Come Wednesday, Mumbai-born Kathak exponent Aditi Bhagwat will take it one step at a time to introduce the city to traditional dance forms from Korea, Spain and India with an 85-minute long performance at Prithvi Theatre. Aptly titled Borders and Beyond, the performance will feature Lee Chuljin, a traditional Buddhist Korean dancer; Bettina Castano, a flamenco performer from Spain; Latasana Devi, who specialises in Manipuri dance, and Bhagwat, who will perform a Kathak routine.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/jan/Latasa-Devi_e.jpg" alt="Latasana Devi" width="1280" height="720" /> Latasana Devi
&ldquo;This will be my first time introducing a Korean artiste as part of my cross-cultural show, in India,&rdquo; says Bhagwat, founder of the organising group Aditi Collective. In a time when K-pop is increasingly gaining traction among the younger generations in India, Bhagwat wanted to give dance enthusiasts a taste of Korea&rsquo;s traditional dance heritage. &ldquo;For India, Korean culture is novel. Many people are keen to explore their traditions, and the only kind of music and dance we are introduced to is through K-pop. I have performed with Lee in Korea before, and wanted to bring this unexplored art to Mumbai,&rdquo; she explains.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/jan/Bettina-Castano_e.jpg" alt="Bettina Castano" width="1280" height="720" /> Bettina Castano
While Bhagwat has been practising Kathak since she was four years old, she was also introduced to other kinds of traditional Indian music, courtesy her mother, a Hindustani classical vocalist. &ldquo;She introduced me to ghazals, bhajans, lavani and other forms of folk music at a very young age. The first time I heard traditional Korean songs &mdash; the kind that Lee performs to &mdash; the sonic similarities between them and Manipuri music immediately struck me,&rdquo; she reveals. To test her theory, she made Chuljin listen to a Manipuri song. &ldquo;He did not know that it was Manipuri, and when I informed him, he asked, &lsquo;Are you sure this is not Korean?&rsquo; Many poses that the dancers use in the two traditional forms are alike as well,&rdquo; she revealed, adding that Buddhist dancing is a slow and introverted performance, where each step is spelled out and requires complete attention.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/jan/Aditi-Bhagwat_e.jpg" alt="Aditi Bhagwat" width="1280" height="720" /> Aditi Bhagwat
All four dancers will have a solo performance that will each begin and end with music or steps that are taken forward in the performance that follows. &ldquo;The idea is not to create a fusion. It&rsquo;s about shedding light on the co-existence of the many art forms, and respecting and accepting other cultures while following your own,&rdquo; Bhagwat informs. Towards the end, the quartet will come together for a performance with their own instruments &mdash; Bhagwat with her gunghroos, Castano will bring her castanets, Chuljin will perform with his taiko, and Devi will take up her drums.&nbsp;
While the performers are well acquainted with each other&rsquo;s dance form, the group only got together last Sunday to begin rehearsals and planning. &ldquo;These are all very senior artistes, each one is the best at their individual art forms. They also have a deep understanding of other practices which are to be performed collaterally,&rdquo; she signs off.&nbsp;
On: January 31; 8 pm onwards At: Prithvi Theatre, Juhu Church Road, Juhu Log on to: in.bookmyshow.com Cost: Rs 500&nbsp;
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A dance collective brings together traditional dance forms from Korea, India and Spain for the first time at a Juhu venue this week

In a first, dance forms of Korea, Spain and India to come together in Mumbai

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In a first, dance forms of Korea, Spain and India to come together in Mumbai

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