Today I had the most beautiful reconnection (in person) with someone who had such an impact on me as an artist. I had the privilege to dance a duet by @ivanperezaviles for a few years. The process challenged me to discover a completely different entry point for the landing of emotional spaces that I believe in…I fell deeply in love with the man and the work and the experience is something that I hold firmly with me today as a dancer, teacher and coach. After our meeting today I realised that we were so caught up with each other that we didn’t take a photo! But this image from more than a decade ago exudes an embrace that felt exactly the same today: respect, love and deep friendship. Stay well dear one - until we meet again ❤️🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
So last week I turned 50- it’s almost unbelievable to me and I guess I’m having to navigate through some sort of mental and emotional shift… it all seemed to have happened as quickly as a tinder swipe; and yet, the reality is so much has happened through the very ‘lived’ life that I have experienced so far… thinking back, everything in my life has been an ‘intense’ relationship; with Dance, with lovers, with
Discipline, with Hedonism… nothing has been half measured or balanced…in reality, I’m so grateful for that inborn intensity because it’s meant that everything was and is experienced to the threshold…intensity allowed me to experience Dance, Love, Discipline and Hedonism to full measure which has meant beauty and joy, darkness and pain at full measure as well - and that has enabled 50 years of living and seeing so much … what has really hit me hard in the last few days, is that whilst the journey has been solitary… I’ve been given so much love and care by those around me… and that’s something not to be taken for granted or lightly… so thank you everyone for showering me with so much love…I feel very grateful 🥹🥹🥹 huge shoutout to my amazing @meenakshirv and @ragaveenaaa for beautifully managing my performance last week to celebrate my 50th and to my dear sister and son Nina and @henry_dowden for giving me a smashing parrrttaayyy surrounded by those that I love with all my heart whilst dancing to the grooves of @benalexandermetcalf and @dylanmeldrum …the walk of shame in the morning was well worth it 🙈🙈🙈 happy f***ing 50th to me 💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽 ps image from this year by @camilla_greenwell
On International Dance Day, we revisit an experience of deep immersion that continues to be felt. In December 2024, our Classical Intensive came to Sri Lanka for the first time, bringing artists together for a shared journey into Bharatanatyam, creating space for both listening and dialogue. Led by @mavin_khoo , the third edition invited participants to deepen their understanding of musicality and to reconnect more deeply with their practice. This short documentary returns to that experience, reflecting on what emerged during our time together.
Available now on YouTube - link in bio.
Film and images by @ap_deeep
Supported by @britishcouncilsrilanka
This photograph, captured by @sujithnbs , speaks to the years of collaboration and trust shared between me and @osarunofficial .
On Wednesday 29th April, we’ll be presenting the inaugural session of @ldnadavu ’s new lecture series, ‘Living Traditions’. It will be at @bhavanlondon at 7 pm. Thank you to @ami_jay for taking up the idea of arts lectures with such passion.
Looking forward to seeing both dancers and musicians at the lecture. Registration link can be found at @ldnadavu ’s page in the bio.
This picture makes me very proud and emotional- when I was a young dancer, I was always more connected to female ballet teachers and was almost resistant to men’s class and the emphasis on male dancing that was so gender specific- I was always very androgynous in my dancing - but at the time, there was a fabulous dancer from English National Ballet who had just started teaching open classes… and so I entered the weekly class of @paullewis6760 and fell in love with him and his class. I don’t think Paul (he is now with the @royalballetschool )ever realised the impact his teaching had on me…both in my dancing and most certainly now as a teacher - and how amazingly poetic now as I travel the world teaching companies, I always encounter young beautiful male dancers who inform me that they too were students of this wonderful artist and teacher - this was the case now when I was with the Royal Danish Ballet- these two beautiful artists @josephaumeer and @al.larssson are students of Paul… so there are three generations in this picture from the same teacher 🥹🥹🥹🙏🏽❤️ very humbling - thank you dear Paul - always love and respect 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
I am so grateful for the privilege that I get teaching company ballet class all over the world with some of the most brilliant dancers - this gift to teach is one that has to be taken with responsibility: most importantly, to ensure that class is not just warm up but a space to return to the love of discovery and study of the form..I’ve had the most humbling and inspiring 2 months teaching these beautiful dancers of Royal Danish Ballet their morning class and to ‘feel’ their collective trust for the space and love for the ‘their’Dance has been so emotional and touching - I have so much love for this new group of MY children to add to the many across the world 🥹🥹🥹❤️❤️❤️🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 #mavinkhoo #danceartist #teacher #balletclass #royaldanishballet
VERDENSPREMIERE PÅ "LADY MACBETH" 🩵
Er du klar, når vi i aften åbner dørene til en af scenekunstens og historiens mest kendte og blodige fortællinger – nu fortalt fra et helt nyt perspektiv? Akram Khan har skabt en helt ny ballet, hvor en af William Shakespeares mest berygtede figurer sættes i nyt lys – og endelig får mulighed for at fortælle sin egen historie. 👑🌳
"Lady Macbeth" spiller frem til 04.06.26
🎥 Grow
Months in the making, recent weeks in the studio have drawn the creative process into deeper layers of intention and nuance.
Akram Khan’s Lady Macbeth for the Royal Danish Ballet
24 April - 4 June
Opera House, Copenhagen
Images by @mariaalbrechtsen
At the end of April, two long-time collaborators will reunite in London - dance artist @mavin_khoo and musician @osarunofficial .
Together, they will present the inaugural lecture in @ldnadavu ’s new multi-part series, Living Traditions. The lecture will take place on Wednesday 29 April at 7 pm at @bhavanlondon .
Conceived as a space for deepening dance practice beyond the acquisition of skill or repertoire, LDNAdavu’s lecture series will seek to foreground listening, interpretation and artistic dialogue.
Register via the link in LDNAdavu’s bio.
“Whenever we come together, it is never the same…we just let go.”
Working with Arun Anna always brings that sense of ease and unpredictability at the same time - which is rare, and something I really value.
There’s a shared understanding between us, but we don’t try to fix anything too tightly. Things shift, respond, and unfold differently - instinctively - each time. We’ll be performing together at The Bhavan UK on Thursday 30 April.
On stage with us will be four wonderful accompanying artists - my student @pallavi.anand5 on nattuvangam, @prathapramachandra.r on mridangam, @balu_raguraman on violin and @sivanujan.sivakumaran on veena.
Tickets are on sale on the Bhavan’s website.
Video: @darbarfestival
Sumanasa Foundation is delighted to present Art Unfettered, the culmination of our Grants Project 2025 and the second edition of this initiative. The works being showcased have been developed by artists through grants awarded by the Foundation, enabling them to explore and bring new artistic ideas to life.
Do join us in supporting these remarkable artists as they premiere their new works on *April 12 & 13 at 5:30 pm*, at the M.S. Subbulakshmi Auditorium, Asian College of Journalism, Taramani, Chennai. All are welcome!
