Kantha Katha-K – The stories of local women shared in traditional Kantha embroidery retold as Kathak dance by Amina Khayyam.
Kantha Katha-K is a unique dance performance and installation narrating local women’s stories. Amina Khayyam Dance Company engaged local Birmingham women with creative activity during lockdown using traditional Kantha – a South Asian form of embroidery – to share their personal experiences and stories.
The Kanthas form the installation and in the final part of the project they have been progressed kinetically to Kathak, a South Asian storytelling dance, by Amina Khayyam to a music score of Borodin’s Nocturne specially adapted by Jonathan Mayer to Indian instrumentation.
The project was initially developed with over 638 women in Luton, Woking, Slough, Brighton, Birmingham, Leeds and London, who told their stories and experiences during October 2020 – March 2021. In Birmingham the Kanthas were created in association with Ashiana Community Project and Birmingham Settlement.
Read more from Amina Khayyam about the project here: https://aminakhayyamdance.co.uk/kantha-katha-k-bham
- Amina Khayyam Dance Company were nominated this year for Best Independent Dance Company at the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards.
- AKDC were also highlighted in The Guardian 50 shows to see at Edinburgh Festival for One at Dancebase.
The performances will take place on 20th & 21st September 2022 at the Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome, book tickets here: https://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/kantha-katha-k/