Soorya Dance Company pays tribute to Indian writer

Troupe performs in Abu Dhabi and Dubai as a tribute to late Indian writer and activist Valkkom Mohammed Basheer.

Dancers perform during a performance by the Soorya Dance Company at Wellington International School.

DUBAI // The Soorya Dance Company entertained audiences in Abu Dhabi and Dubai over the weekend with performances of a tribute to the late Indian writer and activist Vaikkom Mohammed Basheer.

The group performed Dwayam - The power of 2last night at Abu Dhabi Indian School. On Friday they danced at Wellington School before an audience of 100.

The Dubai performance came at the invitation of UAE Exchange, NMC healthcare and Neopharma's managing director and chief executive BR Shetty.

"We have been enriched in this country and we would like to pay back by giving back to the UAE with such top-quality art from India," Mr Shetty said.

The Dwayam programme was conceived, designed and directed by Soorya Krishnamoorthy, an Indian artist.

"When the writer Vaikkom Mohammed Basheer was in primary school, his teacher asked him as to what one plus one is, for which he answered 'a big one'," Mr Krishnamoorthy noted.

"The teacher was unhappy with the answer and she punished him. Basheer later explained later there is a river flowing in front of his house, with another river flowing behind that joined together at one point to become a big river. This philosophy of a primary school child is the inspiration behind the programme."

The event was complemented by a male and female vocalist as well as dancers performing classical Indian Kathak and Bharathanatyam dances and two musicians performing on the nadaswaram, a traditional hardwood wind instrument.