Sadler’s Wells will host ROOH: Within Her, the latest khatak dance piece from choreographer and performer Urja Desai Thakore, this April.
One of the UK’s leading kathak dancers, Thakore worked with poet and dramaturg Karthika Nair to explore stories of female bravery and heroism. In creating this work, she took inspiration from legends, folklore and her own family tales.
ROOH means ‘essence’ in Gujarati. In the piece, Thakore stages the turmoil of a mother — a celebrated figure in ancient Tamil literature — who scours the battlefield in search of her son’s body, determined to disprove rumours he died fleeing the enemy. She also embodies Chaaran Kanya, the folk heroine Heerbai as described by renowned Gujarati author Zaverchand Meghani: a young cowherdess and the only one in her village brave enough to drive away a threatening lion.
Through other inspirational figures – some lost in time, others lesser-known – Urja Desai Thakore connects distant past and recent history to individual choices, and celebrates narratives big and small, and their influence on our current and future selves.
The performance is accompanied by four musicians (mridangam, tabla, santoor, flute, vocals, and konnakol) who perform live, and the soundscape weaves voiceovers of Tamil and Gujarati poems, family dialogue, and music composed by musician Alap Desai.
Presented by Pagrav Dance Company, ROOH: Within Her comes to Sadler’s Wells Lilian Baylis Studio from Wednesday, April 23 – Friday, April 25.
More details: www.sadlerswells.com