one time dancing....

outside, shilpakala academy, ramna, dhaka, 27th jan. 2012

“I am not a rebel. I just want to dance and show them that people, who dance, can be also good human beings.” (Naming Anika, dancer of Shadona)

“ (10) The closure of morally undesirable ballrooms and dance halls, and the prohibition of dancing and other such pastimes.” ( extract from Sharia, Social and educational goals)

getting ready, shilpakala academy, ramna, dhaka, 27th jan. 2012

getting ready 2, shilpakala academy, ramna, dhaka, 27th jan. 2012

woman getting make up, shilpakala academy, ramna, dhaka, 27th jan. 2012

make up, shilpakala academy, ramna, dhaka, 27th jan. 2012

mirrow with luggage, shilpakala academy, ramna, dhaka, 27th jan. 2012

legs and hands, shilpakala academy, ramna, dhaka, 27th jan. 2012

dress, shilpakala academy, ramna, dhaka, 27th jan. 2012

Within the Islamic religion music and dance are something negative. Display of the body, movement and enjoyment is against the spiritual movement. And even so the Sharia, the moral code and religious law of the Islam, is not totally against it the practice is mostly in countries with major muslimic population either totally forbidden or highly negative associated and connected with prostitution and negative influence on the girl.

Bangladesh is one of them. And within this very traditional country in the main city Dhaka a little dance groups developed. And they are not just dancing, they are dancing a mix between traditional and contemporary dance from all around the world.

This dancing group, called Shadona, is founded by Lubna Mariam, a previous dancer, choreograph and director in Bangladesh and consists of around 40 predominantly girls and a few guys within the age of 14 till 40. Within their plays, which are based on Bangladeshi poets such as Tagore, they try to find their voice within their dance. Thereby the roots for the dance style are not important but the expression of and through it.

One day, in Jan 2012, they had a premier, presented their new play “Mayar Khela” (The Play of Illusions).  The play, originally composed by Rabindranath Tagore in 1886, depicts the eternal theme of unrequited love between man and woman and is staged in honor of his 150 birth date.

And I am between them, looking how they transform into a different person and getting ready for the stage. And looking at them I suddenly understand, why they are dancing and why suddenly all the prejustice and forbiddeness are not anymore important.

 A tribute to theater, the love of dancing and music and the quiet rebel in between them.

on stage, shilpakala academy, ramna, dhaka, 27th jan. 2012