Sister Outsider, a dance-theatre production that looks at gender and culture

Sister act
Sister act

Paris-based contemporary dancer Ludivine Metairie met Satakshi Nandy, a movement artiste and actor from Kolkata, in Bengaluru last year and decided to work together on a project. The result is Sister Outsider, a dance theatre performance that deals with the embodiment of culture and history and what it does to women’s bodies. 


“We didn’t know what would be the outcome. But we enjoyed working together, so we fought to make this piece happen,” explains Ludivine. The absurd performance has two characters, who are clowns, and 
depicts the complex power equations between both of them – one belonging to a First World country, the other to a Third World nation. It touches upon class privilege, gender and sexuality. “The thought process behind it is to question our relationship as two feminists from two different cultures and how to use these experiences to fuel a dance piece,” Satakshi adds.  


Step by step


The piece follows no story or linear narrative, but is a collection of different scenes where the characters interact with one another. Since both of the artistes are contemporary dancers, the piece is built choreographically. “We don’t use dialogue. It is more about movement and bodily expression. We thought also of describing it as physical theatre, but we quickly chose dance-theatre to emphasise on the dance aspect,” says Ludivine. 


The two will also host a workshop on the same day. Ludivine will guide the dancers through contemporary dance techniques, whereas Satakshi will guide participants on improvisation tasks based on her martial arts and physical theatre experience. “The workshop aims at introducing our personal work and movement materials,” concludes Satakshi.


Rs 250. Sunday, 7.30 pm. At Shoonya, Lalbagh Road. Details: 7760832226

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