Seeta Patel Dance and BSO Reveal Autumn/Winter Tour Dates and Venuess

Award-winning dancer and choreographer Seeta Patel unveils the venues and dates of her eponymous Dance Company's first full-scale touring production of Stravinsky's iconic The Rite of Spring, joining forces with the acclaimed Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Kiril Karabits.

This major staging in three venues across the North and South of the UK follows on from the critically acclaimed show at Sadlers Wells earlier this year.

Joining the 10 strong dance line-up on tour is rising star Adhya Shastry, winner of BBC Young Dancer 2022. The ensemble includes three dancers from the UK, with the remainder amassed from all over the world including Holland, Malaysia and India.

Normally seen as a solo dance form, Seeta Patel Dance's The Rite Of Spring is a rare chance for audiences to see contemporary Bharatanatyam performed in an ensemble. It also subverts the original narrative of a single sacrificial Chosen One by elevating this character to a deity unto which the whole community sacrifices themselves.

By uniting this South Indian dance with its intricate rhythmic footwork, geometric and dynamic movements, and expressive prowess with Stravinsky's score and a full orchestra, Seeta Patel's company bridges the gap between Indian dance and Western culture, introducing something exciting and new to the wider dance landscape.

The full BSO, under the baton of Kirill Karabits in his last season as Chief Conductor, will play live in two venues, The Lighthouse, Poole (15 November) followed by The Anvil, Basingstoke (23 November). At both venues the orchestra will also play an exclusive musical interlude featuring Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty suite and in Poole, Karabits will also conduct music from Chary Nurymov's ballet The Fate of Sukhovey.

At The Lowry, Manchester (21 November), the format of the show will differ with a recorded version and the addition of a special prequel, a solo danced by Seeta Patel herself accompanied by classical Indian music played live on stage. The special piece entitled SHREE explores Bharatanatyam in its more widely recognised solo format taking audiences on the journey of Mother Earth from birth to destruction, preparing them for her deliverance in the ensuing The Rite of Spring. .

Commenting on this tour, Patel says: "I am incredibly excited to be touring in collaboration with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and their incredible Chief Conductor Kirill Karabits to bring the work to its full glory with an ensemble and full orchestra. Combining the powerful art forms of classical music and Bharatanatyam dance has been a long-held ambition of mine. Less bound by the usual aesthetics of Bharatanatyam, I can't wait for audiences to see a more contemporary staging so that both dancers and orchestra shine in their own right. Expect vibrancy, rhythm and expression in a joyous celebration of music and movement."

Kirill Karabits has been the Chief Conductor of the BSO since 2008. Together with the BSO, he has brought attention to works that fuse Eastern influences with the traditional symphony orchestra. Karabits adds: "Stravinsky's mighty score is a massive thrill to perform and is a work that, thanks to its fusion of traditions and techniques, has continued to ignite ideas and inspire both artists and audiences for over a century.
"I am excited to be bringing it to life and hope this new tour, which unites Bharatanatyam dance with Stravinsky's original score, will shine a new light on this endlessly fascinating work."

This full-scale tour in collaboration with a world-famous orchestra, marks a major step up in the profile and ambition of Seeta Patel Dance, following its newly acquired National Portfolio status, awarded by the Arts Council England in November 2022.

Seeta Patel is an award-winning choreographer, dancer and activist born in London. She has worked with a range of prestigious Bharatanatyam and contemporary dance companies including Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company, Mavin Khoo as well as award-winning DV8 Physical Theatre, and performed at renowned venues such as London's SOUTHBANK CENTRE, ROYAL OPERA HOUSE and SADLER'S WELLS. She actively supports emerging dance talents through her choreographic and mentoring work.

Tour Dates

Lighthouse Poole, 15 November,

Box office: 01202 280000

www.lighthousepoole.co.uk

The Lowry, Manchester, 21 November

Box office: 0333 3202838

www.thelowry.com

The Anvil, Basingstoke, 23 November

Box office: 01256 844244

www.anvilarts.org.uk

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