'How To Be Fig': Dance and music unravel science about fig trees

BENGALURU: Imagine being explained about a complex scientific ecosystem through dance and music. Twenty-four dancers indeed transformed recently into insects, birds, mammals and figs to bring forth the importance of and the need to preserve fig species.

How To Be Fig is a collaborative project among city-based scientists, ecologists, artists and Artecology, an ecological consultancy and arts collective that showcased an hour-long narration of the fig species through dance and music last week.

The brainchild of ecologist Abhisheka Krishnagopal, the project's aim was to provide imaginative ways for ecologists, biologists and other scientists to be able to express their discoveries in artistic ways. Figs, a keystone species, took on the central form of this project, because of its ecological importance. "We wanted to use dance as a tool for science communication and not just for entertainment. The performance was based on scientific facts," says Krishnagopal.

Performers included an eclectic bunch of individuals from professions ranging from science to cycling, art and engineering. While a few were trained in some form of dance, for most, it was a new experience moving on stage. Performing artist Veena Basavarajaiah, who choreographed the performance, says she was bowled over by the magnificence of fig trees, while collaborating on the project. "I wanted to create a movement work that celebrated the essence of these trees. We have similar projects in the pipeline. The Fig Project is just the beginning," she says.


Fig tree (Image: Thinkstock)

Ipsa Jain, a Phd student and science communicator, volunteered to be a part of the project by participating in the performance. The 30-year-old who organises science meets says the experience has given her ideas on how to communicate science through the medium of arts. "I had heard of the Dance Your Phd contest, sponsored by the US-based Science Magazine, which challenges scientists to interpret their PhD research as dance. Being a part of this project was a similar experience for me, where science was explained through dance," Jain adds.

The fig species which has trees like banyan and peepul among others forms a very symbiotic part of the ecology. The project's aims to explain this to green enthusiasts, says fig biologist Vignesh Venkateswaram.

"Many native species are under threat today. Being a keystone species, figs support a disproportionately large ecosystem of animals and insects, among other beings. Losing this will have a cascading effect. So it is important to raise and protect the heritage of these trees through such initiatives, where science can be simplified," Venkateswaram adds.