Love takes centre stage in ‘Samaaj’, a contemporary dance performance

June, the month of celebrating identity, freedom, and gender, is here! While the onset of this month brings with it numerous Pride marches, drag shows, and panel talks, very few per forming artistes go out of their way to celebrate it through their art. Though there has been an increase in representation through films and literature, the narrative often remains one-dimensional. It tends to focus more on societal oppression than on the individuals themselves.

Jainil mehta is the choreographer, director, and dancer behind Samaaj

“I saw this gap where we don’t talk about the couple in love and celebrate that pure emotion, but instead shift the focus to what others say about them. I wanted to create a pro duction where only the two people in love are celebrated,” says Jainil mehta, the choreographer, director, and dancer behind Samaaj — a contemporary dance production coming to Hyderabad.

Jainil will be performing alongside Shubham Mahawar, bringing the story to life through movement and emotion.

While the show celebrates the queer community, it also explores the nuances of all relationships and the balance within them. Individuals and relationships are constantly evolving, and it’s all about accepting that change and finding harmony. “In the past year, I experienced and observed many changes in my own relationships and those of people around me. As a person changes, their relationships with others change too. The first step to making that transition easier is to under stand and accept the changes in your own body and mind,” Jainil shares.

The name Samaaj itself is broken into two parts — sam and aaj — symbolising balance, pause, and presence.

The layered storyline gains further depth with original poetry by Amrita Saluja and Devarshi Shah, and music by Shivansh Jindal. The soulful yet upbeat music album promises to take listeners on an emotional journey. “Even if you don’t know the story, the music alone is enough to make you feel it. The tunes are fresh, yet relatable,” says Jainil.

Working from scratch was an eye opening experience for the team. “Usually, we choreograph to existing music. But for this production, we created everything simultaneously. There were moments where the movement came first, and the music and poetry were written around it,” he explains.

Another layer of detail is added through costumes and props. The props are not just set pieces, they are integrated into the movement itself. the costumes, from the Pride collection of Jainil’s label, are flowy and fluid. the colour palette — earthy fall tones like olive and mus tard — reflects the emotional state of the dancers.

The performance has received a great response in most cities apart from the backlash in Jaipur. “As I am from Jaipur, it was very disheartening to receive a negatice response from there. But we managed to find a venue in the end,” says Shubham. “Along with the queer community showing up, closeted individuals have come up to tell me how it felt like a warm hug. Some young people even come with their parents, which I truly appreciate,” Jainil concludes.

Tickets at ₹450.

June 6, 8 pm.

At Rangbhoomi Space & Events, Serilingampally.

Email: ananyadeval.m@newindianexpress.com

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