Global Groove

Dancer Sohini Roychowdhury’s performances are marked by innovations and an international appeal. As a tribute to India,where she was born,and Spain,where she now lives,Roychowdhury has created “Flamenconatyam”,a fusion of Bharatanatyam and Spanish flamenco. One of her productions,Maya’s Dream,used Vedic and Gregorian chants with dance movements to spread the message of world peace. Among those who are impressed by her is Danny Boyle,who invited Roychowdhury to perform at the Madrid premiere of his Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire to A R Rahman’s music. “Boyle said that he wanted my brand of dynamic and globalised Bharatanatyam,” says Roychowdhury.

Having trained under Bharatanatyam and Mohiniattam gurus,Thankamani Kutty,and Kalamandalam Venkitt,Roychowdhury has choreographed to Tchaikovsky,Mozart and flamenco guitar riffs,among others.

Her productions are not only visual delights but thought-provoking as well. Her work,I Am,highlighted woman-power,and another,in “Flamenconatyam” style,traced the gypsy connection between India and Spain. “Gypsies migrated from Central Asia,travelled through Rajasthan and then went to Spain,” she says.

Her troupe,Sohinimoksha,comprises students from Spain,Jamaica,France,Iraq and Bulgaria. The troupe has performed at the Bollymadrid Festival and La Noche en Blanco Barcelona,among others.

Roychowdhury is working on a film based on Maya’s Dream,which is expected to be completed in a year. She is also working on another project in which she will depict Brahma — the mythological creator of the universe — as a woman giving birth. “This is because a woman is a creator herself,” she says.