Tukre'

In Tukre' (Pieces in Hindi), Australian choreographer and dancer Raghav Handa explores how cultural lineage and rites of passage transcend borders and oceans. Inspired by the contents of Handa's own luggage when he arrived in Australian from India to attend boarding school, this dance work explores the shifting connections between our past, present and future and the importance of family – even when they are thousands of kilometres away.

In this piece, Handa creates a memory map of his life and family heritage through music and dance. Using family heirlooms, which Handa will touch for the first time in this performance, he evokes the traditions and rituals of his family, including his mother's 19thcentury necklace and dazzling saris.

The movement which combines delicate linear masculinity with speed and precision, is also inspired by his grandfather's trade as a jewel-maker, who spent his life cutting, shaving and shining precious stones. These jeweling techniques, known as faceting techniques, are replicated in Handa's choreography – from smelting gold to cutting gemstones. The result is a bold physicality comprising delicate curves with profound masculinity.

The objects presented in this work are unremarkable and commonplace, but they posses a sense of place and history thus creating a dialog between the object and the viewer. They also allow Handa to interact with his past in a very real way. By mapping memories, Handa intends to uncover how history is passed down through bloodlines, frying pans and faceting techniques!

New Grand Narrative Profile: Raghav Handa from Next Wave on Vimeo.

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