Mirage

Mirageis a double bill featuring two separate works, one choreographed by Srishti’s artistic director, Nina Rajarani, and the other by guest choreographer Bawren Tavaziva.

Kadala…Is it love? This work, choreographed by Nina Rajarani and sensitively written and composed by talented vocalist Y Yadavan, portrays a woman in love who is in constant dialogue with her mind, talking to her absent lover. Her love is bold, like a fragrance which when it disperses cannot be captured or contained. But she is shy, embarrassed at the thought that her love for him is so blatantly written all over her face. However, she doubts her lover’s commitment and talks of his unfulfilled promises and her shattered dreams, questioning why she continues to wait for him when he never comes her way. Is their love a mirage?

Nevertheless, she finds hope within herself and feels confident that he will soon come and rid her of her loneliness. A highly emotional piece, this work is studded with complex rhythmic intricacies at breathtaking speed.

Checkers – a Human Chess Board, choreographed by Bawren Tavaziva, Place Prize finalist 2004, is a work of a bold contemporary flavour, garnished with a hint of African roots. Having spent 8 years of her life in Africa, Nina has a strong interest in and affinity towards African dance and music. This piece is an intense display of insincerity, deception and suspicion. We only reveal what we want to be seen…but is there more to us than meets the eye? Genuine appearance, with undercurrents of deceit – have you ever pretended you are someone or something you are not, for personal gain? Mirage – an optical illusion.

Both choreographers’ works are on the theme of deception in which they have personalised their interpretation of deception. Nina explored this concept through personal relationships whereas Bawren took a more controversial stance on deception, speaking from a nation’s, race’s, community’s point of view. Moved by the destruction of cultures of indigenous people by weapons of mass deception that span the centuries, Bawren believes that today, the weapons are more subtle but the goals are still the same.

Collaborators

Artistic Direction: Nina Rajarani
Choreography: Nina Rajarani (Kadala…Is it love?), Bawren Tavaziva (Checkers – a Human Chess Board)
Music Direction and Composition: Y Yadavan
Lighting Design: Ben Pacey
Costume Design: Prabha Koda (Chennai, India)