These two upcoming contemporary dance works explore loneliness, struggle and the urge to keep moving forward

Both works engage with matters of human life. Relationships with others, balance and the delicate interplay of emotions are embedded throughout both the pieces. While the mood and the quality of movement in each work are quite different, they are connected by the importance of close physical communication and sensitivity between bodies, which require a high level of attentiveness.

As one moves through life, there are moments when emptiness and melancholy feel inseparable from existence. As a dancer, I felt it was important to consider how to process, heal and overcome these feelings and how to sublimate them into art. I wanted to reflect on themes that are universally felt and to share the outcomes of that reflection with a wide audience, as a form of dialogue.

I believe that all human beings carry desires and aspirations. While we can choose what kind of success we pursue, I believe that achieving things quickly and easily often comes with flaws and illusions. The inner strength and a kind of persistence akin to craftsmanship cultivated through repeated challenges and attention to small, unseen meanings, becomes an essential foundation of this performance. Although the piece shows countless moments of falling and collapse, I wanted these accumulated processes to convey the beauty of human will and passion toward a goal.

Dance relies very little on spoken language and continuously communicates through bodily movement. If movement is relentless, the amount of information can overwhelm the audience and dilute their focus and interpretation. There needs to be time both to clearly articulate ideas through movement and for the audience to receive and process them. Especially in works that emphasise the specific language of the body, I believe it is crucial to consider how time is sensorially used within a fixed duration.

About 13 or 14 years ago, I participated in the Attakkalari India Biennial as a dancer. It was a very memorable and joyful experience, as the response from the audience was incredibly warm and enthusiastic. Being able to return and perform there after continuing my journey in dance for so long makes me very happy. I am also deeply curious about how Indian audiences will receive the kind of dance and artistic perspective that I value.

I believe it is absolutely possible. Many choreographers address politics, power, activism, the environment and wider social concerns through the language and concepts of dance. However, how thoroughly these issues are researched and how effectively they are conveyed to audiences depends on the choreographer’s ability. When I see artistes who do this well, I watch their work with great anticipation and pleasure.

Since I am very familiar with my own work, it is difficult to judge it entirely from an outsider’s perspective. Still, I believe that even audiences with no prior experience of dance can engage with the performance without difficulty. While the works deal with serious themes — they are marked by humour and by the dancers’ distinctive approaches to physical contact. These elements function as important bridges that connect audiences to what can otherwise feel like a challenging language of dance.