Dance to convey social message

Anisul Islam Hero (centre in bottom-top-left photo) along with his students dance at the programme. Photo: Mumit M.

Anisul Islam Hero, of Srishti Cultural Centre, along with Stefanie Steup weaved a world of mystery and wonder in modern dance. The pieces were fusions of east and west, of modern and traditional, and fascinated the audience at the Goethe-Institut on June 26.
Although the costumes were simple -- T-shirts and dhotis or shalwars -- with little or no stage props, and with haunting music by Azad in the background, the young, freshly trained dancers presented contemporary issues like HIV/ AIDS and overcrowding in cities like Dhaka. Subjects like discrimination of women were also depicted. The dances were short so that there was no element of boredom. Brief introductions to the dance pieces by Shaheen Rashid helped one conjecture the stylised movements with ease.
Talking to Hero and Stefanie, one gained more insight into the dances, and the purpose behind presenting them, which was both to delight and instruct. "The dances are a mix of the traditional and modern," said Hero. "One of the two new items deal with the annoying ringing of mobile phones during performances. We deal with the problem of not being able to get members of the audience in auditoriums to turn off their cell phones when the programme is on. A poem by Goethe is narrated in the backdrop in Bangla and German. At the end the guilty people join the dance," Hero added.
The last item, said Hero, deals with the environment in Dhaka, where concrete jungles nudge each other for space, and large trees are being chopped to create space. The tree struggling for light and air, dying at the finale, is used as a symbol. The mechanisation of our daily life is questioned. A thought-provoking piece decries the fate of women, working ceaselessly without any recognition. The steps of this dance are purely western.
Another dance, dealing with envy, had Peter Gabriel's music in the background. Ustad Fateh Ali Khan's humming was also included in it. In this composition the female dancers were wearing T-shirts along with leotards and shalwars. Twelve years ago, when Hero introduced this costume suited for modern dances it was criticised, recalled Hero. "I feel that along with traditional eastern dances, modern dances should also be encouraged," he said. "Dance can easily be used to convey social messages. The dance sequences should not be so complex that they cannot be interpreted," he insisted.
One of the problems with many young aspiring dancers is that they want to be celebrities after only a year or so, Hero said. Hero usually teaches for two hours every week. Just before performances more hours have to be put in.
He teaches Bharat Natyam, folk and modern dances.
Hero himself studied for five years under Lila Samson in India. He went to Germany and Austria to learn western steps and gestures.
Stefanie Steup, who helped Hero with the choreography, belongs to a dance and music group in Germany. Stefanie began dancing as a child, and takes part in both traditional and modern dances.