SAMSARA

Aakash Odedra and Hu Shenyuan, of Aakash Odedra Company, disrupt contemporary fusion performance in the most incredible way with their duet Samsara. Blending the traditional Indian dance Kathak, and traditional Chinese folk dance with contemporary, it can best be described as magic when these two take on the space together.

Lines are blurred between forms as alluring contemporary dialogue erupted. It is almost impossible to decipher whose style is whose, and which mind brought which
parts of the choreography to life. Separate in origin, with globally different traditional perspectives, and yet a language in common: contemporary dance, and making meaning of our lives.

Samsara opened very subtly with only a single spotlight on stage. The dancing that took place happened within and around the spotlight. After a bit of time, it could be deciphered that there were two individuals in long, black, layered robe-like costumes, designed by K H Lee, traversing the space. There were solo moments, where each dancer yielded their dance lineage, as well as an intense battle scene of movement and light. By the end of the work the dancers have fused energies into the emotionally infinite, rich movement vocabulary of Samsara.

Statues stood amidst the sand covering the stage, occupying space ordinarily taken up by dancers. The statues remained motionless, yet the dancers’ interaction with them revealed their profound spiritual significance. Additionally, the sand holds symbolic weight as dancers manipulated it, and danced on it. In moments of near-silence, all that could be heard was the breath of the dancers and the scrubbing of the sand beneath their feet which created an entirely unique dimension to the performance. Designed by Tina Tzoka, the set elements were grounding points in the ideology of the piece, and imparted a huge impact on the feeling of the work.

The statues and sand, like the dancers themselves, play integral roles in the
performance. Yaron Abulafia’s exceptional lighting design further enhanced the
production. This collaboration reached its zenith during moments when a single beam of light cascaded onto the stage, releasing swirling sand particles from above. This breathtaking spectacle, accompanied by the soundscore and choreography, evoked deep emotional resonance, prompting contemplation of existential themes.

Positioned behind a scrim near the upstage statue, composer and vocalist Nicki Wells, Mongolian Khöömii overtone singer Michael Ormiston, and virtuoso percussionist Beibei Wang intermittently appeared illuminated or seemingly absent.
Inspired by the Chinese novel Journey to the West, Samsara embarkd on a narrative journey akin to the novel, and invited viewers to explore themes of self-discovery and unity leading to their higher selves. It celebrated individuality while highlighting the transformative power of collective creativity and the profound impact of art on life.

Samsara is one of those perspective-changing works, serving as a poignant reminder to discover and embrace the essence of our existence. Aakash Odedra Company presents the U.S. premiere of Samsara

EYE ON THE ARTS, NY — Emma Edy Morris