Curiosities

Our bodies are a storehouse of cultural memory. The dance unearths the stories of women in rural India and the way they inhabit their clothing and their bodies while reaching beyond to seek self-expression.

What information is inside my body that can’t be articulated by words? Can accessing these parts through movement cultivate a deeper connection, understanding, and awareness of self?

The context of the lives of my ancestors and people in my familial lineage was significantly different than my own, being born and raised in Canada. I didn’t want to fill in the gaps of their stories with what I think happened or what could’ve possibly happened. I was also thinking about what part of their life they would or would not want shared with others and the importance of honouring that. These are their stories and lives. I felt like it wasn't my place to.

With the constant messaging from society that we are less valuable as human beings, the coming-of-age as a Black woman and/or femme becomes a unique journey.

Aikā is a Kathak-based work that allows the dancer to create the mood, lyricism, tempo, and rhythm instead of relying on percussionists, musicians, or pre-set music. This experimental approach challenges Kathak’s traditional reliance on melodic "raags" and external percussive embellishments to shape the dance.

Dance is more than movement; it is an expression. Unfolding was born from a desire to let movement reveal the raw and unfiltered process of surrender. Rooted in improvisation, Unfolding does not follow a rigid structure but allows the spirit to guide each motion, revealing moments of resistance, revelation, and renewal. 

In the moment of loss, there is a silence so loud it breaks the soul. The heart might beat but the pounding haunts the body evermore. This singular moment in time is the essence of my piece. Loss is not a linear line or concept. There are many degrees and avenues of loss. The emotional impact connects us. Our feelings and emotions connects us. What we feel on the inside as humans transcends time, space, and arrangement. It is universal. The environment created by this poignant and intimate piece will allow the viewer to feel part of this journey through time and space.

Clips from a wonderful week at CCOV Residency last week. Here is bits of the process digging into the hybrid fish tale… during our week we explored forms of diasporic ancestral mapping, gestures that live inside the body, play toy worlds next to creatures, and new/old landscapes. The week felt like sewing thread through touchable body and memory. 

I am a hip-hop dancer/choreographer, but also mainly a poet and writer. This means that I often find myself somewhere in the in-between of things. I call this “the grey”. A part of me has always hated this; not being able to stand on the solid ground of many parts of who I am. This has been true for my identity as well.