Revving up the solo tradition of Kathak performance
Indian Express·2h ago·Positivity
What Happened
Kathak dancer Navina Jafa performs Sair-e-Motorcar, a 90-minute solo production at Trivedi Kala Sangam combining vintage automobiles with classical dance. Commissioned by car collector Diljeet Titus and directed by Maya Kulkarni, the five-part narrative follows wanderer poet Firdausi Mirza. Jafa emphasizes live musicians enable improvisation, arguing recorded music limits emotional expression. She choreographed the piece using Kathak vocabulary to translate mechanical imagery into movement, rejecting speed-focused performances for storytelling and emotional depth.
Key Entities
Navina JafaKathakSair-e-MotorcarTriveni Kala SangamMaya KulkarniDiljeet TitusFirdausi Mirza