For the third edition of a residency programme for six emerging choreographers from diverse dance backgrounds and regions. The resident artists will engage in intensive workshops and discussions with peers and mentors over ten weeks to create individual pieces of work, which will be shown to the public at the conclusion of the residency.
For a three-day national conference bringing together performing artists, writers, educationists and teachers to discuss theatre for young audiences (TYA) in India and its relationship to other performance and pedagogical practices. The conference will strengthen existing networks among TYA stakeholders and outline possible actions to support their future endeavours.
For the creation of a dance-drama performance based on Jean Genet’s play, The Maids. Combining padams in Bharatanatyam and the dramatic narrative of the play, the performance will reflect on the lives of the devadasis. The maids will be performed by male dancers and multi-media images will be used to convey the devadasi’s experiences and the socio-cultural setting of the performance.
For a two-day national conference on contemporary Dalit/Adivasi theatre in India. The conference will review the historical development of the Dalit/Adivasi theatre movement, study its conceptual underpinnings, investigate its existing forms of expression and critically reflect on its relationship to other performance practices in India. The conference also aims to strengthen networks among Dalit/Adivasi theatre artists and outline possible actions to support their work.
For a three-month workshop to enable six young theatre directors from Assam to develop productions that critically engage with socio-political changes and cultural diversity in the region. Following this, the directors and their teams will tour to present the newly created performances in their respective hometowns and share their theatre-making experience with local audiences.
For the development of a solo multi-media performance, She Said She Was a Dancer. Through a series of improvisations, a contemporary choreographer and dancer will explore her own journey as a dancer, ask questions about her artistic identity, and examine her relationship to contemporary dance as a mode of self-expression.
For collaboration between four young directors to devise a Marathi stage adaptation of Attempts on Her Life, a play by Martin Crimp. The production will use mobile scenic design and multimedia images to explore the social and psychological complexities of the central character and examine the crisis of identity in contemporary society in Maharashtra.
For an innovative stage adaptation of Dharmvir Bharati’s modern Hindi novella, Suraj ka Satvaan Ghoda. Creating stage space using human bodies and experimenting with choreography and chorus, this play will weave a single narrative from the novella’s fragmented stories about seven characters. The psyche and perspective of each character will be explored through movements and soundscapes drawn from indigenous dance and musical forms.
For turning the performance script S*x, M*rality and Cens*rship, which was developed with the help of an earlier research grant from IFA, into a stage production. The script specifically looks at at the censorship battles fought over the play Sakharam Binder and the audience and critical responses to the production. Audio and video material secured during the research phase will be incorporated in the envisaged docudrama to recreate the cultural context of the 1970s.
For a residency that supports four emerging choreographers to explore and test their creative ideas, develop their choreographic skills and build a working methodology for dance creation. The resident artists will each be paired with a mentor who will help to stimulate their interpretive and creative processes. The residency will culminate with a public presentation of original solo or ensemble performances by the resident artists.
