Professional dancer and founder of the arts school Nrityanidhi, Shoma Kaikini stages her show Asmi I Am… in Bengaluru this weekend. The production uniquely brings together classical movements with sufi sensibilities. After being performed in cities across the world, the production is back in Bengaluru. Shoma tells us more about the style and the music of the performance.
Tell us a little more about the themes in Asmi I Am...
Asmi is a single theme by itself. It follows the concept of sufi. By the term sufi we refer to the concept of a search; for the divine, life, love and the self. Asmi is a Nrityanidhi production that came into fruition in 2010.
What are the various mediums of dance that you have used in the show?
The Nrityanidhi style of dance is a whole new language in choreography founded by me in 2005. The show follows this style of dance which is heavily based on choreographic patterns and emotional expression. Indian classical dance isn't relying on properties for communication. It has a strong power to communicate through dance itself and that is how the Nrityanidhi style works too. Under this style of choreography, the movements are totally dependent on the song or musical composition at hand. In Asmi, the movements are highly inspired by the Indian classical dance style of Kathak and the valour or surrender of the sufi vocabulary.
What is the music like in the show like?
The music is the best part of the show. We have compositions ranging from Abida Parveen and Nustrat Fateh Ali Khan to Maula Mere from Anwar and Aaj Ibadat from Bajirao Mastani. We have a terrific mix of beloved sufi compositions that people will get to watch.
Since you have performed this show before, how different is it this time?
Asmi has been performed in San Francisco, Paris and other major cities in India like Mumbai. It was last performed in San Francisco in 2015 at a houseful auditorium where we received a glorious standing ovation too. However, by this time, Nrityanidhi had grown leaps and bounds. I knew that the theme could use some time and work. The costumes too deserved to have a total revamp. Therefore this time, we have some new slices of choreography in the older songs and some new songs too; which will truly be a surprise for our audience.
Rs 500 onwards. August 7, 6 pm. At Bangalore International Centre, Domlur. Details: 25359680