SRISHTI has teamed up with Mavin Khoo, guest choreographer, who is known for his combination of extremely classical with blatantly contemporary, to present two contrasting works for Woman Are From Venus…
Shringara is a solo created for Nina Rajarani and four musicians. The mood of the work aims to explore a starkness that is far removed from the romanticism often linked with Indian classical dance. Shringara is a work that leads itself to the Western perception of Venus, that of the planet being the ruling preceptor for love.
Shukra is an abstract work that celebrates the planet Venus within the Hindu aesthetic. In Hinduism, the planet is personified as a male force, the guru of the antigods according to Hindu Mythology. This piece brings Nina together with four male Bharatanatyam dancers and four musicians.
Collaborators
Artistic Direction: Nina Rajarani
Choreographer: Mavin Khoo
Music Composer (Shukra): Rajkumar Bharati
Lighting Designer: Michael Mannion
Costume Designer: Belinda Ackermann
Gallery
Photo: Hugo Glendinning Photo: Hugo Glendinning Photo: Hugo Glendinning Photo: Hugo Glendinning
Audience Quotes
“I felt transported away from my ‘normal day’ to a place of sensory delight”
Diana Attridge, February 2005
“Tremendous musicians, coordination and artistry”
Mr Evans, March 2005
Press Quotes
“Emotive, sensitively danced”
Evening Standard, March 2005
“poetry in Motion”
BBC, March 2005
“The most brilliant Indian dance programme I have seen for a very long time.”
The Stage, March 2005
2005 Tour Venues
India
- British Council, Chennai
- Russian Cultural Centre, Trivandrum (Soorya International Festival)
- Kinkini Festival, Bangalore
- Habitat Center, New Delhi
UK
- Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury
- Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham
- Playbox Theatre, Warwick
- 21 South Street Arts Centre, Reading
- Redbridge Drama Centre, Woodford
- Paisley Arts Centre, Scotland
- Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy
- The Playhouse, Alnwick
- Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead
- Watermans Arts Centre, Brentford
- Harrow Arts Centre, Middlesex
- Arc Theatre, Stockton on Tees
- The Place Theatre, London
- The Michaelis Dance Theatre, London
- Artsdepot, Barnet
- Queens Theatre, Hornchurch
- The Mill Studio at Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford
- The Lighthouse, Poole
- Dorchester Arts Centre, Dorchester
- The Hawth, Crawley
- Key Theatre, Peterborough
- Phoenix Arts, Leicester