Akram Khan performs his acclaimed work, DESH, in Bangladesh for the first time, with the support of the British Council. DESH, meaning "homeland" in Bengali, is inspired by Khan’s relationship with Bangladesh, his place of birth, and Britain, where he grew up.
An ambitious, poetic, large-scale solo production, DESH is Khan's most personal work to date. It draws multiple tales of land, nation, resistance and convergence into the body and voice of one man trying to find his balance in an unstable world.
Moving between Britain and Bangladesh, Khan weaves threads of memory, experience and myth into a surreal world of surprising connection. At once intimate and epic, DESH explores fragility in the face of natural forces, and celebrates the resilience of the human spirit in the rhythms of labour, in dream and story, and in transformation and survival.
As a celebrated British-Bangladeshi choreographer and performer, Akram Khan represents both the best of British and Bangladeshi talent. With his performance of DESH in the Shilpakala Academy, the British Council aims to bring contemporary dance to new audiences in Bangladesh.
The main performances in Dhaka will be accompanied by a live outdoor screening, workshops and panel discussions. The British Council in Bangladesh is also working to organise live-streams of the show for those unable to get tickets and the piece will be recorded and shown around the country at later dates.
