Kattam Katti at The Lowry
Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor
Following its world première with two sold-out nights at Sadler’s Wells, London’s Home of Dance, Pagrav Dance’s innovative new show Kattam Katti launches a UK-wide tour at The Lowry.
Kattam Katti is inspired by the vibrancy and creativity of Uttarayan, the kite festival that takes place in Gujarat, Northern India every year. Created by one of the UK’s leading Kathak dancers, Urja Desai Thakore, the show explores this hugely important event and celebrates its themes of competition, excitement and unity.
Kattam Katti is inspired by the vibrancy and creativity of Uttarayan, the kite festival that takes place in Gujarat, Northern India every year.
A joyous event marking the transition from winter to spring, Uttarayan takes place every January and millions of people from different cities, religions and social classes gather together to fly kites. It’s a delightful though fierce event where the aim is to fly your kite higher than anybody else. Ruthlessly competitive, it has been known for participants to coat their kite strings with glass pigment – which, although shimmering on the surface, will also cut the strings of other people’s kites. Furthermore, penthouse-owning richer folk often use their rooftop position to their advantage and launch their kites from their rooftops. Intelligent and probing, this perceptive new dance work draws on the Indian kite festival to draw parallels with societal inequalities in India, the UK and around the world.
This perceptive new dance work draws on the Indian kite festival to draw parallels with societal inequalities in India, the UK and around the world.
Founded in 2005 by acclaimed dancer, choreographer and teacher Urja Desai Thakore, Pagrav Dance Company creates modern work – fused with contemporary storytelling and design – rooted in the classical Indian Kathak style. With strong roots in the South Asian dance traditions, Kattam Katti is a neo-classical work created and performed by a new generation of British dancers of Indian heritage. The dancers are accompanied by live musicians who cleverly interact and move around with the four dancers.
Kattam Katti is a colourful and lively show suitable for all ages and backgrounds.
