PENDING
January Low (Kuala Lumpur)
TicketsSchedule
European Premiere
A rehearsal space. Silence. A dancer holds a pose and then repeats a movement. Exercises, instructions, pauses – everything indicates an intense, internal struggle. In PENDING, January Low, a dancer of great poise and precision who practises the Indian dance style of Odissi, offers a window into a process that the public rarely sees: the silent, often solitary search for perfection. During COVID-19, her training was confined to the digital realm – with neither stage nor applause. January Low used this time notonly to refine her technique, but also to reflect: on patience, compassion, and the traditional role of the woman – and the mother – in classical Indian dance. What does it mean to be a contemporary female practitioner of Odissi, and how can the style be developed going forward? By focusing on the “sacred stillness” of training, January Low’s practice brings to life the depth and invisibility of artistic labour – beyond the expected “end product” of a performance.
Biography
January Low is a Malaysian dancer with over 30 years of experience in the classical Indian dance style of “Odissi”. She was trained at the Sutra Dance Theatre and toured with the company for close to two decades. Since leaving the company in 2009, she has been engaged in explorations of “Odissi” through a personal and contemporary lens. Over the years, she has carefully observed the interplay between dance and life – and how “Odissi” lingers within her own, female, Southeast Asian body. A mother of three, her work investigates self-determination, objectification, and the commercialisation of the classical Indian dancer.
Bryan Chang is a designer and artist who works at the intersection of graphic design, scenography, and media art. He has collaborated with artists, theatre companies, cultural organisations, media companies, hospitality businesses, and international festivals. His work in lighting, sound, and multimedia design for theatre and dance has resulted in him being nominated for a number of art prizes. He is also one of the co-founders of Sans Collective – an interdisciplinary collective for performance and exhibition projects.
Cast
Concept, direction & performance
January Low
Lighting & multimedia
Bryan Chang
Choreography
Bijayini Satpathy | Smt Sonali Mohapatra
Composition
Pandit Raghunath Panigrahi | Shri Abhiram Nanda
Info
For the programme BIRDS ON PERIPHERIES, a reduced ticket price applies when attending at least three events: each ticket then costs only 5 € per performance.
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