Devī

"Without her, he is lifeless as a corpse"
 — Saundaryalaharī 1

In Devī, three dancers of Poernima Dance Company, including choreographer Gobardhan herself, unfold their vision of the feminine, a concept often understood only in relation to the masculine. The performance explores this apparent duality between feminine power, Devī, and masculine power, Deva. However, According to Gobardhan this duality exists only on the surface, these two seemingly opposing forces are, in essence, one. Masculine and feminine are not separate entities but complementary aspects of the same whole, interwoven within ourselves, within society, and within the universe.

Through Gobardhan’s contemporary movement language, rooted in classical Bharata Natyam, Devī opens a path beyond duality, revealing the underlying unity of this energy. The layered musical landscape, composed by Jorg Schellekens and musician S.V. Giridhara, immerses you in a tribute to the subtle balance that sustains all life, inviting each of us to discover our own inner power, a force that can be both gentle and unstoppable, personal and universal.

"For me, Devī is about arriving at the unity behind diversity…"
 — Poernima Gobardhan

About Poernima Dance Company

Choreographer and artistic director Poernima Gobardhan creates work rooted in the classical South Indian dance form Bharata Natyam, while developing a contemporary movement language. She translates Bharata Natyam into a modern and universal language from a personal perspective, resulting in a movement style deeply grounded in classical tradition yet speaking with a voice of the present. Since 2018, Gobardhan’s choreographic work has explored the feminine in relation to existential questions.