Classical Indian dance on the Worthing stage

An ambitious performance of classical Indian Bharatanatyam dance comes to Worthing Theatres this November, offered by a new generation of British South-Asian dancers in SRISHTI Pathways.
By Phil Hewitt
Published 3rd Nov 2023, 10:05 BST
Srishti Pathways (Photo credit Simon Richardson)Srishti Pathways (Photo credit Simon Richardson)
Srishti Pathways (Photo credit Simon Richardson)

The production will showcase the “best of Bharatanatyam through exquisite movements, powerful rhythm and striking ensemble work”, a spokesman said.

“The dancers will present three works by award-winning choreographer and Srishti’s artistic director Nina Rajarani and a specially-commissioned one by the inimitable guest choreographer Mavin Khoo. Versatile music composer and Karnatik vocalist Y Yadavan has created the music score for the performance. Bharatanatyam is a classical Indian dance style that originated in the temples of southern India. It is characterised by its strong lines, geometry and symmetry, as well as highly expressive mime. Bharatanatyam is probably the most popular and versatile classical Indian dance style worldwide."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

SRISHTI Pathways is funded by Arts Council England and supported by Harrow Arts Centre, Harrow Council and Creative Academy, Slough. It will be at the Connaught Theatre on Tuesday, November 14 at 7.30pm. Tickets on https://wtm.uk/events/pathways/

Nina Rajarani is a choreographer, dancer and Bharatanatyam teacher. She is the artistic director of Srishti, an organisation she set up at Harrow Arts Centre where she has been based since 1991, now functioning as three separate entities – a touring company, a charitable outreach arm and a dance/music school. Nina has presented her dance work widely, both nationally and internationally. She is a dance teacher, a founder committee member of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing’s (ISTD) Classical Indian Dance Faculty and their lead Bharatanatyam examiner for vocational and teaching qualifications.

In 2006, Nina won the Place Prize, Europe’s largest choreographic competition sponsored by Bloomberg, for her piece QUICK! She was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s 2009 Birthday Honours, in recognition of her services to South Asian Dance.