Presented with The Dance Centre
Bulleh Shah:
Seeker of Light
Gaurav Bhatti (Vancouver/India)
World Premiere
March 28-29, 2025 | 8pm
Scotiabank Dance Centre (677 Davie St, Vancouver)
Post-show artist talkback March 29.
Working at the intersection of the North Indian classical form of Kathak and contemporary dance, Gaurav Bhatti is known for virtuosic performances which encompass explosive energy, dramatic complexity, and eloquent emotion. His new solo is inspired by the life and poetry of the 18th-century Sufi mystic Bulleh Shah, who spoke out against powerful institutions, and advocated for tolerance at a time of violent religious strife. Integrating Kathak, Punjabi folk dances, and Western movement forms, Bhatti applies his distinctive contemporary sensibility to reassert Shah’s enduring message of universal love, and pays homage to the rich artistic heritage of the Punjab.
About the Work
Bulleh Shah: Seeker of Light, encapsulates a full-length dance solo inspired by the life and poetry of the 18th-century Sufi mystic, Bulleh Shah, who resided in undivided Punjab and whose poetry is synonymous with Punjabi Sufism and was a beacon of syncretism at a time of bloody religious strife between Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs.
Gaurav’s contemporary sensibilities will integrate movements from Punjabi folk dances, Khatak and several Western forms, while musically he will work with a backbone of North Indian classical music, encased with more modern electronic sounds.
Cast + Collaborator Credits
Concept, Dance & Choreography : Gaurav Bhatti
Mentor: Aditi Mangaldas
Lighting Designer: Ryan Stafford
Set Designer: Manish Kansara
Costume Designer: Muhammad Alamgir
Music Composed and Arranged by: Rushil Ranjan & Max Guthrie
Dramaturg: Saattvic
Indian Classical Music Rendition: Sami Ullah Khan
Musicians:
Sami Ullah Khan, Faraz Ahmed and Harman Singh (Vocal)
Mohit Gangani (Tabla) | Ashish Gangani (Pakhawaj) | Amir Ahmed (Saarangi)
Bhanu Sisodia (Dhaama) | Sunny Shishodiya (Padhant)
Rehearsal Director: Aamrapali Bhandari and Gaurav Shridhar
Production Manager / Technical Director: Christopher Flux
Management: New Works
Poetry: Baba Bulleh Shah
Residency support: Dance City (Newcastle, UK), The Dance Centre (Vancouver, Canada), Shed 9 (India), Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company-The Drishtikon Dance Foundation (Delhi, India) and Aakash Odedra Company (Leicester, UK)
Public Funders: Canada Council for the Arts, BC Arts Council, City of Vancouver.
Production: Gaurav Bhatti Dance Company
Videography and Editor: Adarsh Prathap
Special Thanks to: Victoria Bell, Hannah Boothman, Out Innerspace Dance Theatre, and family and friends who helped make this production.
About Gaurav
Gaurav Bhatti, a dancer-choreographer, trained in Kathak under gurus Saveeta Sharma, Lata Bakalkar, and Aditi Mangaldas. He's performed internationally with the Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company and interpreted works by Akash Odedra and Gauri Diwakar. Gaurav's choreography merges classical Kathak with other dance forms and uses narrative structures familiar to contemporary dance audiences. He's currently apprenticing under Aditi Mangaldas and attending workshops led by Akram Khan and Mavin Khoo.
Presented with
Photos: Innee Singh