an 'in-between space'. Khan claims, 'everything represents something' ( Zero degrees at Sadler's Wells ). This statement is reflected in the narrative, which is expressed through the deliverance of hand gestures, similar to those used in western communication. They include embracing, placing the hand on the shoulder and brushing the head with the hand. Zero degrees is an exploration of human expression and how gestures are used to communicate. The gestures can be compared to Kathak hastas, which narrate stories, thoughts, and feelings through expressive movement. Craine suggests that hands 'are important: they can join the world in friendship or violently tear it asunder' ( ). This resonates with the ideas of embodiment discussed earlier; Khan has developed hand gestures from both eastern and western influences, demonstrating body movement as an essence of cultural being representing bodily character. It is clear that gesture is a key element as Khan and Cherkaoui begin to develop gestures, taking them deeper into the rest of the body and combining them with each other in fast sharp contact sequences. Illuminated in Mikki Kunttu's dramatic lighting that places shadows in the space, turning to each other, they throw their arms sharply against the other, using their limbs like swords. They construct 'versions of historic memory' (Bhabha quoted in Bennett , 34), remembering past life experiences, and transferring them to aesthetic movement, demonstrating Thomas's example of represented 'bodily practices' (2003, 1). As their differently cultured bodies contact each other and roam in space and time, Braidotti's ( ) idea of nomadic subjectivity is suggested. Throughout Zero degrees, Khan also searches to discover the differences in personal identity. He asks can characteristics combine through the manipulation and mirroring of bodies and become 'in-between' or will cultural identity always be divided? Khan seems to be trying to understand his own hybrid position between Indian and British culture. Similar to Jeyasingh, Khan seems to be capable of recreating his 'home' shifting

between cultural relationships. Keeping certain attachments or links to spaces, Khan negotiates a 'kind of globalisation' (Briginshaw , 28). Khan's Zero degrees brings people from different cultural backgrounds together in one society providing a hybrid of knowledge, identities, and ways of life. At one point, Khan describes a section of his journey while Cherkaoui sits beneath him, reflecting Khan's natural arm movements as if he was sitting by a sea of water. This reveals the similarities between Khan and Cherkaoui. Ethnic and religious roots influence both dancers, resulting in a 'double' relationship. As the structure of Zero degrees develops, more similarities with Kathak dance become evident. Similar to Rush t here is a stamping section, in which the dancers make rhythms using different parts of the foot. This resembles the rhythmical footwork of Kathak, and the intricate and high-speed movement includes turns reminiscent of the Kathak influenced spins

in Khan's Fix (2000). The various references to Kathak discussed in Khan's contemporary work suggest a 'double consciousness' (Rubidge quoted in Briginshaw , 103). Khan's ability in bringing Kathak concepts to his movement vocabulary, such as hastas and amads, with awareness of contemporary dance produces a kind of cultural hybridity. An 'in-between' space is formed as his work could be considered both Kathak and contemporary. Contemporary concepts in Khan's work are also found as a result of him living in Britain. The influence on Khan of Michael Jackson is manifested in several of his movement repertoires. Jackson is a part of the development of popular culture and is famous for his eccentric dance routines. Khan uses Jackson's 'baggy body popping' (Jays , 35), an abrupt contraction of muscles, resulting in a robotic-like dance. Khan's familiar sharp retraction in the torso and the flinging of limbs from the joint sockets reflect this jerky approach to movement displayed in Rush. In Zero degrees, Khan performs a sliding action across the floor, moving his feet as though on ice. This is a movement similar to Jackson's 'moon walk'. A classical ballet position is also evident in Zero degrees. With the help of his boots, Cherkaoui executes a fourth position on pointe. These are all examples of hybridity, blending different attributes to form a new entity. Khan believes that the use of 'classical and contemporary forms is a crucial issue for South Asian dance' (Vasudevan , 19) that opens a vast array of opportunities, challenging the restrictions of classical dance, taking movement further to explore the essence of pure dance. He asserts, 'A lot of fusion choreography is superficial, using movements just for the sake of it' ( The Observer ). Several critics have suggested that Khan's movement is a mixture of two dance styles, but Khan suggests otherwise. He prefers it to be called 'a learning process' (Sanders , 21) that is produced from new ideas of exploring contrasting dance styles, resulting in movement decisions being sinuous and original. As in Jeyasingh's work, links to cultural spaces are kept. Khan's work is an ideal example of how culture is always moving and evolving. David Jays suggests that Zero degrees 'is superbly questioning mediation on borders and spaces between' (, 35), as Khan's work becomes an embodiment of culture. While keeping some Kathak elements, Khan discards the colourful costumes to get to the heart of Indian dance by spiritual and physical means. As a result: 'Kathak choreography is not only going international but is also becoming multilingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural' (Massey , 69).

The hybridity that shapes the 'in-between spaces' of Khan's work by means of multicultural embodiment can be seen in the work of other contemporary choreographers and other forms of art and performance. Culture may always be alive in a person's being, even if they are nurtured with more than one identity and are a result of hybridity. The early stages of embodiment result in the remembrance of particular movements through the subconscious, religious traditions that are retained and communicated through the forever moving, nomadic body. Over time, gestures become part of a particular culture and are taken on by the body. This can be observed in various dance forms, such as Kathak. Generations after the first Kathak principles were introduced; Khan is still following the underling concepts of his ethnic culture by engaging in Kathak training, whilst at the same time embodying British culture. With the help of Khan and other hybrid artists, British spectators can be seen to be approaching true rasikas, 'one who relishes in the subtle flavour of the performance', resulting in the ideal spectator for Indian dance. Even though Britain has been absorbing different cultures for years, it is as though Indian culture has become part of

British culture, in the current multicultural society. As Stuart Hall suggests, concerning contemporary culture: 'The new world is a very different one. There are moving boundaries and borders, new maps, new nationalisms and transnationalisms' (quoted in McRobbie , 8). Khan's hybrid choreography can be seen as a manifestation of what it is like to inhabit this 'new world' revealed through the embodiment of culture as an 'in-between-space'.

Notes on contributors
Lucy Smith has recently graduated from the University of Chichester with a 2.1 honours degree in dance. She is interested in the cultural and historical concepts found in the work of contemporary choreographers, especially those with a non-western background. She continues to write critical reviews on various dance performances.

Notes
1. This essay in an extended form was originally presented as a dissertation for a BA (hons) dance degree. The dissertation course is the culmination of a student's three-year degree course allowing them to select their own research topic and pursue it in some depth. 2. Bharata Natyam is a solo classical dance form of South Asia, performed traditionally by women with a Hindu origin. 3. Bangladesh has been independent since 16 December 1971 and used to be part of India. Kathak was developed in the North of India, which is now Bangladesh. 4. Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui was born in 1976 in Antwerp, Belgium. He has Flemish, Moroccan and Muslim origins