In its second year at Sadler’s Wells, Darbar Festival welcomes some of the most exciting names in classical Indian dance, curated by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Akram Khan.

In the first performance of the festival, partners both on and off-stage, Renjith Babu and Vijna Vasudevan, present An Evening of Bharatanatyam. This exciting duo pushes the borders of Bharatanatyam and elevates the art of the jugalbandi (duet) in an unusual new work by the Bharatanatyam and contemporary artist Mavin Khoo.

The second evening of the programme, Adventures in Odissi and Kathak, combines two classical Indian dance forms in solo performances by Sujata Mohapatra and Gauri Diwakar.

Winner of the 2017 Sangeet Natak Akademi award for outstanding contribution to odissi and “Indian-dance royalty” (Financial Times), Sujata Mohapatra performs a beautifully crafted work that treads the line between odissi dance and theatre. Multi award-winning kathak dancer Gauri Diwakar performs Hari Ho…Gati Meri (“Let my salvation be in the supreme”), a sublime solo specially choreographed by Aditi Mangaldas.

Now in its 13th year, Darbar Festival 2018 started its journey in a series of Indian classical music showcases and courses at Southbank Centre and the Barbican. The dance programme of the festival returns to Sadler’s Wells from Friday 23 – Sunday 25 November 2018, featuring original lighting design by Aideen Malone.

Choreographer of An Evening of Bharatanatyam, Mavin Khoo, can also be seen in world premiere Man to Monk, choreographed by Carlos Pons Guerra, on 29 and 30 November 2018 at the Lilian Baylis Studio.

Darbar Festival

Sadler’s Wells, Rosebery Ave, Clerkenwell, London, EC1R 4TN

Friday 23 – Sunday 25 November 2018

Tickets: £12 – £50

Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com

Performances: 

In Conversation with Akram Khan: Contemporary to Classical: Friday 23 November at 6pm

Abhinaya Improvisation with Mavin Khoo: Sunday 25 November at 5pm