Korzo Zaal
Devi
| Duration | 60 min |
| Part of | Sideways |
Beyond the Masculine vs. the Feminine
“For me, Devī is about discovering the unity behind diversity.”
Poornima Gobardhan
In Devī, three dancers from Poornima Dance Company, including choreographer Poernima Gobardhan herself, invite us to experience what the feminine means to them. It is not the opposite of the masculine, but a force that works together with it and is inseparably connected to it. The performance explores the masculine energy, Deva, and the feminine energy, Devī, and shows how they complement each other within ourselves, in society, and in the universe.
Devī is about connection and balance. With the music of composer Jorg Schellekens and musician S.V. Giridhara, we enter a sound world where that balance becomes deeply tangible. Poornima uses her contemporary movement language, inspired by Bharatanatyam (classical South Indian dance), to guide us beyond the idea of “two sides,” to a place where strength is both gentle and powerful.
Dancer and choreographer Poernima Gobardhan is trained in Bharatanatyam, the classical South Indian dance form. Born in The Hague, she began dancing and choreographing at an early age, and in 2007 she completed her studies in Modern Indian Dance in Mumbai. At the age of fifteen, she founded her own dance school, Pretima Ke Dewashrie, where she creates her own pieces and collaborates on various projects. With her school, she has appeared on television shows such as So You Think You Can Dance, Holland’s Got Talent, and De Wereld Draait Door.
Poernima’s artistic journey is driven by a desire to break through the rigid structures of classical tradition. After completing her Bharatanatyam training in 2012 under the guidance of teacher Jolanda Boejharat, she discovered new layers and unexplored paths within the dance form. Since then, she has experienced Bharatanatyam as an all-encompassing art form — one that lies at the heart of her artistic practice.
Since 2018, Gobardhan has been delving deeper into the personal meaning of feminine strength, and how it is shaped and influenced by social and cultural norms.
Crew & Credits
Poernima Gobardhan Dance Company
Choreography: Poernima Gobardhan
Coach: Leo Spreksel
Music: Jorg Schellekens and Vidwan S.V. Giridhar
Lighting Design: Albert Tulling
Costume: Jivika Biervliet
Photography: Camilla Greenwell
Korzo Zaal