Culture Monks & Buoyant Performing Arts is very happy to present a Master class with performance artist Dr. Rakini Devi
The workshop is open to movement artists, dancers, theatre practitioners & others who would like or are engaged with performance art or performances.
Date : January 6, 2019
Time : 10 am – 5 pm
Place : Sparsh Studio. Esplanade, Kolkata
Fees : Rs 1000 only
Payment Link : https://imjo.in/64Ycgu
Ph : +91 8697919308 . Email : sudipta@culturemonks.in
Methodology: Artist Statement
Referencing the structure of Indian Classical dance aesthetics to contemporary technology has generated a genuine exploration that has now transcended my practice into creating more conceptual performance installations. To arrive at this place of constant artistic evolution, I have had to break cultural, traditional and personal taboos, challenge myself and take risks that are difficult to comprehend by those who do not have a practice that is rooted in the traditional and the sacred. The tension between traditional Indian classical dance and contemporary performance methodology have shaped and impacted upon all areas of my current practice. These include my methodology of structured improvisation, staging, sound and costuming.
Using a few key gestures as a guideline, I attempt to extend the experience of performance through the elements of risk and spontaneity, a practice I find exhilarating. These methodologies are the framework within which I give a workshop with other artists, and change according to their preference or practice in physical theatre or dance.
A full day workshop will be scheduled as follows:
10 am to 12 pm: Warm up, release technique and movement exercises
12 to 1 pm: Create key gestures or structures drawn from movement or text.
1 pm to 2 pm: lunch break
2 pm to 4 pm : work on solo or group improvisations
4 pm to 5 pm : Sharing or showing of the day’s task in a short presentation open to the public, with a dialogue of feedback from participants and audience.
No audience during workshop activities.
About Dr. Rakini Devi
Kolkata, Indian born and Sydney based multidisciplinary performance artist, Dr. Rakini Devi explores cultural identity as an artist originating from the East and located in the West. Trained in two forms of Indian classical dance, Bharatanatyam and Odissi, Dr. Devi’s Kalika Dance Company (1991-1998) incorporated classical Indian dance techniques into a contemporary context. Her practice-led research embodies both Indian and western performance methodologies, creating her own idiosyncratic performance language and aesthetic. Dr. Devi’s work centres on female religious iconography as protest against global misogynist atrocities including female infanticide, dowry deaths and femicide. Her current repertoire includes The Female Pope (Sydney, New York, Helsinki, and Sweden, 2010~), and The Widow, Kali Madonna, The Black Madonna and her doctoral presentation, Urban Kali (https://vimeo.com/223879573).
Dr. Devi’s 2001 Australia Council Dance Fellowship, amongst other awards and subsequent overseas residencies and performances, contributed towards her practice and exploration of new intercultural performance methodologies. She was guest lecturer in dance at (WAAPA & UNWS), and has conducted workshops internationally. In 2018 she completed her DCA (Doctor of Creative Arts), titled Urban Kali: From Sacred Dance to Secular Performance.
Culture Monks 