New Delhi: The ELEVATION French contemporary dance tour India will make its first-ever journey across the country in January 2026. The French Institute in India, along with the Alliance Française Network, presents this visually striking double bill by Yoann Bourgeois Art Company and Compagnie ISI.

The tour reflects the French Embassy in India’s ongoing effort to connect Indian audiences with leading voices in global performing arts. Earlier editions featured artists such as Mourad Merzouki and (La)Horde from the National Ballet of Marseille.

Aerial choreography explores gravity and human resilience

ELEVATION brings together two powerful works—Approach 17. Opening Act and Dialogue au Mât. Both performances explore balance, suspension, and the human urge to rise beyond limits.

French choreographer Yoann Bourgeois, known for collaborations with Coldplay and Harry Styles, describes the work as a visual poem. His choreography plays with ascent and descent, capturing the fleeting moment before gravity takes control.

Three Indian cities host the first ELEVATION tour

The ELEVATION French contemporary dance tour India will travel to three major cultural destinations:

  • Bengaluru – Freedom Park, BLR Hubba Festival, 17–18 January 2026 (Completed)
  • Ahmedabad – Kanoria Centre for Arts, 24 January 2026
  • Delhi – Lodhi Art District Festival (with St+Art), 1 February 2026

Each venue allows the performance to engage directly with public space, architecture, and landscape.

Two distinct works, one shared language of movement

Approach 17. Opening Act uses a minimalist staircase and Philip Glass’s music to create a precise dialogue between the body and physics. A hidden trampoline transforms every fall into an act of elevation.

Lucas Struna’s Dialogue au Mât draws inspiration from Mallakhamb, one of India’s oldest physical disciplines. After training in Mumbai, Struna reshaped the form into a contemporary solo around a vertical pole. The piece blends dance, acrobatics, and cultural exchange.

A collaboration shaped by Indo-French exchange

Struna describes Mallakhamb as an offering rather than a performance. His work reflects discipline, respect, and gratitude toward Indian tradition. Together, both choreographies create a rare fusion of French contemporary aesthetics and Indian physical heritage.