‘Performance parkour is more inclusive’

Parkour is the discipline of overcoming physical obstacles, but it is believed the better you get at dealing with physical obstacles the better equipped you are to deal with other obstacles in life. UPG and Parkour Circle are all set to enthrall Indian audiences. 

“Indian Steam hopes to achieve a genuine artistic collaboration between UK and Indian artists through a joint tour. Along the way, we’re adapting our existing UK show Steam to include the Indian performers and tailor the work to suit Indian audiences,” says Alister, who informs that he got in touch with Parkour Circle through a common friend as they were looking to work in India. 

Sharing details of the performance, he adds, “It will be the combination of core values and movement vocabulary of parkour (free-running) with dance and theatre techniques to tell a story. The shows are fun, funny, often silly, extremely physical, and appeal to family audience.” 

As a part of their Tamil Nadu tour, they have performed, taught and worked in Coonoor, Coimbatore, students of the Satya Special School near Puducherry, and opened the Remembering Veenapani Festival for Adishakti Theatre in Auroville. 

In each place the company is creating, performing, teaching and offering opportunities for others to try Performance Parkour. We asked them how important and effective is Parkour in maneuvering social change and what is its ultimate purpose? 

“Performance parkour is inclusive. Our mission is to show people and discover with them, what they can do, rather than showing off what we can do. So the shows, and the workshops we take up are all about inspiring people to move, explore, and discover their potential. 

We know that our work in various places over the last eleven years has proved a powerful tool in inspiring social change, social mobility and supporting social justice. We are hoping Parkour Circle will take the lead in Tamil Nadu.”