On 2 April, well-known Swiss performer and choreographer Gregory Stauffer presented Walking, a contemporary dance show which was brought to Dhaka by the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh in collaboration with Pro Helvetia — Swiss Arts Council and hosted by Goethe-Institut Bangladesh.

About 100 friends of expressive arts filled the auditorium in Dhanmondi, says a press release.                               

The evening was opened by Economic and Cultural Affairs of the Swiss Embassy head of political Christoph Fuchs, who greeted the audience and introduced Gregory Stauffer on behalf of the organisers, right before all the lights were turned off and the show began mystically.

In his solo performance Gregory Stauffer was walking. Walking not in ordinary movements, but in a huge variety of different styles, he expressed himself mostly silent but in concentrated and conscious actions.

 Using not more than his bare body, a drum and a flute, Stauffer created a life’s journey with all its heights and depths, struggles and successes. He was embracing the affection the environment has on the human mind and body as he was reacting to influences around him. Despite — or even precisely his very abstract performance his audience got caught by the story he was telling with no words.

The contemporary dance performance was an extraordinary piece of art which reminded the viewers that the way we get through life is on our feet and with every step we take we form the path we leave behind.

Gregory Stauffer also conducted a workshop on 3 April at Goethe-Institut, which was attended by 20 young dancers from Bangladesh. Stauffer is based in Geneva, Switzerland. Since 2006 he has created works which are deliberately located in a transverse and blurred territory between dance and performance. His work has been performed as much in theatres and festivals as in galleries.