Winged

Thousands of leaderless birds form ever-changing patterns in the sky: each bird responds only to its immediate neighbors, and yet the flock moves as one living organism. In Winged, choreographer Kalpana Raghuraman translates this fascinating phenomenon to the stage. Five dancers and two percussionists from HIIIT, formerly Slagwerk Den Haag, constantly listen, watch and react to each other. This creates a choreography that is at once free and precise, as if dance and music were breathing together.

The movement language of Kalpanarts, Raghuraman's company, is unique. The choreographer connects South Indian classical dance Bharatanatyam with contemporary dance and urban influences. Rhythmic footwork, expressive hand gestures and powerful body lines form a hybrid dance language in which tradition and innovation reinforce each other. With Kalpanarts, the dancer is also a musician: the body makes rhythm and becomes an instrument itself.

Inspired by the phenomenon of murmuration (flocks of birds moving through the air in perfect harmony), the performance explores how individuals relate to each other within a larger whole. When do you move along? When do you deviate? And what happens when trust becomes the guiding principle?