The best physical theatre out of India, Encounter delves into the struggles and challenges of the indigenous communities of India through an explosive fusion of dance and theatre
Date/Time: Oct 17 2017, 8:00 pm to 9:20 pm
Vancouver, York Theatre | Event calendarCost: $10.00
Find tickets: here
Artistic Director and
cultural leader Rohit Chokhani is pleased to launch Diwali in BC – a
new provincial initiative aimed at making Diwali celebrations
province-wide over the next five years. During its launch year, Diwali
in BC will explore the artistic theme of Shakti – feminine power –
through theatre, dance, film, and culturally specific workshops. The
programming will feature works primarily created by women, including
Academy Award-nominated Canadian director Deepa Mehta, Dora
Award-winning playwright Pamela Mala Sinha, Dr. Aparna Sindhoor along
with her pioneering South Asian Contemporary Dance Theatre company
Navarasa Dance Theater, rising South Asian award-winning actress Dipti Mehta, and classical dance theatre artist Arno Kamolika. “After the
success of celebrating Diwali through my curation in metro Vancouver over the past four years, it became clear to me that there was a
province-wide demand to go beyond metro Vancouver and a need for a new organizational structure to hold this vision for the next five years,”
says Chokhani. “Diwali in BC is my response to that need. This year, I am thrilled and honoured to showcase the work of strong, intelligent
and incredibly talented women, and hope our city and province embraces this initiative.”
The best physical theatre out of India, Encounter is a story about an Indigenous woman, Dopdi, and her communities’ struggle to uphold the Indigenous life and her defiance against injustice. Encounter, created for the stage by Aparna Sindhoor, S M Raju, and Anil Natyaveda is a tribute to the Indigenous people’s history all around the world.
"Moving tales from Navarasa troupe…they incorporate modern dance, Indian martial arts, aerial dance, Bollywood’s pop influences – all with an eye for originality” – The Boston Globe
"An experience that stunned the audience with its complexity and beauty” – Times of India
"It combines a timeless, mythic presentational style with a charged political message that’s strangely contemporary” – Los Angeles Theater Review
"Most moving” – Portland Herald
"I have never seen anything quite like Aparna Sindhoor’s company, Navarasa Dance Theatre, in action. There is not only a fusing of dance and theatre, here, but even within the different arts an explosive fusion of cultures” – Gaëtan L. Charlebois
"In a universal tale about shortsighted despotism and evilly wielded power, only the production’s beautiful theatricality comes out the winner.” ArtsInLA
Credits:
Created by Aparna Sindhoor, Anil Natyaveda, and S M Raju
Written by: S M Raju and Aparna Sindhoor (Inspired by a short story by Mahasweta Devi)
Choreography and Direction: Aparna Sindhoor, Anil Natyaveda
Music: Isaac Thomas Kottukapally
Set Design: Anil Natyaveda, Chris Fitch
Stage Manager: Edward
Performance by: Aparna Sindhoor, Anil Natyaveda, Pratheesh Sivanandan, Leah Vincent, Sunil Kumar Thankachan, Rinu Janardhanan, Liji Krishnan, Matt Valadez and Shivani Thakkar
Costume support:
Beth Kelley and Sonia Bologa
More info