A socio-political dance work, which examines the journey of a young creative drawn to dance—from an initial fascination with the art form through formal training and skill-building, to confronting the realities of pursuing dance as a profession in India. The work explores the contradictions surrounding a dancer’s identity, the quantification of artistic skill, the scarcity of sustainable career opportunities, and the privileges and responsibilities that accompany access to quality training.

Originally created as a solo work in July 2023, the piece has been performed four times, with three performances documented. The solo served as an initial articulation of my artistic voice and provided the foundation for its continued development. Following these performances, I identified the potential to open the work to dancers & create an ensemble composition.

As the creator and director of the expanded work, I am reimagined the original movement language and compositional structure through an ensemble of distinct artistic voices. The development process explored how individual experiences of training, ambition, privilege and professional uncertainty intersect within a larger dance community. Through rehearsal, experimentation, creative exchange and iterative composition, I aimed to bring out the intensity and conceptual integrity of the original solo while allowing the work to evolve into a more complex, collaborative and immersive performance.

Danced by Mansi Kumari, Mridvika Richie & Ramneek Kaur