Dance in the Digital Era

Luca Silvestrini blends doses of video animation and humour in his dance theatre production, which will be staged today

When performing artiste and choreographer Luca Silvestrini founded his dance theatre company, Protein, in 1997, the only thing he was clear about was that he wanted to create performances that were 'humane' and depicted everyday life. And 15 years down the line, even as he readies his group of six (three men and three women) performers for yet another staging of their original dance theatre production LOL (Lots of Love), Silvestrini is glad that his venture has stayed true to its philosophy.

Scheduled to take place on December 7 at the Experimental Theatre as part of the National Centre for Performing Arts' Centrestage festival, LOL, Silvestrini says, treats its subject to a deep, witty analysis through idiosyncratic and distinctive dance theatre. "I started working on this production three years ago when I realised that we have changed drastically in the way we interact with each other. In the digital age, where everything is a click away, the presence of an electronic device is a constant. So I decided to work on this piece out of the need to come up with a personal response to this social change," he explains, adding that the production — that revolves around love and wanting in the internet age — combines video animation with performers who dance and speak at the same time.

Moreover, the show boasts of a blend of original choreography, text, humour and music. "Text has always been an important part of our performances. We relied on our instincts and personal experiences while working on this. In fact, the humour is not forced and the animation videos form an eye-catching backdrop," says the 46-year-old. The UK-based artiste graduated in Performing Arts from Bologna University and worked for several dance companies in the UK before setting up his dance theatre company. Last year, his company even won the Best Independent Dance Company in the National Dance Awards 2011. He is in India as a part of the British Council's Impulse, a season of best contemporary dance from the UK.

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