Dance, Divinity and Narratives of Sohinimoksha Troupe

Key information

Date
Time
2:30 PM to 4:00 PM
Venue
Virtual Event

About this event

Various speakers

Summary

Dancing With the Gods ( Roli Books, India, January 2021) is an ode to the mythological heritage of Bharatanatyam. The visual narrative captures the rich heritage of this temple dance, its original exponents, the Devadasis or handmaidens of the deity, and its repertoire of movements and moods, to bring alive the fascinating stories of Hindu gods and goddesses and their kaleidoscopic lives. The book is inspired by the performances of the Sohini and Sohinimoksha World Dance troupe. Celebrating the Humanism of Rumi, Sufi mysticism, the mesmeric quality of Vedic and Gregorian chants, tracing the cult of the Mother Goddess from its Egyptian roots through pre-Baroque times to the Latin countries to India, the timeless message of Gandhi - all combine in her stagecraft to underline Sohini’s, and Sohinimoksha’s world-view and mission – Connecting Civilizations. Replete with rare photographs curated from the Sohinimoksha World Dance Stage archives as well as museums and galleries around the world, complemented by a lucid narrative that weaves information, anecdotes and trivia together in the spirit of a popular cultural raconteur.

Chair and Discussant: Dr Sanjukta Ghosh (SOAS)


Panel Speakers:

Dr Jorge Diego Sánchez, Department of English Studies, Universidad de Salamanca; Secretario de la Asociación Española de Estudios Interdisciplinares de India (AEEII).

Jonathan Mayer (Sitarist and Composer) has composed extensively for many genres including jazz, Indian & symphonic writing. His works have been performed and commissioned by The London Philharmonic Orchestra, Pilsen Philharmonic Orchestra, Docklands Sinfonia, Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra, Erich Gruenburg, Joji Hattori, and Indo-Jazz Fusions.  In 2021 his Sitar Concerto No.2 and Pranam were released on First Hand Records with exceptional global reviews.

Demonstration: Devi Speaks with Shakti by Sohini Roychowdhury, Founder Director of Sohinimoksha World Dance and Communication. Sohini is a recipient of the “Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Samman” by The House of Lords, British Parliament; the Priyadarshini Award for Outstanding Achievement in Arts, New Delhi; Exceptional Women of Excellence Award by the Women Economic Forum, New Delhi; “Governor’s Commendation” for Distinguished World Artiste - by the Governor of Namur Province, Belgium; and has been a European Brand Ambassador for India Tourism ́s “Incredible India” campaign. She has been called “a revolutionary in the world of music and dance” by the Hindustan Times and “remaking history in the footsteps of Uday Shankar” by the Times of India.

Registration

Click here to register

Organiser: SOAS South Asia Institute

Contact email: ssai@soas.ac.uk, sg83@soas.ac.uk