Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers

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One on One with Pallabi Chakravorty

Photo: Bob Finkelstein

Back at Theatre Exile in Philadelphia, Pallabi and Kun-Yang begin with a similar task as with Kun-Yang and Gus’ engagement- discussing individual routines/rituals.

Pallabi discusses her relationship with Yoga as a method for pain relief and mindfulness cultivation. Kun-Yang reflects on the Qi Gong practice he used to utilize for similar purposes.

Photo: Bob Finkelstein

A prompt is created by Pallabi to teach Kun-Yang the Kathak rhythm (16 beat cycle) to create a warm-up focused on rhythm and counting. Then, the warm-up evolves into a movement exploration to create movement material.

A week following each engagement and after reviewing the video footage, the collaborators meet through Zoom to discuss their reflections. Pallabi reflected on the importance of how time is a crucial component to her dance practice:

Photo: Bob Finkelstein

“Time” is subjective; we organize it to give it a shape or many shapes and flavors through life phases. “time” is my grid, it is the rhythm in my veins that flows in the cycle of “dha dhin dhin dha” through my limbs, wrists, ankles, and feet.

Support for the research and development of WHERE IS MY B-O-D-Y has been provided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.