Returning to the International Festival after his spellbinding presentation of Samsara in 2022, Aakash Odedra presents a spiritual and captivating new work. This world premiere creates a sensitive dialogue between the Indian classical dance Sufi Kathak and Islamic poetry.

Bulbuls are a common songbird throughout Africa and Asia. In Sufism – a mystical practice of Islam that emphasises a spiritual closeness with God – bulbuls symbolise the beauty of the natural world and the pursuit of religious enlightenment. Odedra’s dance piece explores an ancient Sufi myth about a captured bulbul, which sings an exquisite tune before perishing from despair.

In this piece, the bulbul myth becomes a metaphor for the ephemeral nature of dance and life itself. Developed with choreographer Rani Khanam, Odedra combines the music, dance and poetry traditions of Sufism to create an ambitious work that is both ferocious and contemplative.