This reimagined performance choreographed by Polish-Indian artiste Asha Ponikiewska, promises an interesting experience

We talk to Asha Ponikiewska to know more about the performance
In frame: a shot from the earlier performance
In frame: a shot from the earlier performance

Asha Ponikiewska is a Polish dancer who settled in India 20 years ago. In Bengaluru for over eight years now, she is a trained bharatanatyam and contemporary dancer who also specialises in art, yoga and seraikella chhau. After a recent art exhibition, Asha decided to get back into choreographing one of her performances which is over a year-old and improvised it with newer elements. This new piece, We All Have An Expiry Date, will be performed this weekend. We catch up with her to find out more.

How did this piece evolve?
The name of this piece came up in a conversation while discussing relationships when a person very dear to me said, ‘We all have an expiry date.’ It is true as we all are limited and all the relationships we share will end someday. This is not just the case with romantic relationships but small encounters too, like this
conversation or meeting a random stranger on the street or a parent-child relations hip. It highlights the physical perishing and detachment after death. We are all connected by these relationships and it gives us limited time to make them beautiful. You might sometimes never get a chance to say sorry to someone else, the grief remains but the person does not. The piece also tries to encompass this idea and hence this name. It is inspired by some of my thoughts and is an evolving piece. It grew with me as well as with the performers — Sumeet Mohanty, Roohe Uberoi, Priyanka Lokhande, Akhilesh Dayanand and Rupini E. I am not one of those creators who tries to make it all about myself.

What should the audience keep in mind while watching the show?
My only note to the audience is, it’s not about what you are looking at but it is about what you are seeing. There are interesting movers, I do not like using the term dancers, so there are good movers who give you
food for thoughts and something to ponder on.

INR 350 onwards. June 4, 3.30pm & 5.30pm. Shoonya Centre for Art and Somatic Practices, Lalbagh Road.

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