Scène nomade / Poèmes

In Scène nomade, Sophie Tabakov and Laurent Soubise dance in a duet and carry in words and movements five poems of the Indian writer Rabindranath Tagore.

Source : Maison de la Danse de Lyon

In sacred Indian dance, music and song form a whole; they are the expression of a single phenomenon. One could dance to the recitation of a poem, expressing with one’s body the feelings inspired by the verses. This connection between dance and poetry is particularly evident in the work of Rabindranath Tagore. Beyond the rhythmic meter and the laws inherent in poetic writing, one can allow oneself to be “lifted” or carried away by an inner rhythm that leads to a meditative, peaceful state. A sweeping movement appears to both the reciter and the listener, connecting them with their own feelings. This notion of movement is the cornerstone of the five poems by Tagore that we have chosen to interpret in Scène Nomade. Throughout his life, Tagore worked tirelessly to transcend pre-established formats. While his work draws heavily on the great tradition of sacred texts such as the Bhagavad Gita and the Mahabharata, his sensitivity and genius led him to explore all possible arts: he was a writer, philosopher, painter, and choreographer. He created a school for girls in which all these artistic disciplines were taught, in addition to traditional studies. He felt that the intertwining of practices, with a noble and pure purpose, led humans to greater freedom. This humanistic and spiritual thinking shines through as soon as we begin to give substance to the poems. While the presence of death is constantly recalled, it is so as a foundation for life. Like dance, where immobility is both the beginning and the end of all movement. Each gesture ends its course in a space without thought or form.

Source: Sophie Tabakov