The first of three evenings of Continuity and Change – Evolving the Classical as part of the Looking Back to Move Forward dance festival organized by Manasa-Art Without Frontiers in collaboration with India International Centre and curated by Sharon Lowen. After France-based Mohiniattam performing artist, Brigitte Chataignier presented a traditional margam, she shared excerpts of her contemporary dance which is in process in collaboration with another artist in France. Trained since childhood in mime, theatre and contemporary dance, Brigitte Chataignier’s discovered and fell in love with Mohini Attam in 1986, studyng for seven years in Kerala, most notably under gurus Kalamandalam Leelamma at Kerala Kalamandalam, Kalamandalam Ksheimavathy and also Smt Sridevi Rajan. With several scholarships over the years, Brigitte pursued her personnal research with scholars and teachers such as Smt Nirmala Pannikar, Kavalam Narayana Pannikar, CP Unnikrishnan…She has also studied carnatic vocal, some female roles from the repertoire of Kathakali, the fundamentals of Kalarippayatt; is initiated in Nangiar Koothu and folk dance traditions of Kerala. She has danced in Kerala Temples and major festivals in India including the Soorya Festival, Kerala Sangeeth Natak Academy, Bonjour India… as well as in Paris at the Théâtre de la Ville, the Guimet Museum and the La Villette exhibition centre. In association with filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan she initiated and co-directed the film “The Dance of the Enchantress”. Brigitte is also deeply involved in her own contemporary dance productions as a dancer and choreographer which have toured both France and India with her Compagnie Prana, based in Rennes (France). Her approach combines tradition and modernity in productions like Ganga and Bhopal Blue. Here we will see an excerpt from her latest production, Traces, in the second half of the evening’s program.
