Fusion of two dance cultures in exciting new work

A year into being regularly funded by the Arts Council, the Balbir Singh Dance Company is back out on the road.

Huddersfield dancer Balbir Singh is the artistic director of BSDC, which became an Arts Council Regularly Funded Organisation in 2009 and launched with Trespass, which toured nationally.

This spring tour will feature his new work, Decreasing Infinity, which will visit venues in Leeds, Huddersfield and Bradford next week.

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Choreographed by Singh in his distinctive style, this work shows Kathak – Classical North Indian – and contemporary dance working together.

The piece will also feature two male dancers, a first for the company.

Singh says: "I normally work with females because the sensuous quality they bring to my choreography; this work is a departure and gives me the opportunity to draw on the more masculine aspects of performance and Kathak."

A fusion between different styles of dance, Decreasing Infinity will also be a mixing of arts, with dance and music working together.

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As well as combining contemporary dance and classical Indian dance, Singh's new piece will feature music played live on stage.

The piece begins with two dancers performing entirely separate pieces, one Kathak, a classical Indian dance, and the other a piece of contemporary dance.

Having trained in Kathak and at the Leeds-based Northern School of Contemporary Dance, this fusion appeals to Singh.

The dancers in Decreasing Infinity slowly come together and take on each other's style to the point where the two are indistinguishable.

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The duet, performed by Ezekiel Oliveira and Sooraj Subramaniam, is accompanied on stage by live music from tabla player Kousic Sen and beatbox star Jason Singh.

The beatboxer will also write a specially commissioned score (working with the company for the first time) to continue the important theme of combining traditional with contemporary in a very dynamic and innovative way.

This work presents Balbir with lots of exciting challenges.

He says: "It is also tremendous to be able to reflect traditional and contemporary music style. Live music is extremely important to my work as the dancers and musicians are influenced by each other, which affects the end results.

"Having a beatboxer will add a voice dimension and will provide a fascinating underlying soundscape."

Decreasing Infinity, Stage at Leeds University, May 27, Phipps Hall, University of Huddersfield, June 2 and Theatre in the Mill, Bradford, Jun 11. Tickets and info on www.balbirsinghdance.co.uk