INTERVIEW: Urja Desai Thakore on Pagrav Dance's new work Kattam Katti

I met with Urja Desai Thakore of UK-based Asian dance company, Pagrav Dance, to talk about their new work Kattam Katti. 

Kattam Katti is inspired by the chaos, colour and competition of India's world famous Uttarayan kite festival. The work is performed by four UK-based dancers of Asian heritage who interact with four live musicians playing a specially written score. Together they bring the fun, creativity and colour of the event to life with drama, enchanting lyricism and exquisite technique. In our interview, Urja talks about the inspiration behind Kattam Kati, the creative process and how the work intersects politically with current society.

Photo Credit: Chris Nash

Maya Pindar: Kattam Katti explores the Uttarayan kite festival in Gujarat, India. Can you tell us a bit about Uttarayan?

Urja Desai Thakore: Uttarayan (the Gujarati name for the Hindu Sun Festival) is a major festival that takes place every January in the west Indian state of Gujarat to mark the transition from winter into spring. The Festival lasts for two days, but people prepare for and celebrate it from December onwards. 

Millions of people from different cities, religions and social classes come together to fly kites, and the aim is to fly your kite higher than anybody else’s. Gujarati people keenly await the festival to fly their kites, called patang. These are made of special light-weight paper and bamboo and are mostly rhombus shaped with a central spine and a single bow. 

In major Gujurati cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and Jamnagar the skies are filled with literally thousands upon thousands of colourful kites. It is a wonderfully joyous event; but it’s also ruthlessly competitive and competitors often coat their kite strings with abrasive glass pigment that while beautiful on the surface, will cut the strings of other kites. When people cut any kites they yell Gujurati exclamations like kaypo chhe, e lapet, jaay jaay, phirki vet phirki and lapet lapet. 

There are also special festival dishes including Undhyun (spicy, baked mix of winter vegetables) and chikkis, made from sesame seeds, peanuts and jaggery. 

Photo Credit: Chris Nash

MP: What can we expect from Kattam Katti?

UDT: Kattam Katti is an exquisite piece of modern dance theatre, rooted in the Indian Kathak dance tradition, that tells the story of a family celebrating the kite festival. The variations in the types of kite are paralleled with different characters in the family and tales of competition, danger, excitement and unity are vividly brought to life. Whilst transporting the audience to the chaos, creativity and colour of Uttarayan it also explores and highlights the socio-economical hierarchy and inequalities present in society.

I created it as a neo-classical work with a distinctly contemporary feel developed out of the Kathak dance-classical Indian tradition. It is performed by eight performers - four dancers and four musicians. The musicians play their specially composed music live and are integral to the show as they move around the dancers and interact with them.

MP: Can you tell us about the creative process in the development of Kattam Katti?

UDT: In traditional Kathak dance, Nritta (the technical part) and Nritya (the expressional part) are very separate, whereas in the work I am creating this intertwines and becomes one. When I was learning, my Guru (teacher), Kumudini Lakhia, always taught me to think outside the box and to ask questions. This has been at the heart of the creative process for Kattam Katti. I believe it’s easier to break the boundaries once one has learned them. Every time my boundaries are pushed I try to extend that borderline and challenge the art form. As well as being an important part of my creative processes I believe we should be constantly evolving in order for the art form to thrive. 

Kattam Katti has gone through two R&D phases and after 3 years we have reached this creative phase. The idea was first discussed and explored with the dancers and musicians, and once we finalised the ‘dance language’ I introduced dramaturgy, lights and sets. I have been extremely fortunate to have a great team of creative and innovative collaborators and artists around me. We set ourselves challenges and are always keen to think differently and try new ideas and approaches. 

Photo Credit: Chris Nash

MP: How does the music help shape the storytelling in the work?

UDT: Kattam Katti doesn’t’t use the traditional way of formal composed music. The musicians were in the space with the dancers and are part of the story rather than separate artists creating a sound score. They played along with movement and developed the music that way. This sort of interaction with the dancers has been a tradition of South Asian dance for many years and I have sought to involve them in the space so that their music is responsive to the movement and story. We are also restricting ourselves from using the traditional instruments used in the Kathak form. 

MP: Uttarayan reveals some of the inequalities and division in modern society. How important do you think is it that that we talk about these issues through dance?

UDT: Through my observation of societies around the world I found a lot of similarity in the way Uttarayan is celebrated and day to day life. How the privileged have an easy road to success (with their high terraces, those with large houses or exclusive penthouse flats have a head start in the battle to fly their kites the highest) compared to someone struggling to reach to the basic level by flying their kites from ground level.

By using dance to show how these inequalities exist we can help to put our point over in a colourful and entertaining way and illustrate that such inequalities exist, but when it comes to time of celebration or tragedy we can unite. Other choreographers such as Rhiannon Faith are also using dance to highlight inequalities in society, demonstrating the continuing relevance of dance from around the world as a dynamic art form.

Photo Credit: Chris Nash

MP: Kattam Katti is for everyone - can you tell us a bit about its relevancy to audiences?

UDT: I believe the show will appeal to people of all ages and from different backgrounds. On one level it is funny, colourful and interactive alongside the stories and social comment. The original music and virtuoso playing will appeal to those interested in World Music and I truly believe that there is something for anyone interested in dance and theatre. I’m creating Kattam Katti to be visually stunning and uplifting from a dance point of view with a story that is easy to follow and connect to, but also has a deeper relevance for those who wish to find it. 

MP: Pagrav Dance Company provides a platform for the next generation of dancers. How do works like Kattam Katti feed into Pagrav's commitment to nurturing young dancers?

UDT: I have always been a strong advocate of supporting young dancers, often local to my base in Milton Keynes. I have given platforms to emerging dancers, from Aakash Odedra in the 2008 show Baharan (now a renowned and award-winning artist who runs his own company) to the current cast of Kattam Katti - Saloni Saraf, Meera Patel, Parbati Chaudhury and Subhash Viman Gorania.

I strongly believe that in the UK there are many talented up and coming dancers, but what is lacking is the infrastructure for them to further their careers and pursue their dreams. There is a lack of professional development for dancers in a company setting. Thus for the first time we are including a development plan in this project. Each of the dancers will complete an appraisal at the end of the project and Pagrav Dance Company will provide a bespoke plan for each of them to develop their practice, both inside and outside of the company environment. The musicians are also British-born and Pagrav Dance Company are planning to offer ongoing career support to them too. 

MP: Finally, what one piece of advice would you offer young, aspiring Asian dancers?

UDT: There is no alternative to hard work, just keep believing in yourselves, work hard and be ready to take any opportunities that arrive, but don’t just wait for opportunities, create them for yourself.

Kattam Kati was scheduled to be premier at Sadler's Wells in May 2020, however due to Covid-19 the work will now go on stage at a later point, find out more here.

REVIEW: Breakin' Convention Presents the illusory Yaman Okur & Jean-Philippe Collard Neven in 1mm Au Dessus Du Sol

Fri 27 Sep
Lilian Baylis Studio
Breakin’ Convention Presents: Yaman Okur & Philippe Collard-Neven - 1mm Au Dessus Du Sol

Breakin' Convention is the powerhouse behind UK hip hop dance-theatre. The festival showcases the finest hip hop and provides a platform for emerging dance artists in the genre. This year, prominent B-Boy Yaman Okur returns to Breakin' Convention Presents with collaborator Jean-Philippe Collard Neven with the captivating 1mm Au Dessus Du Sol.

The stage is set with a skate ramp and a grand piano, at which the effortlessly cool Neven plays. But Collard Neven isn't just the accompanying musician, his role brings an extra layer of comedy and wit to the narratives that unfold onstage.

Okur is easy in his movement, he glides through illusory floor-work and complex inversions. As well as being a talented dancer, Okur is an excellent entertainer; he builds a clear relationship with the audience. Darting looks of embarrassment and fear as he flirts with a young woman and later spars with an invisible giant.

The absurdity doesn't stop coming. A reoccuring theme involving laundry baskets sees Okur under threat from the white baskets that are flung down the skate ramp by Collard Neven, who lurks behind the ramp. Okur's unique style of breaking and use of props means he can blend balmy narratives with extraordinary tricks, the result is captivating.

This multi-layered work of dance is hugely accessible and entertaining. If you've never been to the theatre or watched a ballet, 1mm Au Dessus Du Sol is a great place to start.

According to an interview by Broadway World, the inspiration behind 1mm Au Dessus Du Sol came to Okur during an earthquake in Turkey, in which 55,000 people died within 45 seconds. Okur said "feeling the ground shaking was by far one of the scariest things I've felt, and I told myself that night that I wished I was above the ground to not feel it shaking".

Maya Pindar

INTERVIEW: James Pett and Travis Clausen-Knight on their creation of Ley Line with Yukiko Tsukamoto

James Pett and Travis Clausen-Knight of Fabula Collective present Ley Line, their first independent work in partnership Japan Foundation London, since leaving Company Wayne McGregor earlier this year. Ahead of the performance on 08 October, I chatted to James and Travis about the creation of Ley Line and their experiences as dancers and creators.

James Pett, Travis Clausen-Knight & Guest Choreographer Kihako Narisawa in Ley Line

Maya Pindar: What can we expect from Ley Line?

James Pett: Ley Line is a quadruple bill of four very exciting and emotionally stirring works. Three choreographers with all very different voices and movement language. 

Travis Clausen-Knight: Besides three unique choreographers I think you can expect to see very mature creations that connect to human concepts we often overlook. For a small gathering of artists I think these may be some of the most talented people I have worked with. Just the sheer emotion and connection shared will be evident.

MP: Can you tell us how these four works came together?

JP: Fabula Collective's Director Yukiko Tsukamoto is Japanese and wants to bridge the gap between her time living in London and her home in Tokyo. Yukiko asked Kihako Narisawa, a Japanese choreographer based in Switzerland, to join myself and Travis to create work for Ley Line, and her piece a.é.p.s will be presented alongside our work.

Travis and I premiered our duet Informal Between last year at Sadler’s Wells where we first starting working with Yukiko. This duet is the starting point of our Fabula Collective journey - the duet has a very beautiful meaning for the three of us and it made sense for it to return again! Travis is creating a trio SALT to WATER and I am creating a solo entitled Man of the Crowd - based on the book by Edgar Allan Poe.

TCK: Yukiko Tsukamoto is the mind behind a program she is keen to produce. James and myself had already worked on a show with her for Japan and she wanted to expand on it for a London performance. It is because of her that these works are possible and I feel, at the same time, the highly creative energy we all share naturally, if not in such a clichéd sense, was going to bring us together inevitably.

MP: What sort of choreographic processes did you use when creating Ley Line?

JP: In terms of my solo Man of the Crowd, I have been doing a lot of research in the studio. The piece looks at various characters within society. I had to develop the movement qualities and emotional expression to each character specifically. They needed to be distinct. I tend to work very deeply with inner feeling to generate movement. This can be stimulated by images, music and text. From here, I did a lot of improvisation where I would film everything to capture that inner feeling being expressed outwardly in my body. This live capture was the key to me finding the particular movement and emotional language for the ten minute solo. 

TCK: I really enjoy working with a mix of approaches with my dancers as I feel that gets me the most depth of my concepts but also connects me to them individually. I will often generate an open idea that expands gradually as my dancers construct it alongside me. This can be done in tasks or by directly creating on them, where I will in some way question them physically. In this instance we also had a particular set of props, though I don’t want to give too much away. This prop made me explore space and how I can influence a single movement with it. It also led us to consider that a body isn’t always your partner. Sometimes an inanimate object can be an entity all of its own.

MP: Can you tell us a bit about your time in Japan? How did your time there inform your dance practice?

JP: Japan was an incredible experience, to bring modern contemporary works to a traditional Noh Theatre in Tokyo. The fusion of tradition and contemporary dance worked really beautifully. Being a very spiritual theatre, I felt it definitely gave our works a more spiritual sense.

TCK: I love Japan for its culture and richness towards tradition and the new. I’ve always loved popular culture, so seeing so many takes on their own traditions used alongside modern society is very synergistic if you will. I think this somewhat pushed my creative voice and encouraged me to push boundaries on what may be considered odd. Japanese, as well as other Asian movement styles, have intrigued me as there is a fluidity and difference to the technique. Asia in particular has grown something unique.

MP: Have either of you had any mentors or important role models? How have they supported you and/or your work?

JP: I have worked with Richard Alston and Wayne McGregor during my dance career. They have both guided me greatly into the dancer I am now and I am very grateful for this. They both believe in supporting the next generation of dancers and choreographers.

TCK: I’ve never been directly mentored but I have had many people teach me through my experiences with them. Wayne McGregor pushed me in a creative and ambitious sense and I attribute him to really helping me be convicted to my ideas. I like to think that all artists support each other in some small way. Considering our current strenuous times I believe that our communities, in the arts, strive to push the correct message and to shape the world into an ideal, rather than for personal want or gain.

MP: If you could collaborate with anyone, who would be your dream artist to work with?

JP: This a great question, there are many! Some are no longer alive - Merce Cunningham and Pina Bausch. Currently I really love Crystal Pite's works.

TCK: Without hesitation I would have worked with the incredible mind of Pina Bausch just to witness her in the studio. Other artists I’m wishing to collaborate with would be Olafur Eliasson, Studio Drifts creators Ralph Nauta and Lonneke Gordijn, musician Thom Yorke and also band Solomon Grey. My guilty pleasure would be Sia.

MP: What words of advice would you give other emerging dance artists beginning their own careers?

JP: Work hard, always remain authentic to your ideas, do not waste time in searching for appreciation and fame - always keep the focus on your work.

TCK: You have to go with your gut and push consistently to grow yourself. Hard work is a constant that only gives back to you, so no matter what you choose you must always strive to do your best and be open to what is being said. Respect everything and never look down. Offer your hand out to those who may ask. Everyone knows suffering and wishes to be supported.

MP: Can you sum up Ley Line is just three words?

JP: Hypnotic, emotional, dynamic.

TCK: You, myself and us.

Ley Line is showing at Sadler's Wells on 08 October. Tickets are available here: https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/2019/fabula-collective-ley-line/

Maya Pindar

REVIEW: Akram Khan's Giselle returns to Sadler's Wells

Wed 18 Sep
Sadlers Wells
English National Ballet - Akram Khan's Giselle

Akram Khan's version of the classic ballet transports Giselle from her village to a migrant garment factory. Khan's re-imagination of Giselle with English National Ballet fuses ballet, contemporary dance and reoccurring moments of South Asian dance in the form of mudra hands. Tamara Rojo is a strong and resolute Giselle, contrary to the timid and shy girl presented in the classical ballet.

James Streeter in Akram Khan's Giselle (PC: Laurent Liotardo)

The space opens in darkness, gradually illuminating set designer Tim Yip's monolithic wall, which tilts and moves. Heads down and palms spread wide against the wall, the dancers push against it, leaving behind dusty handprints as they step away. The dancers are dressed in shades of grey, the men in tunic-style t-shirts and the women in gauzy skirts.

Act I sees Albrecht (James Streeter) and Hilarion (Jeffrey Cirio) vying for Giselle's attention. The young men stumble through the factory as they confront one another and chase after Giselle. The drama culminates when the factory landlords, dressed in ostentatious Hunger Games-esque costumes, demand Albrecht return with them to their world. Abandoning the factory, Albrecht leaves Giselle to die of a broken heart.

The Landlords in Akram Khan's Giselle (PC: Laurent Liotardo)

But it's Act II that is truly captivating. Khan's Wilis (the ghosts of wronged female factory workers) are both beautiful and ghoulish. Stina Quagebeur is an excellent Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis. She towers over Albrecht and Hilarion, with an all powerful and ethereal other-worldliness. Khan equips the Wilis with long, thin sticks reminiscent of sewing needles, which they strike against the floor and pummel into the bodies of the young men.

Rojo and Streeter's final pas de deux is devastatingly beautiful. Caught somewhere between life and death, Rojo slips through Streeter's arms. He seems to step right through Rojo as he reaches out to hold her. A series of tender and gravity defying lifts ends as Rojo's body turns limp and floppy.

The Wilis in Akram Khan's Giselle (PC: Laurent Liotardo)

Stina Quagebeur in Akram Khan's Giselle (PC: Laurent Liotardo)

The only missing link is the resoluteness of Khan's storyline. Without the guidance of programme notes, Tim Yip's set could just as easily be a refugee camp or the borderlines along Trump's wall, or an industrial wasteland. Is Albrecht another migrant worker? How does Giselle die? Who is Hilarion, and why should we care about him?

Despite the gaps in the storytelling, the atmosphere that Khan creates, with the help of Vincenzo Lamagna's haunting score and Mark Henderson's atmospheric lighting design, is enough to satisfy. Giselle serves up heaps of intensity and depth that more than makes up for the holes in Khan's narrative.

Maya Pindar

English National Ballet - Akram Khan's Giselle is showing at Sadlers Wells until 28 September.

INTERVIEW: Feet Off The Ground revisit The Way They Were Then

This year Feet Off The Ground revisit their work The Way They Were Then in their upcoming tour in London and Nottingham. The company are an all-female collective of dance artists that represent women as strong and physical in their dance work. I met with Robyn Holder to chat about the inspiration behind The Way They Were Then and their development of the work.

Maya Pindar: Can you tell us a little bit about The Way They Were Then?

Robyn Holder: The Way They Were Then is a piece inspired by a book of short stories by Uraguyan author Eduardo Galeano. Premiered at Resolution! 2017, the piece has undergone a development process spanning two years.

MP: What inspired you to revisit the work this year?

RH: When we created the work for Resolution, the process was short and we felt we didn’t have enough time to delve into the stories and choreographic processes. Some sections of the piece were well explored and others were underdeveloped. We really liked the work, felt excited by it and wanted it to realise its full potential!

MP: What sort of choreographic processes did you use when developing The Way They Were Then?

RH: We often work with a number of tools during the choreographic process, one that was key to this process was devising movement tasks based on themes with clear physical limitations and restrictions and then working to find the possibilities within these parameters.

MP: What have you enjoyed the most about developing this work?

RH: We have really enjoyed having the opportunity to come back into the studio and see our ideas and research materialise. Having our dramaturg Neus Gil Cortes in the studio with us really shook everything up and gave us clarity!

MP:  You collaborated with other groups of women as part of the development of The Way They Were Then. Can you tell us more about this collaboration?

RH: During the R&D last year, we collaborated with a group of local women from Nottingham called Faltonia whose voices and personal experiences directly informed the process. Discussing and exploring the stories with a diverse group of different ages and backgrounds helped us to see things from different perspectives and gave the work more depth. As part of this project we will be working with young women to create short curtain raisers for our performances. The curtain raisers will explore themes from the piece: female empowerment, oppression, rebellion and unity.

MP: Can you tell us about the music and the relationship it has to the choreography and/or inspiration behind the work?

RH: The music that has been created for this piece by Sabio Janiak creates an internal feeling of the pace and rhythm for us as dancers. The score also sets the tone, supports the intention and illuminates the stories.

MP: Finally, can you sum up what we can expect to see at the performances in London and Nottingham in three words?

RH: Women, Stories, Belonging

The Way They Were Then will be showing in London on 26 September and in Nottingham on 10th October. To book tickets visit: https://www.feetofftheground.co.uk/works-1

REVIEW: Jaivant Patel Dance presents a South Asian queer lens in YAATRA

Tue 16 July
Blue Elephant Theatre
Jaivant Patel Dance - YAATRA

Jaivant Patel Dance presents an evening of solo Kathak dance, exploring the intersection of faith and sexuality within the context of his Indian heritage. Patel's performance is both vulnerable and resolute as he delves into his own narrative as an LGBTQ+ man of South Asian descent.

The stage is bear but with gold bells suspended from the ceiling. The ringing of a bell marks the beginning of the piece, just as it marks the beginning of worship and the invoking of gods and goddesses in pooja (prayer or worship). Patel is dressed in a long red tunic and pants with a gold scarf draped over his shoulder. His eyes follow gestural hands and gaze out across the audience. Lost in Hassan Mohyeddin's percussive score, Patel smiles, striking his feet and gliding through the space.

YAATRA is woven with feminine motifs that emphasise a sense of gender fluidity. In one section, the lights drop, illuminating only Patel's ankles. Patel's feet move quickly and rhythmically as his heels beat the ground. Our attention is drawn to the ghungroo (ankle bells) around his ankles and his painted toenails: it's possible to be both masculine and feminine at once. This dream-like sequence is interrupted by a woman shouting. Patel sits down, and the words "boys don't wear scarves... boys don't wear nail varnish" punctuate the quiet. Patel's personal journey to understanding his sexual and gender identity is evident throughout YAATRA with these moments of cultural divergency.

YAATRA also challenges the gender binaries present in Indian mythology and epic tales. Although classical Indian dance, like Kathak, typically sees men playing women and women playing men, love stories never play out between actors of the same sex. Patel seeks to challenge this heteronormativity and asks what these narratives would look like with a male performer playing the role of a genderqueer hero falling in love with his male god.

Patel doesn't proclaim to be a classically trained Kathak dancer, instead he uses the dance form as a point of reference for his Indian heritage. Freed of a codified dance technique, YAATRA presents a man who is liberated and free to be himself. As he mentioned in the post-show Q&A, Patel's aim isn't to present more "boxes" for people to squeeze their identities into, but rather the possibility of a gender fluidity where gender and sexuality don't need to categorisation. As Patel noted in the Q&A, walking into a space of ritual can be a difficult experience for those from the LGBTQ+ community. YAATRA successfully breaks down these boundaries to create a safe space for an intimate exploration of these narratives within the context of South Asian worship.

Maya Pindar

REVIEW: Tracing Paces at Grow Tottenham

Sat 18 May
Grow Tottenham
Tracing Paces

Founded by Maisie Sadgrove, Tracing Paces hosts a series of not-for-profit immersive and community-based dance projects and workshops. Like many of the urban venues that Tracing Paces occupy, Grow Tottenham represents the decreasing number of public spaces available in cities. The event showcased live dance, an art installation and participatory activities within the setting of the community garden. 

Tracing Paces at Grow Tottenham

Sadgrove's site specific dance work is the result of four months of creation at Grow Tottenham. The work begins slowly with four dancers emerging in a clump, shuffling quickly, somewhere between zippy and jittery. The shuffling comes to an abrupt stop and the group disperse. The group draw together again, but this time they're slower, grounded and almost syrupy in their limbs. Arms thread outwards, like young shoots from the soil. Moving between bags of compost, planting borders and wooden crates, the work reflects the changing seasons in the garden.

Tracing Paces at Grow Tottenham

Moments of surprise keep the piece moving forward. While a woman gestures sowing seeds, two others disappear behind her amongst planting troughs. Behind her, legs begin to slowly extend between the troughs. One, then two, then three, then four, rise and fall. The rising leg motif reappears later in the form of an extended arm with a broken wrist, resembling the rows of dead sunflowers in the garden. The quietness of the work is punctuated by the sound of chatter, traffic and birdsong; a perfect pedestrian soundtrack.

Tracing Paces at Grow Tottenham

Sadgrove does well to bring people together in a forgotten public space. The work is peaceful and reflective, and serves to be a brilliant reminder of the quiet spaces that exist amongst the urban sprawl. 

Maya Pindar


Find out more about Tracing Paces here.