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METROSCAPE
That Fusion Twang
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| INDIA CALLING: Battery Dance Company |
The first thing Jonathan Hollander did when he
landed in Kolkata last week was to hunt for a grand piano in the back
alleys of the city. The next thing he did was show up for a pow-wow on
culture between the US and India. Both activities delighted the artistic
director and choreographer with the Manhattan-based Battery Dance Company,
which kicked off its India tour with a performance in Kolkata to be followed
by visits to Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Delhi over the
next two weeks. "We've performed in India thrice," says Hollander.
"And that makes us the country's most frequent cultural visitors."
Which explains both, his enthusiasm and the Indian influence in Battery's
shows. They started off with Hollander's Purush, moved on to Tagore songs
and now include the sitar-backed Layapriya in their repertoire. Hollander
has another India connection. During his teens he spent two years here
learning classical dance he fused with ballet, east European folk and
hoe-downs. A cultural trade-off? What could be better?
-Labonita
Ghosh
Glass Act
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THE CUP FLOWETH: 'Glass Tasting' in Delhi
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No oenophile has to be reminded about the cardinal
rules of wine-tasting-see, swirl, sniff, and savour. But ever thought
about the stemware?
Selective members of the invitation-only Chambers
Club at the Taj Mahal in Delhi and a bunch of dedicated foodies took a
pivotal test billed "glass-tasting". Two long non-identical
stem glass were filled with some undisclosed white wine, and participants
were asked to pick the best. After all the vigilant noses had been dipped
into the fume chamber, tongues had detected the gooseberryish trickle
and preferences had been solemnly stated, moderator Wolfgang J. Angyal
let out the secret-both wines were identical, a fruity Sauvignon Blanc
2000 from the Sula vineyards. "It's the glasses that make wine taste
different," said Angyal, who was representing the 250-year-old Austrian
glassmakers Riedel. There was general amazement.
Glass does matter. A greater rim means the Sauvignon
hits the tip of the tongue (which identifies sweetness) directly, refusing
to spill to the sides of the tongue, the oral province monitoring acidity.
So the more acidic wine tastes sweeter, the glass maintaining the crucial
balance. A smaller rim, says Angyal, and the Sauvignon would appear more
"ill-tempered", though that's better for the sweeter Chardonnays.
Other tips emerging from the evening: stronger
the spirit, smaller the glass. Therefore, brandy balloons, always considered
the steadfast brandy pleasure mugs, offer the worst taste. And throw away
the spearmint gum at least six hours before the challenge.
-Anshul Avijit
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