What we bring to you

'The Maze' is a devised work that explores the 'political' through the 'personal'. While drawing from my lived experience and questions as a woman navigating through structures of patriarchy, I intend to use text, movement, poetry, music, theater, and technology to challenge the notions of beauty, femininity, motherhood, and the deification of womanhood. Realizing that the world we live in is a complex maze manipulated by hegemonic ideologies, that we are constantly navigating, often seems to trap the vulnerable. The current political climate is a big example of that, where laws are being passed to control women's bodies and deprive them of their rights. This became a catalyst in inspiring me to create ‘The Maze’. 

Co-created in collaboration with Veena Basavarajaiah who Directed this work, this work was developed at two residency programs - RAW at SAFEHouse and at Studio 210 Summer Residency at Deborah Slater Dance Theater during which Roopa Mahadevan, our musical collaborator joined us. 

A dance- theater production premiered at the ODC Theater, San Francisco in November 2019. The production highlighted the stories of the Indian hereditary artists who cultivated the performing arts through several generations. It also acknowledged that we are practicing an appropriated art form.  

It is important to note that as privileged artists, practicing an art form that was appropriated from the hereditary artists, there is a greater responsibility in what stories we tell through this art. Performing stories of others cannot be equated to representation of their lives. Any amount of research will not help in understanding their lived experience and therefore, the stories get misrepresented causing more harm to the marginalized community. The marginalized communities carry with them a history of trauma, appropriation and violence. It is unjust if they are reduced to mere stories. This work will not be presented again but Siddhi Creative acknowledges the community that came together to make this work. 

 A creative series consist of traditional flavors of Margam directed and performed by Surabhi Bharadwaj, performed at the Nehru Centre in London and at Le Mandapa (Centre Mandapa) in Paris