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Castles In The Sky Presents : A Dance Showcase with Nikhita Devi & Bollyqueer

28 Feb - 1 Mar 2025

19:30 - 16:30

Mind the Gap

Castles In The Sky Presents

A Very Special Dance Showcase with Nikhita Devi & Bollyqueer + workshops with the artists

Join us for an evening of performances and afternoon of workshops showcasing traditional and contemporary takes on South Asian dance styles from some of the UK's most exciting LGBTQ+ dance artists Nikhita Devi and Bollyqueer.

Friday February 28th, 7.30PM @ Mind The Gap Studios
Join Bollyqueer and Nikhita Devi for a series of performances including 2 solo pieces by Nikhita Devi and a mixture of solo and group pieces from Bollyqueer.

Saturday March 1st 2.30PM @ Kala Sangam, Bank House
2 simultaneous workshops will take place at Kala Sangam studios from 3PM.

When booking please choose if you wish to attend Nikhita's OR Bollyqueer's workshop.

Bollyqueer workshops are beginner friendly and prioritise self-expression and having fun over learning choreography. It's a safer space to learn Bollywood dance, where choreography is not gendered.

Nikhita Devi's workshop will blend yoga, Indian dance and burlesque and is suitable for all dance levels including beginners.

We are aware Ramadan may have begun by the time of this event. Please be advised that we will provide quiet and chilled space as well as prayer facilities. Both workshops will also be tailored to reflect varying energy levels.

All participants are invited to break fast together in an LGBTQ+ inclusive open Iftar following the workshops.This will take place at a nearby venue and details will be shared after individuals have booked.

This event was dreamt up and produced by Castles In The Sky and made possible by being generously commissioned by Marlborough Productions as part of New Queers on the Block. Supported by Arts Council England, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, and Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

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Access
Kala Sangam is currently situated at Bank House, Bank Street, BD1. We will be using 2 studios. The studio where Nikhita's workshop will take place has a few steps between the lift and the room. The studio where Bollyqueer's workshop will take place is step free. There is a wheelchair accessible bathroom at this venue.

Mind The Gap's Studio 1 is accessible via lift and there are wheelchair accessible bathrooms. There is a separate cafe/ bar space which audiences can use if a break from the main room is required.
Workshops are relaxed and participants are invited to take part at their own pace, taking breaks is welcome and accommodated and there will be refreshments available.

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About Bollyqueer
Bollyqueer is a Bollywood dance space that celebrates and empowers the LGBTQIA+ community. Bollyqueer workshops are described as a transformative experience, often referred to as 'coming home' for individuals who have felt pushed away from their culture due to their queerness.
They aim to bring this joy to your stage, showcasing that Queer South Asian identities are valid and beautiful.

Bollyqueer are one of the only Bollywood dance groups that do not divide performers by gender, ensuring that all dancers have the freedom to choose their costume styles and choreography in ways that honour their identities and avoid dysphoria. They unapologetically showcase queer love and romance in their routines, presenting a bold, inclusive vision of Bollywood.

Bollyqueer is a statement. It is an unapologetic celebration of diversity, resilience, and the transformative power of dance. By bringing Bollyqueer to this event, they aim to inspire, uplift, and create a space where queer South Asian identities are celebrated and embraced.

About Nikhita Devi
Nikhita's (they/them) practice is deeply rooted in their Indian heritage, based primarily on Indian classical dance, but also draws heavily from bellydance (or raqs sharqi) and burlesque. It is also influenced by their studies of martial arts and the spiritual practices of yoga and tantra.
Their dance allows them to express themself and helps them connect physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually with themself, their audience and their community. They hope that infusing the movement vocabulary of classical dance styles with the sensuality and earthiness of bellydance and burlesque will help to inspire and liberate femmes, the LGBTQ community and the South Asian community at home and abroad.

As well as physical dance they also engage in academic research to enhance their knowledge, bring understanding and respect to what they do, and contextualise their work. They investigate questions of identity, sexuality, heritage and freedom of expression through their work.

Ticket Information

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Venue Details

Mind the Gap

Silk Warehouse, Patent Street
BD9 4SA

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