Shailini Vinod, a PhD student in Creative Writing and Sociology has been awarded the competitive Traditional Dance Forum Scotland (TDFS) Join Traditional Dance Residency.
After responding to an open call for submissions, Shailini partnered with her daughter, Shashwati Pattwakar Vinod, to submit an entry that draws on their expertise in professional Indian classical dance, including Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam, alongside folk-dance forms like Bhangra, Garba, Dandiya and Kollattam.
For their one-week residency at Citymoves’ Schoolhill Studio in Aberdeen, Shailini and Shashwati will develop a piece using Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam dance forms while exploring Indian Carnatic and Hindustani music with percussion instruments.
This will be followed by an interpretation of contemporary themes and stories via the rhythmic and grace elements of the two dance forms.
Shailini is currently a second-year SGSAH-AHRC funded PhD student whose thesis explores the experiences of Keralan NHS nurses via a sociological lens and the creation of a series of short stories.
Entitled, “That Shade of Brown”: A creative socio-literary exploration of the evolving concept of ‘Britishness’ and the mutual impact of migrant representations in literature and sociology, Shailini has drawn on her thesis to deliver talks at the University of Duisburg Essen, and will deliver a further talk at the Aurora lecture series, in November.
Shashwati, an accomplished South Asian Classical dancer, will perform at this month’s WayWord Festival on September 25.
In addition, Shailini will be chairing the Performing Identities panel at the WayWord Festival, which focuses on the use of social media platforms for self-expression and identity performances.
In conversation with Celia Toks and Aiberdeen Mannie, the panel is scheduled to take place online on September 21.
To book tickets to Shashwati Pattwakar Vinod’s pop-up dance performance, visit the booking page; to register for Shailini’s Performing Identities panel, click here.