‘Rebel Ranis’, a dance-theatre musical, gives a new voice to women from the epics

According to Jyotsna Shourie, co-director of Keelaka Dance Company, Bharatanatyam today finds itself at the crossroads of tradition and transformation. “The production tries to demystify the stylised classical form while reimagining ancient narratives for a new-age audience.”

Talking about the production’s music, Aneesha says it’s a mix of Indian classical, folk and jazz. Keelaka’s dancers take on the dual role of actors, delivering dialogues in English. The performance site varies from a stage and the black box to museums. “The plan is to make viewers part of the show. We want it interactive to able to convey what we want and get instant feedback.”

Keelaka’s scripts are inspired by our ancient scriptures and epics. 
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Special Arrangement

Some of Keelaka’s previous works include ‘Sakhi’ a dance theatre that explored a fictional friendship between Sita and Draupadi; ‘Kalatra’ on the dual dimensions of love between Lord Muruga and his consorts Deivanai and Valli; ‘Ullalume’, an adaptation of Edgar Alan Poe’s haunting poem and their first breakaway from Indian mythology and ‘Echoes of Time’,an immersive and interactive classical dance experience, which had the audience moving from room to room experiencing the four yugas. Keelaka has also collaborated with popular design brands such as Ekaya Benares, Raw Mango, Ogaan and designer Gaurav Gupta as well as platforms such as Design ID and the India Art Fair.