Akademi present The Troth

Inspired by the classic Hindi short story, and written in 1915 by Chandradhar Sharma Guleri, the action moves from the intense life and colour of rural India to the horrific darkness of the trenches in Belgium where young Indian men have been brought to fight for the Allied Forces. As the drama unfolds, we learn about the secret promise made by one soldier, Lehna Singh, as he makes the ultimate sacrifice to save another.

Part of the BBC’s #DancePassion season, the work was seen online as part of the live streaming day on Friday 5 April via Akademi’s YouTube channel.

Marking the centenary of World War I, award-winning choreographer Gary Clarke unfolds the poignant narrative through contemporary dance, music and film. The show features a specially-commissioned music score by Shri Sriram and a cast including Vidya Patel (BBC Young Dancer 2015 finalist).

Supported by Arts Council England and British Council’s Reimagine India cultural exchange programme, this international project is a collaboration between creatives from the UK and India, touring both countries during January to March 2018 as part of the UK-India Year of Culture and was filmed at Leicester’s Curve Theatre.

The production and was first seen online via The British Council’s site from March 20 – April 19 2018.

Read: How Akademi’s touring show The Troth is saluting India’s wartime sacrifice through dance by Fergus Morgan in The Stage

About this artist

Founded in 1979 by the legendary Tara Rajkumar, Akademi has been taking South Asian dance to unexpected places ever since. In that time, the organisation has redefined the parameters of the art form, inspiring audiences, developing artists and changing lives.

Akademi connects South Asian dance with the wider contemporary arts sector, engaging with social, political and cultural agendas to achieve real impact. They embrace the plurality of classical, contemporary and commercial South Asian dance styles.

Rooted in our local community but active across the UK, Akademi has a global perspective with worldwide connections, contributing significantly to Britain’s international reputation for innovation in South Asian dance.