How Aditi Mangaldas finds freedom on stage with her Kathak-inspired contemporary works

Aditi Mangaldas in the award-winning work ‘Mahek’, which she co-produced with Akash Odedra. Photo Credit: John Valente

The honesty that Aditi Mangaldas brings to her work is also a part of her personality. She doesn’t hesitate for a moment to talk about dealing with an aging body. “The process of accepting this inevitability began in my mind about eight years ago, at the age of 56, when I choreographed ‘Interrupted’. This work was largely inspired by my own sense of aging; Accepting the vulnerability of physical and emotional changes. The struggles, mistakes and fears you grappled with as a young dance lover start stalking you again,” laughs the Kathak exponent, who is famous for viewing his art through a contemporary lens.

“But you know what?” She adds nonchalantly, “I am still able to execute the pieces I designed in my 30s, with agility and energy. For now, I am happy with this. But you realize that there will come a day when you will move away from the frenetic routine – you will no longer need to go to the dance studio for rehearsals or stay on stage until late in the evening. You may not hear enthusiastic applause or hold bouquets. I don’t want to think too much about this. I just want to enjoy this time.

One of the most influential disciples of Kathak legends Kumudini Lakhia and Pandit Birju Maharaj, Aditi was always aware of what she wanted to achieve as a dancer. Like her mentors, she believes in looking at the wider world, never letting herself be bound by stereotypes. She was always eager to connect with Kathak beyond those whirling twirls and fast, percussive footwork. Just as the dance form reinvented itself during its long journey from temples and royal courts to the proscenium.

From ‘Unwrapped’ Photo Courtesy: Dinesh Khanna

“Kathak is as pleasurable physically as it is emotional. And I wanted to find out the latter. It has been both eventful and challenging,” says the Delhi-based dancer.

‘Within’, ‘Interrupted’, ‘Now Is’, ‘Timeless’, ‘Demersed’ and ‘Forbidden’ were created when Aditi was fed up with empty gestures and meaningless posturing. “I wanted to convey what I saw and experienced, making the excitement more real for me, my audiences and the students of Drishtikon Dance Foundation. Because in a chaotic world most people look to art for joy, beauty and order. So I didn’t care much what the so-called purists thought about my creative exploits. I introduced new text, innovative music and lighting, unconventional costumes and Kathak-inspired contemporary movement terminology. “I wasn’t aiming to do anything new, I just loved being a part of the larger dance conversation,” says Aditi.

This is all evident in ‘Unwrapped’, which is excerpted from ‘Within’. This part is about finding ways to deal with violence and embrace humanity. Talking about the making of ‘Unwrapped’, Aditi explains that the first segment is dark and disturbing, with the dancers completely wrapped in clothes and looking like ghostly figures. “When my mother saw it for the first time she was quite upset. But I read the philosopher J. Imagine this quote from Krishnamurti: ‘To understand yourself you must create a mirror that reflects exactly what you are.’ In the second part of the piece, the dancers free themselves from the bondage of ignorance and celebrate the light of kindness and compassion through Kabir couplets and the poetry of Sufi poet Hazrat Shah Niaz.

Aditi with members of Drishtikon Dance Foundation in ‘Unwrapped’ Photo Courtesy: Daljeet Singh

Aditi says that when creating a work you are constantly working to find multiple entry points to get to its core. You never know where you’ll find the right link to connect with – it could be poetry, setting, expression, movement… Symbolizing cultural interconnectedness with his productions that make an impact on global platforms, he has even It has also been performed at Sadler’s Wells, London, a major dance theatre. The 38-year-old’s collaboration with international dancer-choreographer Aakash Odedra has also garnered much praise.

Together, they created ‘Mahek’ (fragrance) centered on a mature woman and a young man who challenge norms and redefine the essence of love. This first duet in her 50-year-old career, the highly nuanced song, won Aditi the UK Theater Awards 2024 in the category of ‘Achievement in Dance’ and was rated ‘Top Five Dance Shows of 2024’ by The Stage, UK.

Aditi and Akash in ‘Mahek’, a traditional love story. Photo Credit: John Valente

“With our vocabulary tied to Indian classical forms, there were no limits to the new possibilities in this story. Such choreographies highlight the dramatic aspect of pure dance. We experimented with how dance can reflect a complex, intimate bond. I like the freedom of the stage. “I like to put myself in situations where you push yourself to do something that only you can do,” says Aditi.