The dance world is preparing to say a poignant farewell to one of its most innovative forces as the Akram Khan Company embarks on its final tour with Thikra: Night of Remembering. This significant milestone has prompted a chorus of reflection from the choreographer's most esteemed collaborators, who have come forward to share their unique insights into the man behind the movement.
The Composer's Perspective: Nitin Sawhney
Composer Nitin Sawhney, a long-time collaborator on projects including Kaash (2002), Zero Degrees (2005), and Vertical Road (2010), recalls first witnessing Khan's talent at London's Bhavan Centre when the dancer was just sixteen. "He moved like lightning," Sawhney remembers. "His speed was incredible but his precision as well was really inspiring to watch."
Their professional relationship, which began with the project Fix in the late 1990s, extended to sharing the stage in Confluence (2009). Sawhney recounts Khan's extraordinary dedication, performing in Holland on crutches and ingeniously incorporating them into his routine. Perhaps their most challenging collaboration was Vertical Road, conceived during a 1am studio session when Sawhney was recovering from pneumonia. Khan's initial request for "just a constant banging for the first five to 10 minutes" was met with resistance, but Sawhney concedes it became "the most exciting thing I had done for a long time."
The Writer and The Sculptor: Hanif Kureishi & Antony Gormley
Author Hanif Kureishi, who worked with Khan on A God of Small Tales (2003) and Ma (2004), was struck by the choreographer's ability to create beauty from seemingly "unpromising material." Working with a group of women in their seventies, Kureishi interviewed them about their lives while Khan designed movement to accompany their recorded voices. "He's very relaxed, he doesn't frighten people but he's totally in command," Kureishi observes, noting this sets him apart from more intimidating directors. He concludes that Khan's genius lies in his singular vision: "He doesn't really listen to other people very much... He has a strong idea of what he wants to do and he does it."
Sculptor Antony Gormley, who collaborated on Zero Degrees, was "immediately amazed by the paradoxical sense of a man who was both calm and sparking with energy." He fondly recalls Khan's preparation, involving intense kathak footwork on his mother's kitchen floor, highlighting the importance of his family foundation. A particularly memorable anecdote involves travelling to Brussels with a lifelike rubber copy of Khan, which had to be placed in the train's luggage rack, much to the suspicion of fellow passengers. For Gormley, Khan's work demonstrates that "the old is not the enemy of the new, but its foundation."
Musicality and Narrative: Jocelyn Pook & Alina Cojocaru
Composer Jocelyn Pook first collaborated with Khan on the autobiographical piece Desh (2011). A research trip to Bangladesh led Pook to create a central percussive piece from field recordings of Dhaka's chaotic soundscape. She describes Khan as "very open, positive, very considerate. And playful as well." His own musicality is keen; Pook reveals, "He's very musical – he's actually a very good percussionist." This shared sensibility, a blend of the primal and the spiritual, forms the core of their creative connection.
Ballerina Alina Cojocaru, who took the title role in Khan's 2016 reboot of Giselle for English National Ballet, praised his collaborative process. Instead of being given rigid instructions, she engaged in an "open dialogue" that allowed her to find answers true to herself. She describes the experience as a "full-immersion experience emotionally and physically." Cojocaru admires Khan's refusal to settle, noting, "Everything he does, it needs time... he's true to his way of working, and discovering a deeper meaning for everything he does."
A Vision for the World: Danny Boyle
Film director Danny Boyle, who commissioned Khan to create a piece for the London 2012 Olympic Games opening ceremony, compares him to Brian Eno: "very wise, and very quiet and modest, and yet they're incredibly certain of what they want to do." Boyle was astounded after seeing Desh, feeling that Khan had "caught what I thought was impossible to capture." For the ceremony, Khan was given the one-word brief, "mortality." Boyle recalls the development process, talking about "fishes and evolution," which ultimately produced an "absolutely beautiful piece." He concludes, "It was extraordinary to witness."
As Thikra: Night of Remembering and Chotto Desh tour Europe, these testimonials form a powerful tribute to an artist whose work, forged in profound collaboration and unwavering vision, has left an indelible mark on the world of contemporary dance.
