Magical fairyland of dance

Wthing of immense beauty becomes an animal trapped in its suffering.

delicate grace is reduced to an anguished flurry of wings and its feet are desperate to maintain their balance.

inspiring creature cannot help but maintain a kind of heart-wrenching beauty, even within its painful movements.

This is what UK contemporary dancer Aakash Odedra portrayed in his animal-inspired piece Shadow of Man by Akram Khan. Haunting music by Jocelyn of soft light that were suspended from the ceiling. It was Odedra’s

Pook provided the perfect instrumental dialogue as Odedra became one with the distressed creature. began as a barely discernible shape, crouched in the dusklike light. As the music came to life, so did the creature and we became caught up in its distress. The anguished writhing was punctuated with deeply stirring cries that were reminiscent of a trapped or wounded animal. Odedra’s fascination with animals and their movements from a young age served him well in this intense and thought-provoking piece.

The performance titled at the Lennox theatre in the Parramatta Riverside complex was a standout part of the Parramasala festival. It began with an abstract pure dance piece as suggested by the title. was an electrifying introduction choreographed by the dancer himself, which highlighted his technical precision and elegance.