Akram Khan and company have been hailed by critics as an up-and-coming giant in the world of modern dance. Khan's revolutionary choreography in "Kaash" ÷ a meditation to the Hindu god, Shiva ÷ combines Indian and modern dance techniques, which for Khan has become a technique in itself. "Kaash," Khan's first full-length show, will be at Centennial Hall Oct. 4.

"I (had been) studying two different disciplines and it happened by accident," said Khan. "My body got confused, it started making decisions for itself, started to explore more and more of looking into a new way of moving. In a way I felt like I had stumbled on a new way of movement."

Khan ÷ with Moya Michael and Shanell Winlock of South Africa, Inn-Pang Ooi of Hong Kong and Rachel Krische of London ÷ has been performing "Kaash" internationally since May of last year.

The performance has been a continual evolution and when it is performed Saturday, audiences will only see 20 percent of the original material ÷ the rest has been altered, edited or added throughout the tour.

"His style is so different from anything I have ever seen," said UA dance junior Rebecca Whittington, after seeing "Kaash" over the summer in Massachusetts. "He uses a lot of different formations and movement patterns and energies ÷ I wish that it went on longer."

The company dances against a backdrop created by renowned set designer Anish Kapoor.

Incorporating a blend of four different materials, the set interacts with the dancers as a void, often appearing to the audience to swallow the black-clad dancers within its expanse.

"It's a flat background but it looks like it is fluctuating back and forth," said Whittington. "They kind of used it as another cast member. It was there and had a presence."

Incorporating the power and strength of his dancers, "Kaash," which means "if" in Hindi, features a musical repertoire by composer Nitin Sawhneyand.

"I feel (the music) is really inspiring," said Khan. "It's very inspiring to work with and work against."

"He does things really, really fast," said Whittington. "The energy that they use, I would keel over and die, but they're so focused that they can do it and it's amazing."

The son of Bangladeshi parents, Khan, 27, was born and trained predominantly in London from the age of three.

As he became more serious as a dancer he began to also train in India.

Khan formed his own dance company in August 2000 and was subsequently named Outstanding Newcomer to Dance by both the Critics Circle and Time Out Live magazine. In 2001, Khan was asked to be the Choreographer in Residence at the Royal Festival Hall in London, according to material from UApresents.

He is currently the Artist in Residence at the Royal Festival Hall in London.

Khan is an international performer, having toured in the United States, Japan, India, Bangladesh, Australia and Europe.

Akram Khan Company perform "Kaash," at 8 p.m. Oct. 4 in Centennial Hall.

Tickets range in price from $12 to $30 and can be purchased at the Centennial Hall Box Office, located at 1020 E. University Blvd., or over the phone at (520) 621-3341.