Relating the most horrible experience a woman can go through portrayed in the most beautiful form, Amina Khayyam Dance Company return to the Fringe with a stage version sequel to their dance film Catch the Bird Who Won’t Fly. Bird delves into the aftermath of a woman’s life post domestic abuse with themes of suicide, grief and mental strain. This piece leaves me somewhat emotional to say the least.
The most horrible experience a woman can go through portrayed in the most beautiful form
Three dancers convey the story of those women who have been abused and are striving to escape the horrors they have endured. This journey of pain is conveyed within Bird by two dancers creating a haunting beat with their hands while the third portrays the pain of abuse.
The dancers' expressions are reminiscent of paintings as they express anguish through silent screaming and faces of confusion and pain. Alongside this, they move fluently and elegantly, their perfect turns spinning in tandem with their flowing dresses to create a picture that elongates their lines and exaggerates each pirouette. We feel the agony of these women as they dance frantically and paint an image of life for domestic abuse survivors.
The style of dance is a beautiful mix of traditional Indian dance and lyrical or contemporary styles, all of which make us want to follow each movement with our heads like a serpent snake. It is hypnotic.
To add to the experience, the (apparently) primary dancer has traditional Indian ankle bells called kathak ghungroo which add an extra element of percussion to the music and emphasise each stomp, spin and kick.
The music is live and written specifically for this piece, with traditional sounds of Indian music with the sitar and tabla.
The age rating on this show is eight years plus, which seems young for the themes explored. Apart from this, however, I think this show is very touching and a must see.
