Storytellers of the year: Daksha Sheth

Daksha Sheth 
Dancer and Choreographer, Sari
Soft melodies waft through the air as draped dancers do the same, adopting yogic stances on knotted ropes and  moving in unison. Rta Kapur Chishti’s book, Saris: Tradition and Beyond, is translated onto the stage in the form of an alluring, one-of-a-kind dance production. Choreographed by Daksha Sheth, Sari was conceived to reawaken the spirit and eccentricity of the drape. With a team of ten dancers, the movement guru highlights the journey of the sari’s conception, from cotton pod to the jewel of the Indian handloom industry. Staged in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, the 90-minute-long show featured live music and was followed by a three-day exhibition and a workshop aimed at endorsing hand-woven and hand-spun saris. With the dance production, Sheth not only manages to create an amalgamation of forms like Kathak, Mayurbhanj Chhau and Kalaripayattu.But what is interesting to see is the range of motion which echoes, staid tradition and its quaint offshoots. Every member of the audience is guaranteed to leave the show in high spirits caused by the jubilant buildup of music and dance to celebrate the sari being ready at the culmination of the performance.