Sujit Vaidya performs Sadhana: An Evening of Bharatanatyam at the Vancouver Playhouse, April 25
Presentation by Time Will Tell Arts Society and Caravan World Rhythms will feature live music and Vaidya’s guru, A. Lakshman
Sujit Vaidya. Photo by Chris Randle
Time Will Tell Arts Society and Caravan World Rhythms present Sadhana: An Evening of Bharatanatyam at the Vancouver Playhouse on April 25 at 7:30 pm
THE ORIGINS OF CLASSICAL dance form Bharatanatyam lie in the courts and temples of South India. Over generations, the style—which is characterized by themes of devotion—developed its signature blend of intricate rhythmic compositions, music, acting, and hand gestures.
Vancouver audiences will have the opportunity to see local Bharatanatyam star Sujit Vaidya in a rare traditional performance of the genre, Sadhana: An Evening of Bharatanatyam, presented by Time Will Tell Arts Society and Caravan World Rhythms at the Vancouver Playhouse on April 25. Vaidya will be accompanied by his India-based guru, A. Lakshman, in the role of nattuvanar (a conductor who also recites rhythmic dance compositions).
The work’s title, Sadhana, is a spiritual practice that represents the discipline required to attain a goal. For Vaidya, it also takes on a more personal meaning; Sadhana is his mother’s name.
In a departure from the innovative eroticism and gender expression audiences have seen from the dancer in recent years (take, for example, his sensual celebration of brown queerness, Breathe In the Fragrance, at last year’s Queer Arts Festival), Vaidya will return to his roots by incorporating traditional form, classic compositions, and somatic intelligence into his upcoming performance.
Vaidya and Lakshman will be joined by a live music ensemble featuring vocalist Ramya Kapadia, flutist Raman Kalyan, and mridangam (double-sided drum) player Curtis Andrews. Plus, there will be an artist talkback directly after the show, moderated by Vancouver-based dancer Anusha Fernando.
For those on the Sunshine Coast hoping to catch Vaidya, he will also perform Sadhana: An Evening of Bharatanatyam on April 26 at the Heritage Playhouse in Gibsons, and on April 27 at the Evergreen Theatre in Powell River. 
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