INTERVIEW: Aakash Odedra

Aakash Odedra is an emerging star of British South Asian dance. Rising is a mixed bill in which he performs a series of three solos. Each solo reveals and showcases Aakash’s technique in Kathak and Bharatanatyam, while adding new flavours to contemporary dance. Aakash also presents a fourth solo, his own newly choreographed contemporary Kathak work.

Photos by Chris Nash

Beth Wood: You are about to perform a mixed bill that premiers at The Place, London in which you perform a series of four solos three of which are choreographed by Russell Maliphant, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Akram Khan, with lighting by Michael Hulls and Willy Cessa. Could you let us know how this wonderful opportunity came about?
Aakash Odedra: This came about as a conversation between my producer Anand and my mentor Akram. They talked about the need to develop a full evening of work and the prospect of me developing my contemoprary practice. The conversation included the names of people who it would be important for me to work with, and Larbi's and Russell's names came up. Akram knew them both, so he brokered the initial meetings.

BW: What has the process been like working with these artists and has this informed or changed your own choreographic practice?
AO: It's been a great experience. All of the choreographers are so different. The greatest challenge for me was going from one process to another in making this work. I also needed to start making my body move differently. I had been doing classical Indian dance, namely Kathak and Bharata Natyam for a long time, and this project made me move differently. I am still absorbing a lot, and I am sure this will influence my choreographic practice in the future.

BW: Could you sum up the four solos and explain what the experience is like performing each?
AO: Yeah, sure. The first solo I perform is my own classical solo. It's a Sufi Kathak piece called, 'Mohe Apne Hi Rang Mein', this translates to 'Oh Lord, colour me in your colours'. It's about the relationship with the Almighty.
The next solo is Akram's 'In the Shadow of Man'. This solo was created by Akram as he felt it was interesting to work with a Kathak trained dancer with little contemporary experience. The piece is about us humans and reflects on our 'civilisation'. He used the question, 'with each passing generation, do we become more human or more like animals'.
The third solo is Russell's 'Cut'. This piece is the most abstract, and was formed by Russell trying to work almost within my natural movement vocabulary, using my nuances of Kathak and Bharat Natyam and its interaction with light. Russell had not worked with a classical South Asian dancer before, so we were both enthused by one another's ideas, movement and backgrounds.
The last solo of the evening is 'Constellation' by Larbi. Constellation is about our relationship with our constellation's in space. He liked the idea that when we look up at the sky with the naked eye, all you see is a 2-D image of space and we have no understanding of how near or far anything is.

BW: Did you have any triumphs or disasters during the making of the piece, which you could share with us?
AO: The hardest part was trying to co-ordinate the diaries of all the choreographers to make the project work. Their schedules for their own company touring and pre-planned projects was planned 2 years ahead. We did manage to slot in time to make things work thankfully.

BW: What stands out for you in your already flourishing career as a highlight? And how do you define your own success?
AO: I still  think this is a start. People don't really know me. I suppose I know that things are going well when it feels like getting tour dates become apparent (and numerous)and the theatres are full. We have a lot of work to do in order to reach there, and until then I can't say that things are flourishing.

Details:
Date(s): 24 - 25 Feb 2012


*Post-show Q&A on Sat 25 Feb with Chris Bannerman

Time(s): 8:00 pm
Venue: Robin Howard Dance Theatre

www.theplace.org.uk
Price: £15 (£12 conc)