Astitva - Jaivant Patel on new work which centres South Asian LGBTQIA+ experience

#astitva #jaivantpatel #kathak

GROOUND-BREAKING International choreographer and dancer Jaivant Patel premieres his company’s ‘Astitva’ next month (October).

He speaks to Sailesh Ram about how the work came about, its inspirations and his ambition to push boundaries as he desires to narrate the experience of South Asian queer men in creative storytelling, especially in his own field and practice of dance.

A contemporary trained dancer, he talks about how Indian classical dance Kathak has informed this work and its structure with three dancers performing.

Solely a choreographer for this piece, he has created four segments to ‘Astitva’. These are Seeking, Desire, Acceptance and Love – drawing out the universal experience of these emotions but framing them importantly within the LGBTQIA+ imagination.

Imagining a court scene, and deploying original music by Alap Desai, this is an Indian classical composition, ‘Rang Darbari’ and Patel discusses its significance to the work.

It opens at the new rebranded Bradford Arts Centre (Kala Sangam) on Thursday, October 9 and then plays the next day before embarking on a short national tour taking in Wolverhampton, Birmingham, and coming to The Place in London, widely recognised as a venue that platforms new and exciting dance work in the capital.

Patel’s most recent work prior to ‘Astitva’ - ‘Waltzing The Blue Gods’ was critically acclaimed and nominated for several awards.

Jaivant Patel Company is a National Portfolio Organisation for Arts Council England – its funding comes from the main arts funding in the body and is recognised for its professionalism, rigour and high standards as an arts organisation in the UK.

For further information on the show and Jaivant Patel Company (JPCo): see https://www.jaivantpatelcompany.com/

Production credits
A Big Talent Media Production for http://www.asianculturevulture.com
Producer/presenter: Sailesh Ram (editor https://www.asianculturevulture.com)
Editing: Harry Clegg