CHALKING
We welcome fall with exciting activity that has been a long, deep and dear project for Anandam. In 2019 we commissioned Chalking, a work for five Toronto dance artists from contemporary choreographer Padmini Chettur (IN). Throughout 2019/20 we travelled between Canada and India. Over 20/21 we worked many months over Zoom, gathering in studio (when permitted) under the skillful eye of rehearsal director Harikishan S Nair, with Padmini and composer Maarten Visser joining us digitally. It has been a delicate balance of time zones and a master class in dance making and practice from a seminal choreographer. We are mid process and this month Padmini and Maarten join us in Toronto.
It is a massive project. It is rare to work with artists of such rigour, clarity, skill, humour and compassion as Padmini and Maarten. As a dancer, it is the most complex piece I have ever encountered, also the most deeply compassionate. We are at the point in our development where sharing the work with people becomes important to its evolution and are hosting a few studio showings.
Chalking feels like a work that will enter the contemporary canon of our times. The realm of the contemporary has long been considered that of Eurocentric dance lineages and Padmini continues to offer another perspective; one that is rigorous, uncompromising and vastly humane. We look forward to premiering the live work in Toronto, along with its four-channel video installation as part of Artworx’s Year of Public Art programming and are preparing for international touring throughout 22/23.
-- Brandy Leary, Artistic Director
If you’d like to join us on Zoom, register for one of the following dates:
Friday, October 15
11:30 AM (EST)
Saturday, October 16
11:30 AM (EST)
Friday, October 22
8:00 PM (EST)
Saturday, October 23
8:00 PM (EST)
Credits
Choreography: Padmini Chettur
Composition: Maarten Visser
Dance Artists: Nithya Garg, Tanveer Alam, Brandy Leary, Robert Kingsbury, Atri Nundy
Rehearsal Direction/Stage Management: Harikishan S Nair
LX Design: Siobhan Sleath
Film/Photo: Eamon MacMahon
Costume Design: Sarah Doucet
ĀNANDAṀ Artistic Producer: Briana Brown
Additional Support: Rajat Jose, Paul John
Commissioner/Producer: ĀNANDAṀ