Man who choreographed Harry Potter’s Death Eaters brings his dance production to Mumbai

The production debuts in India at Mumbai’s National Centre for the Performing Arts

Not all art comes with a message. For British choreographer and director Wayne McGregor, art is, more often than not, a creative expression that can take you to a space you haven’t been before.

The choreography is characteristic of McGregor’s style. Dancers create stunning movements through extraordinary limb-extensions, lifts and a seamless flow of dancers moulding into each other. (HT)

McGregor is currently touring India with his company of ten dancers for his production, FAR.

McGregor started the production in 2010, building on his research into medical historian Roy Porter’s book Flesh in the Age of Reason (hence, FAR), which explores the history of Enlightenment. He roped in neuroscientists to work out how the relationship between mind and body could be translated and expressed through dance.

The choreography is characteristic of McGregor’s style. Dancers create stunning movements through extraordinary limb-extensions, lifts and a seamless flow of dancers moulding into each other.

“FAR is an extremely physical performance with movements that people haven’t seen before. The choreography has a direct and real connection with the body,” McGregor says.

The production debuts in India at the National Centre for the Performing Arts on Thursday and Friday, in collaboration with the British Council. It will then travel to Bangalore and Delhi. In the past seven years, production has had more than 140 performances across 20 countries.

“There’s a rising intrigue in India for contemporary dance. We saw India’s first international ballet festival in Mumbai this month. There’s a definite area of growing cultural experiences taking place in India – towards contemporary and new forms of dance, especially in the cities. We’re also seeing more international productions tour India,” says Alan Gemmell, India director for British Council.

McGregor has previously helped shape actors’ movements on films like Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and Sing and helped choreograph the Death Eaters in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Reactions to FAR, McGregor says, cover the entire spectrum of emotions. Some love it, some are confused and some come back to watch it again.

“The performance is emotional yet it’s not necessarily representing something very specific. People should come with an open mind, and see what meaning they find,” McGregor says.