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We are thrilled to partner with Mandala Arts & Culture to present the world premiere of Shiva (he)/ Shakti (she) featuring Kiruthika Rathanaswami & Malavika Santhosh. We sat down with Kiruthika and Malavika to ask them about the work, their relationship, and the choreographer Jai Govinda.

What prompted you to start studying Bharata Natyam?

KR: I grew up as a child in UBC and the first time my parents and I saw Jai Govinda was when he performed at UBC International House. He then was invited to perform for the Thamil Cultural Society of British Columbia (TCSBC) , which my family and I were involved with. After this my dad wanted me to start learning bharata natyam with Jai. Jai at the time felt I was a little young.  There were two other families with daughters a similar age to me and he said he would take the 3 of us together and see if it could work.

I started my formal training in bharata natyam when I was 8 years old. Since then I have never looked back and it has become part of my identity and something that truly feeds my soul.

MS: I grew up immersed in dance and music. Many of my family members in India, including my mom, learned bharata natyam, and my dad was a Kathakali dancer in his younger days. This environment naturally sparked my interest in dance.

I first joined dance classes at the age of five in Dubai, where I learned choreographies to popular Hindi movie songs. The same school also offered training in Indian classical dance forms, which always fascinated me. I was drawn to the expressiveness, intricate footwork, and, as a child, the vibrant costumes and jewelry. Eventually, I started attending classes in several classical styles, including Bharata natyam, Mohiniyattam, Kuchipudi, and Kerala Natanam.

Dance has been a significant part of my life ever since I attended my very first class at the age of five. Over the years, I focused my training on bharata natyam, a form that continues to captivate me with its richness and storytelling.

How did you both meet?

KR: Malavika and I met at the Jai Govinda Dance Academy. I still remember Jai telling me about Malavika when she first joined the academy. She was a natural performer and had a star quality from the time she was young.

For many years we were in the same classes and both represented Mandala as solo dancers, often sharing the same stage but not dancing the same choreography. As our love for dance grew we also started developing a beautiful friendship in and outside of dance. Even though Malavika is younger than me she always seemed very mature and we got along very well. In the last 4 years or so since Covid, when we both moved back to Vancouver, a beautiful relationship in dance developed between the both of us.

We actually never learnt the same choreography as soloists since Jai has always worked with each of us individually and taught us work that amplifies who we are as dancers. During Covid the academy classes moved to Zoom but Malavika and I continued to come to Scotiabank Dance Centre. This is where synergy developed between us as dancers. Though we dance and approach movement very differently, our years of training with Jai naturally lend us to have similarities.

That year in the studio is what led to the creation of Shiva (he)/ Shakti (she). I had mainly been a solo performer and I was so curious how my years of solo practice, training and performance will change with another body. What would I need to let go of to create space for and what could I lean on to expand or experience? What energy does another body in space do to me? What visual dynamics are created with two bodies in space?

What prompted you to work together on this piece? 

MS: During the pandemic, Kiruthika and I continued our weekly training with the Jai Govinda Dance Academy via Zoom. We missed the energy of a studio space. Determined to stay connected to that environment, we arrived at the studio each week, fully prepared to practice with social distancing in place.

It was during this time that Jai and our peers began to notice striking similarities in our movements, giving us the nickname “the twins,” especially with our masks adding to the resemblance. This shared studio time became the foundation of Shiva/Shakti, sparking our curiosity about exploring movement as a duo.

What intrigued us most was discovering how, as soloists, we each have distinct movement vocabularies. Yet, as a pair, we found an unexpected synergy in our bodies, allowing us to create something uniquely cohesive and dynamic together. To further play with this idea, we knew we had to explore duality—not just in movement, but in the contrasting energies found in nature.

Tell us a little about the choreographer, Jai Govinda.

KR: Jai Govinda is a dancer, teacher, choreographer and is critically acclaimed nationally and internationally. He started his dance journey with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in Quebec and then continued his bharata natyam training with gurus Dr Mamata Niyogi Nakra, Sri US Krishna Rao and Smt.Chandrabhaga Devi, Sri KJ Govindarajan and Smt. Jamuna Krishnan.

He created a space for bharata natyam to exist not only in BC but Canada and the world. He founded Mandala Arts & Culture Society and under that the Jai Govinda Dance Academy has been recognized for its teaching by the Arts Training Funds of Heritage Canada. Under his guidance Mandala ran an Indian Classical Dance festival for 6 years where top classical Indian Dancers were invited to perform in Vancouver. More about Jai and his contributions to dance can be found here: https://www.mandalarts.ca/

My relationship with Jai is very special. I don’t know what I would be today without him. I am so grateful to have learnt bharata natyam under his training. He has such a vast experience of both western and eastern dance forms that his approach, aesthetics and choreographies have always been appealing to me. After my arangetram (dance graduation) in 2004, I wanted to further my growth in bharata natyam and he provided that space and mentorship for that. He encouraged me to go to India and spend some time with another teacher to develop more of the abinaya aspects of bharata natyam and to immerse myself in the dance in the land where you are surrounded by music and dance every day.

Jai understands the potential each dancer has and pushes and challenges them to reach those heights. My biggest constant in life is dance and a big part of that is him. His contribution to the dance world is immense. So many of his dancers run their own schools, are teachers, choreographers, etc. The dissemination of bharata natyam through him has reached so many people. His dedication and striving for excellence has definitely made an impact on all those he has worked with.

Anything else you’d like people to know about the work? 

MS: Lighting plays a significant role in this work, serving as a powerful extension of our exploration of the duality of Shiva and Shakti. It not only enhances the visual impact but also deepens the storytelling by embodying the contrasting energies central to the piece. We are incredibly grateful to collaborate with the talented lighting designer Chengyan Boon, whose artistry has added depth and nuance, bringing even more layers to the work.

What is your next project?

KR: I will be looking into touring Shiva (he) – Shakti (she) to other parts of Canada after we have the premiere at Scotiabank Dance Centre on December 6 & 7, 2024 . My next creative process will be using my dad’s poetry in movement.

MS: Along with looking at opportunities to present Shiva/Shakti across Canada, I will also be collaborating with Sujit Vaidya for his work Breathe in the Fragrance for VIDF 2025.

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Kiruthika Rathanaswami & Malavika Santhosh
Shiva (he)/Shakti (she)
Friday-Saturday December 6-7, 2024 | 8pm
$30/$25 students, seniors and youth + $1 facility fee
Details

Presented with Mandala Arts & Culture.

Photos: Mark Enns & Ruchi Pasricha and Ron Sangha

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