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The June 30th at India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi witnessed a heart touching and soul enriching dance theatre production ‘AND SHE SPOKE’, conceptualised by Bharatnatyam dancer - choreographer Vaibhav Arekar and directed by both Sushant Jadhav and Vaibhav Arekar of Mumbai.
AND SHE SPOKE boldly pushes the boundaries of the current format of Indian traditional dances, redefining its structure and execution. Drawing inspiration from the varied backgrounds of each performer in Bharatnatyam, the artists collaborated with directors Vaibhav Arekar and Sushant Jadhav to craft a piece that seamlessly blends the traditional with the contemporary.
By discarding engraved assumptions and preconceptions, the troupe boldly revisits the fundamental question: how do stories transform into dance? This sense of initiation and conviction imbues the production with its distinctive essence, effortlessly navigating through the realms of dance and theater. As a collective, the cohort surpasses any preconceived notions of what Indian dance entails and redefines the identity of Indian female artists.
The production followed a very unglamorous and in-depth reality of a day-to-day lifestyle of a woman. No pomp show nor any kind of stylised presentation. The production throughout its performance maintained the realisation of womanhood at various levels through its light and costume design which was done by Sushant Jadhav. It directly hits the core of being a woman towards societal norms which is expected from both males as well as females at different parameter of relationships.
AND SHE SPOKE tries to cover and showcase all minute interests and intentions related to a woman’s life in both her personal and professional life. While watching the show one could admit how much a woman can manage different works within her single frame of daily routine. How much demoralisation she receives from within her household or the gender disparity she experiences during the most needed time to sexual abuse and even rape.
The work confidently emerged as an online research laboratory amidst the COVID lockdown. What started as isolated boxes on screens evolved into a platform for sharing poetry, paintings, experiences, and movements. The compelling act of storytelling drove the project to blossom into a fully-fledged production. This immersive and emotional endeavor serves as a cathartic experience, resonating with both viewers and performers alike. It is a poignant reflection aimed at humanity at large, emphasizing how individual actions and inactions reverberate globally. By challenging societal norms and exploring their impact on mental and physical well-being, it urges a reconsideration of certain behaviours.
The intrigue beauty of this production is that, the performers namely Deepika Potdar, Eesha Pinglay, Indu Venu, Keerthana Ravi, Meenakshi Grama, Prachi Saathi, Rama Kukunur, Reshma Shetty, Swarada Bhave and Shruti Gopal besides being tremendously wonderful performers are also the sole content curators and choreographers of it.
The end of this mind blowing production left with an everlasting stamp in the minds of the spectators. Concepts on women empowerment and social taboos may be found many, but the way AND SHE SPOKE unfolded episode after episode with such stirring vitality was admirably to go on a very long way.
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