| Concept, choreography and dance | Poernima Gobardhan |
| Duration | 30 min |
| Part of | India Dance Festival |
Profound solo that measures intellect and the body against each other
In a world organized by order, categories and frameworks, your ability to make sense of things is praised. Not surprisingly, it is precisely in times of uncertainty that we try to control the chaos around us with our intellect. But what is beyond this clarity? Beyond the intellect?
In her profound solo Kālī Mātā, Poernima Gobardhan weighs the intellect and the body against each other. The choreography starts from the natural desire for clarity, with the desire to go beyond it. Back to feeling, back to what really moves us. This means entering into a struggle and willingness to face the darkness, that which we do not know.
Kālī Mātā takes you into this struggle between intellect and the body. For this, the choreographer draws inspiration from kalaripayattu, a martial art from South India, among others. Full of emotion and in her own aesthetic dance language that is strongly linked to the dance style bharatanatyam, Poernima Gobardhan once again knows how to translate subjects from classical Indian culture into a choreography with integrity and thoughtfulness, which also has an impact today.
COMBI-TICKET KĀLĪ MĀTĀ & MI ALMA
Save €5,- when you buy a combi-ticket for Kālī Mātā & Mi Alma:
19:30 - 20:00: Kālī Mātā - Poernima Gobardhan
20:30 - 21:30: Mi Alma - Junadry Leocaria & Richard Kofi
'The Western image of Indian dance stems too much from colonial relations
and the idea of the exotic. What I do is about universal themes.
I just make dance. In my own way.'
- Poernima Gobardhan
There is a vibrant scene for Indian dance in The Hague. Poernima Gobardhan is firmly rooted in that scene and one of the great talents of Indian dance in the Netherlands.
In her work, she connects age-old stories, subjects and concepts from classical Indian literature to her own experiences with integrity and thoughtfulness, so that even today her choreographies do not fail to resonate with a wide audience of dance lovers.
Poernima dances and choreographs in the South Indian dance style bharatanatyam. This aesthetic, emotionally layered dance laced with dynamic footwork is one of the most well-known dance styles of the subcontinent. She took specific bharatanatyam courses in both the Netherlands and India as well as a Master's degree in Theater Studies. By merging her seasoned experience with the narrative dance style and her open, inquisitive gaze, the creator finds the freedom to share her view of the world.
After making a big impression with her free-spirited solo Mātā at Korzo's 2018 India Dance Festival, her career as a choreographer gained momentum. She now receives a talent development grant from the City of The Hague and since 2021 also from the Fonds Podiumkunsten.
For Kālī Mātā, Poernima Gobardhan draws inspiration from the warrior goddess Kāli Mātā, destroyer of demons and guardian of justice. In addition, the female deity embodies harmony, protection and gentleness.
Kālī Mātā premiered at the India Dance Festival in 2022. Now to be seen again because it fits so nicely within the program theme "where worlds collide and connect" of CaDance in 2023!
Kālī Mātā premiered during the 2022 India Dance Festival. The performance will be reprised because it fits so well in the 2023 CaDance Festival theme, ‘Where Worlds Collide and Connect’!
Watch here the video portrait of Poernima:
| Concept, choreography and dance | Poernima Gobardhan |
| Assistent chorepgrapher | Chandenie Gobardhan |
| Coach | Leo Spreksel |
| Music | Sam van Eenbergen, Vidwan SV Giridhar, Jorg Schellekens |
| Light design | Albert Tulling |
| Costume design | Jorrien Schoneveld |
| Photography | Gerrit Scheurs |
| Special thanks to | Fonds Podiumkunsten |
| Philosophy Kālī Mātā | inspired by Gopinath Kaviraj, Prof. dr. P.C. Bisschop, Padma Menon, Padmini Ravi, R. Gobardhan, Swami Sarvapriyanda en Swami Shankar Upadhyae |
Korzo Studio