Aunusthan

by Pagrav Dance Company

Seven Kathak dancers: two male, five female, in bright saffron orange and sea green costumes, caught mid-leap. They are grouped three towards the back, and four towards the front, but are all dancing in unison. Their legs are tucked up under them, and their arms are all extended in the same direction. Those whose faces are visible are smiling. The women have gold jewellery and white flowers in their hair. The stage is hung with black and the light tints the floor blue.

About Aunusthan

This was truly 'dancing that makes you feel alive.' Going further, it was also dancing that reminds you of the aliveness of others, the seriousness of their lives and feelings mirrored in the sincerity of their artwork...It felt sacred and transcendent…the dance dealt with vast ideas physically, through form and technique.

(Strand Magazine, 2023)

A celebration of the ancient yet always-evolving multifaceted art of Kathak. This evening of exhilarating choreography from a contemporary master transports the audience into a breathtaking world of weaving patterns and riotous rhythms - drawing them in to revel in the colour and music of India, and the pure technique and virtuoso dynamism of the performers.

Featuring a cast of talented British Asian dance artists who have trained with Pagrav Dance Company, Aunusthan also showcases the bright future of Kathak in the UK. These exceptional performers, alongside a number of the country’s most talented musicians, bring their passion and creativity to every moment of the show, creating an unforgettable experience for all.

About Pagrav Dance Company

Choreographer Urja Desai Thakore is best known for her innovative approach, bringing impeccable classical technique to contemporary storytelling and staging, and as Artistic Director and CEO of PDC, she has built a company that is at the forefront of contemporary British Kathak - taking it from traditional solo dance to an interdisciplinary, ensemble art form. The company teaches, promotes and presents Kathak in its purest form while challenging its traditional artistic boundaries with contemporary production values and cross-discipline collaboration - creating a wholly new movement vocabulary. This approach both preserves the cultural heritage of Kathak, while provoking new appreciation of the discipline and mobilising its impact to empower people and enhance lives.

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CAST & CREATIVES

Choreography: Urja Desai Thakore
Music: Alap Desai & Atul Desai
Costume: Urja Desai Thakore & Abha Desai
Lighting Design: Urja Desai Thakore & Chris Burr
Executive Producer: Lia Prentaki
Sound Engineer: Camilo Tirado
Audio Description: Meera Patel
Dancers: Parbati Chaudhury (she/her), Urja Desai Thakore (she/her), Meera Patel (she/her), Mira Salat (she/her), Ishira Shah (she /her). Final cast to be confirmed.
Musicians: Hiren Chate (he/him), Kaviraj Singh (he/him), Gurdain Singh Rayatt (he/him), Satwinder Pal Singh (he/him)

Produced by Pagrav Dance Company. Supported using Public Funding by Arts Council of England and Milton Keynes City Council.

AunusthanTrailer

Image gallery

IMAGES

  • Two male Kathak dancers performing. One is in a saffron kurta, the other in a dark sea green kurta, and both have bells on their ankles. They are standing together lunging to a downstage corner with opposing arms raised and extended. They are looking in the same direction and smiling slightly. The stage is hung with black and the light tints the floor blue.
  • Two male Kathak dancers performing. One is in a saffron kurta, the other in a dark sea green kurta, and both have bells on their ankles. They have been caught mid-leap, with their raised arms crossed at the wrists and their bent legs crossed at the ankles behind them. They are looking over their left shoulders and smiling. The stage is hung with black and the light tints the floor purple.
  • Seven Kathak dancers, five female two male, in bright saffron orange and sea green costumes, caught in the middle of a dramatic swirling step performed in unison. They are inclining towards their left and swirling their arms and skirts towards their right, with their left legs bent and turned inward. The women have gold jewellery and white flowers in their hair. The stage is hung with black and the light tints the floor blue.
  • A female Kathak dancer makes a classical gesture as she comes out of a spin. Her left arm is raised and curved back over her head, her right is extended towards the downstage corner. Her hands are soft and she smiles towards her extended hand. She is wearing a dark green skirt with gold details that swirls around her, with an orange and gold top and pinned dupatta/scarf. She has gold Indian jewellery and white flowers in her hair. The stage is hung with black and the light tints the floor purple.
  • Seven Kathak dancers: two male, five female, in bright saffron orange and sea green costumes, caught mid-leap. They are grouped three towards the back, and four towards the front, but are all dancing in unison. Their legs are tucked up under them, and their arms are all extended in the same direction. Those whose faces are visible are smiling. The women have gold jewellery and white flowers in their hair. The stage is hung with black and the light tints the floor blue.
  • Two male Kathak dancers performing. One is in a saffron kurta, the other in a dark sea green kurta, and both have bells on their ankles. The dancer in orange leaps with legs tucked and arms extended towards a downstage corner. The dancer in green comes out of a spin and extends his arms in the same manner. They form an arrangement of angles that gives the impression of synchronicity. The stage is hung with black and the light tints the floor blue.
  • Seven Kathak dancers: two male, five female, in bright saffron orange and sea green costumes, performing. The five female dancers are processing diagonally across the stage, holding their skirts out with one hand and gesturing forwards with the other. In the back, a male dancer with orange stands, reaching upwards with one arm and his gaze. In the front a male dancer in green leans backwards from a seated position with both arms raised. The stage is hung with black and the light tints the floor blue.
  • A female Kathak dancer swirls her skirts with her hands. She smiles towards her extended eg. She is wearing a dark green skirt with gold details, with an orange and gold top and pinned dupatta/scarf. She has gold Indian jewellery and white flowers in her hair. The stage is hung with black and the light tints the floor blue. Four female Kathak dancers gesture in unison from a seated tableau position with their right arms extended across their bodies. In the background, two male dancers make a mirrored pose, with opposite arms extended towards each other, and opposite legs extended away. All the dancers wear bright saffron orange and sea green costumes trimmed with gold. The women have gold jewellery and white flowers in their hair. The stage is hung with black and the light tints the floor blue.
  • Four female Kathak dancers gesture in unison from a seated tableau position with their right arms extended across their bodies. In the background, two male dancers make a mirrored pose, with opposite arms extended towards each other, and opposite legs extended away. All the dancers wear bright saffron orange and sea green costumes trimmed with gold. The women have gold jewellery and white flowers in their hair. The stage is hung with black and the light tints the floor blue.
  • Seven Kathak dancers: two male, five female, in bright saffron orange and sea green costumes, trimmed with gold, forming a tableau. All the dancers are making slightly different gestures, some seated, some standing. The effect is of a complex organism. The women have gold jewellery and white flowers in their hair. The stage is hung with black and the light tints the floor blue