| Part of | India Dance Festival |
Mallika Sarabhai (1954, Ahmedabad, India) is one of the pioneers of South Asian activist art. She is one of India’s leading choreographers and dancers, much-requested as a soloist and with her dance company Darpana with which she makes and performs classical as well as contemporary creations.
As the daughter of a well-known dancer and a famous astronomer, Mallika chose her distinctive direction all on her own. Initially, making a name for herself as a movie actress, but also being quickly recognized as an exceptionally young Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancer.
Since 1989, Sarabhai has created groundbreaking choreographies and multi-disciplinary productions, and in the process, has developed her own dance vocabulary. Be it short choreographies, full-length performances, dance theatre, or performance art, she often uses her work to engage with her social commitment, taking on sometimes sensitive subjects and presenting them on stage. Such subjects in recent dance performances, and multi-disciplinary works were, for instance; gender diversity, global warming, life in a post #Metoo world, and how to deal with the violence in our selves.
Sarabhai’s versatile and socially committed work has won her various prestigious prizes such as the French Palme d’Or and the Padma Bushan Award in India. As an activist, she worked with the World Economic Forum and UNESCO.
In addition, she was for thirty years co-director of the prestigious art institution Darpana Academy for the performing arts, which was established by her mother.
In this Meet the Icons program we welcome Mallika Sarabhai in person.
Mallika Sarabhai over dans:
‘It’s an amazing language to break through walls of prejudice, walls of fear and also walls of patriarchy. Because it touches the heart, and people don’t even know that you’re touching the heart and then suddenly they have realized that you have touched something.’
Korzo Studio X