Sonia Sabri Company Brings ROSHNI to Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre

Sonia Sabri Company (SSCo) will bring their latest show to Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre next month as part of a UK-wide tour. 

Roshni (Thursday 10 October) is an intimate crafting of dance and live music, inspired by the stories and experiences of everyday people. The audience is taken on an emotional journey, through wordless storytelling, percussive dance and warm, humorous and upbeat audience interaction. Roshni is deeply moving, wonderfully uplifting and gloriously entertaining; it has been created as a source of hope and positivity for the community in an ever-changing world.

The performance will feature Kathak and contemporary dance elements, along with collaborative and cross-cultural instrumental and improvisational playing of the santoor, tabla, viola and kaval. You can expect to see storytelling, audience interaction, beatboxing, spoken word and props to illustrate the highs and lows of life today. Roshni also features an upbeat interactive segment with the audience. It is an ideal first introduction to those who have never experienced Kathak, as well as connoisseurs.

Kathak is a North Indian classical dance form and has two significant elements within it: storytelling and rhythmic dance. ‘Kathak’ literally means the one who tells a story, though it is illustrated purely through mime, gesture, and facial expressions and thus not bound by any spoken language. The rhythmic element or the technical aspect focuses on intricate and upbeat footwork, fast spins, geometrical movements and intimate connection between dance and music, most importantly the percussion. It is the most naturalistic dance forms of the Indian subcontinent and Sonia adds her own spin inspired by her contemporary experiences which has led her to win several awards and honours for her creativity. 

Sonia Sabri is a multi-award winning and foremost Kathak dancer of her generation, known for her precise, graceful technique, command of rhythm and repertoire, and an enquiring approach to developing the artform. She is amongst the brightest and most inspirational of British born dancer-choreographers working in the 21st century. Creating work that spans from the presentation of classical roots of Kathak to explorations of contemporary approaches, her productions reflect an appreciation of Western and Eastern cultures. She has created a fresh, unique style of Kathak by reinventing it from within, by pushing boundaries and generating work that is original in concept and exciting and relevant to today’s audiences. Recent large-scale work includes the opening ceremony for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, as an associate choreographer. She has an international reputation for collaboration across dance styles and art forms including work with pioneers Sarvar Sabri, Arlene Phillips CBE, Sir Trevor Nunn, Sir Richard Alston, Marion Tait CBE and Shobana Jeyasingh MBE. Commissions include the BBC, Channel 4, Tanzhaus, ARTE, Birmingham Hippodrome, South Bank Centre, and part of London Olympics 2012 Cultural Olympiad. 

Music for Roshni is arranged by Sarvar Sabri, the internationally renowned tabla maestro who comes from a long line of Indian musicians and is the husband of Sonia Sabri. Previous work includes City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Sir Trevor Nunn’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream. This production also includes viola player Emily Dore, kaval and clarinet player Katie Stevens and santoor player and vocalist Gulfam Sabri. 

Sonia Sabri Company tours in some of the largest venues and festivals including The Royal Festival Hall, Bartholomew Fair, WOMAD, Latitude, as well as rural touring, schools and libraries. 

Sonia Sabri Company acknowledges support from Arts Council England.

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