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French award-winning choreographer interprets finding balance among ourselves through dance

Reflet is a part of a trilogy that began with Loop, which was about our origins, and will end with a work-in-progress piece, Path, which explores our connection with what we cannot see.

3 min readPuneDec 3, 2025 09:01 PM IST

Reflet is a part of a trilogy that began with Loop, which was about our origins, and will end with a work-in-progress piece, Path, which explores our connection with what we cannot see. (Express Photo)

“One of our goals is to make the audience forget that they are in a theatre, that there are walls and the floor. We aim for the feeling that we are just floating in the universe,” says Xuan Le, an award-winning contemporary dancer and choreographer from France.

Le is on a tour of India with a performance, Reflet, a piece that explores the idea of how we, as individuals, meet another and find a balance with the other and with different parts of ourselves. Reflet is a part of a trilogy that began with Loop, which was about our origins, and will end with a work-in-progress piece, Path, which explores our connection with what we cannot see. “The three shows are made to talk about the different dimensions that we are around,” says Le.

Reflet has been brought here by the French Institute in India in collaboration with the Alliance Française network. It will be presented at Kalagram, PL Deshpande Garden on Sinhagad Road on December 6th at 7.30pm. The Pune Municipal Corporation is supporting this show.

The performance will begin with a lighting sphere that can represent a star, a planet or a molecule as the piece sets the tone, talking about birth, how we arrive on Earth, discover our bodies and start moving away from our past. Dance, hip-hop, roller skating and visual arts meld with movement, scenography, presence, and silence. Le is joined on stage by choreographer and dancer Shihya Peng and the piece explores the fundamental ideas of Reflet– how do they meet each other and move together. “There will be some fight, there will also be some time of peace,” says Le.

Le was five years old when he entered a competition in inline skates, freestyle slalom. He started taking classes in hip hop and dancing and mixing it with skating. At the age of 19, he started to become a professional dancer. His group, Compagnie Xuan Le, was set up in 2016 and works in the intersection of styles, ranging from free style and contemporary dance to street dance, circus movements, scenography and visual expression.

It will be Le’s first time in Pune, but he has been to India before. Two years ago, he performed in parts of the country, including Mumbai, and, after the tour, stayed back to explore the culture. Born and raised in France, Le is of Vietnamese and Spanish descent. “I have Asian roots so I was very interested in India. Indian culture is a big part of Asian culture,” he says. This time, he would like to visit the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute. “I have been practising Iyengar Yoga for 15 years and there are influences of it in my dance,” he says.

He is fascinated by the precision and narrative forms of Indian classical dance. “In contemporary dance, an artist gets inspired by every movement we see. I draw upon my experiences but pieces, such as Reflet, are open to audiences to claim as their own story. People feel the story and interpret it how they want. They link it with what they have experienced in their own lives,” says the dancer.

Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More

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