Behind this production is acclaimed dancer and instructor Urja Desai Thakore, who is also a BBC Young Dance Choreographer. In a virtual interview with The Courier, she spoke about the inspiration behind the production.
“Kattam Katti was inspired by a poem by Avinash Vyas, which was introduced to me by my mother when I was younger. The festival itself has a competition where people compete to see who can fly their kite the highest, and this involves cutting the strings of other kites.
“I never understood and was personally not a fan of the festival as I did not understand why they wanted to hurt themselves to win. Upon reading the poem again, I started to realise the underlying themes in the poem and became interested in exploring them further,” she shares.
Kattam Katti began touring the country in November of 2021 and has performed in sold-out venues. When asked how it felt watching something that has been part of her life for so long being presented on stage, Urja described it as “absolutely amazing”.
“I brought my mother to watch the performance, and she was surprised at how it turned out. I am very happy with the final product.”
Described as a dance theatre, the production skillfully blends stunning choreography, music, set pieces and lights. Urja shared that each aspect of the piece was developed hand-in-hand with one another.
Being a professional Kathak dance practitioner, it was no surprise that the ancient traditional dance form takes prominence in Kattam Katti. Urja shared that the choreography in this production drew inspiration from life experiences and represented an adaptation of the art towards modern times.
“You have to learn the boundaries before breaking them. Things are constantly evolving and adapting around us, and this involves art forms as it needs to be presented to new audiences. This does not remove its essence, which is to create something from movements,” she reflects.
The music in Kattam Katti is worth a mention, too, because it features music instruments not usually found in Khatak dance routines. Speaking on this bold decision, Urja explained that the textures of the sound felt particularly important to her, leading her to settle on music instruments not native to India.
The production itself, however, is a social commentary on hierarchies within society and class inequality. For Urja, the kites represent the hopes and desires to achieve greater things.
“During the festival, richer classes would be able to fly their kites off higher buildings. You can be flying your kite from anywhere; from the rooftops, from the streets, but each person’s disposition is different. Some are inherently less advantaged than others.
“If there is one message that I hope audiences can take home, it is that we can achieve more and fly higher if we are together. I feel that is what the world really needs at this moment,” Urja says.
Describing it as a performance for all ages, Urja is confident that audiences will be able to relate to Kattam Katti’s underlying themes and nuances, no matter their age, ethnicity or nationality.
When asked about future projects, Urja shared that Pagrav Dance Company, of which she is a director, will be producing a piece titled Deva which aims to challenge notions towards people of colour. Deva will be performed in an outdoor setting and is set to be presented at the Birmingham Film Festival.
Catch Kattam Katti at Newcastle Dance City on Saturday, March 5 at 7:30 pm.