Internationally acclaimed Kathak artist and choreographer Gaurav Bhatti is set to premiere his latest work, Bulleh Shah: Seeker of Light, a full-length solo dance production. Co-presented by New Works and The Dance Centre, the highly anticipated work will premiere at Scotiabank Dance Centre in Vancouver, BC, on March 28-29, 2025 at 8pm, with a special post-show artist talkback on March 29.
Working at the intersection of the North Indian classical form of Kathak and contemporary dance, Gaurav Bhatti is known for virtuosic performances which encompass explosive energy, dramatic complexity, and eloquent emotion. His new solo is inspired by the life and poetry of the 18th-century Sufi mystic Bulleh Shah, who spoke out against powerful institutions, and advocated for tolerance at a time of violent religious strife. Integrating Kathak, Punjabi folk dances, and Western movement forms, Bhatti applies his distinctive contemporary sensibility to reassert Shah’s enduring message of universal love, and pays homage to the rich artistic heritage of the Punjab.