Showcase of traditional Indian dance brings tales of Krishna to life in Hong Kong, going beyond Bollywood styles
- Featuring more than 20 dancers, ‘Krishnarpanam’ is a lively dance drama coming to the Hong Kong City Hall that highlights India’s many traditional dance styles
- An art exhibition showcasing Krishna’s birth story will be held at the hall’s exhibition space featuring the work of visual artist Kashmira Mehta Doshi
Krishna is one of the most widely revered gods in Hinduism, considered the supreme deity and a symbol of patience, compassion and love.
Stories of Krishna have played a key role in the history of Indian theatre, music, dance and the visual arts, with the god portrayed in the country’s mythology from child god to divine lover, prankster to hero.
This month, he is also the inspiration for Krishnarpanam, a lively dance drama coming to the Hong Kong City Hall Theatre.
Featuring more than 20 Hong Kong and Indian dancers, Krishnarpanam is a mix of classical Indian styles – such as Kathak and Bharatnatyam – and contemporary ones, with performers interacting with paintings that will be displayed on the stage.
One of the production’s main aims is to showcase the vast range of Indian dance, says Benis Cheng, co-founder of Beyond Bollywood – a Hong Kong platform created in 2015 that fosters cross-cultural social inclusion in the city through Indian dance – and co-organiser of the show.