Judy Luo is a contemporary dance artist based out of Toronto. A cast member of Svāhā! and this season’s writer-in-residence at Nova Dance, she dropped in on rehearsals for একসঙ্গে / Akshongay.

he is hers, she is his

he is one, she is many

he is being, she is becoming

he has loved her for a long long time…

the world is plunged into darkness – and they begin.

she is his, he is hers

she is one, he is many

she is being, he is becoming

she has loved him for a long long time...

the world is plunged into darkness – and they begin.

Dec 2024: Nova Bhattacharya (left) and Louis Laberge-Côté (right) in rehearsal at Open Space Residency.

they are, who you see them to be.

Perhaps, Kali and Shiva.

Maybe, Cleopatra and Antony –

Isabeau and a sailor?

Better yet, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck.

Or, they are Nova Bhattacharya and Louis Laberge-Côté, nearing the end of their rehearsals for “একসঙ্গে / Akshongay.” Premiere date: April 23rd - less than one month away! The beginning lines of this letter are spoken by the performers in this piece. The following are duos referenced in rehearsals.

The cast of characters in the studio for this rendition include Debashis Sinha, who makes adjustments to the music for the evolved sections, alongside rehearsal directors and outside eyes Andrea Nann and Marie-Josée Cartier. Both have worked alongside members of the original creative team: the late Tedd Robinson as creative consultant, the late Dan Wild as rehearsal director, the late Phil Strong as composer, Johanna Yu as costume designer, and Marc Parent as the returning lighting designer.

Akshongay traverses between the human and the mythical. As Mushtari Afroz reflected on in January’s newsletter, both can be filled with joy and longing. Laughter and weeping climax in a complete utter mess. Catastrophe strikes. Mortality exists. Human will has its limits. Can stepping into the mythical bypass the part of loss? Switching between the practical components of rebuilding stamina and remembering sequence orders, to the humorous parts of themselves that tell stories of mishaps onstage and airport massage chairs, Nova and Louis infuse the sensory experiences of living as flesh into this process.

Nova: “At one point I thought, Louis smells like candy.”
Louis: “Because I’m so sweet.”

What once was a potentially decorative and fitting choreographic gesture, giving a helping hand, is also now an appreciated lever to rise from floor to standing. Alongside playful spirits, Nova and Louis’ maturity arrive as shortened durations in the decision-making process: wearing knee pads before bruises appear, rehearsing in costumes earlier on, and curating playlists for inspiration. If one wants to continue performing, preparation, care and joy become the logical things to pursue. Reflecting on Tedd’s guidance in earlier stages of creation, they remember “the addictiveness of generating.” They decide against creating a new section and go further by removing phrases of movement that no longer serve the characters’ plot lines.

One rehearsal, Marie-Josée asks which sections the characters are dancing together and which they are to be focused on their individual journeys. Louis and Nova both nod. Yes, they understand – sometimes together, sometimes separate. Walking through the topography of the piece, they begin to name their focus.

March 2025: Judy’s notes from watching rehearsal

Replace the words “space” and “in movement” with any combinations you wish:

Costume. Lights. Sound. Choreography. Memory. Universe(s). Timing. History. Feeling. Daily Weather – as a few recommendations. Really, it’s more of a spectrum. Togetherness bridges not just two, but many.

With hands on each other’s arms and eyes on the screen, videos from 2013 are one puzzle piece that help recall the choreography. At some point, the video is no longer the decision maker and the present becomes a third presence. There are missing puzzle pieces. Their shapes are distinct. “Missing” in this restaging does not take the form of “unlocated,” but maybe longing and, different. Together and separate between the human and the mythical, Nova Bhattacharya and Louis Laberge Cote share the 2025 version of Akshongay with audiences in Toronto (again!) and London, UK (new!) this spring.

they are one, they are many

they are being, they are becoming

they have loved each other for a long long time…

the world is plunged into darkness – and they begin.

In case you missed it, the two previous articles of the “Digging Deeper” series:

More on the pair’s collaboration and friendship: “Digging Deeper: একসঙ্গে / Akshongay – An Artistic Pairing for the Ages” by Brannavy Jeyasundaram

And more on relationship: “Digging Deeper: একসঙ্গে / Akshongay – Longing for Catastrophic Love” by Mushtari Afroz,

Last thought:

“একসঙ্গে / Akshongay” the Bengali word for together.

একসঙ্গে – Does a Bengali version of scrabble exist?