Svāhā Postponement Announcement

In light of the global pandemic, Nova Dance and TO Live are announcing the postponement of Svāhā’s World Premiere on October 18, 2020 at Meridian Hall.

Featuring an all Canadian cast and creative team, Svāhā was envisioned as a grand celebration of dance and music. With 12 dancers as the core cast and an additional 60 performers choreographed as a body-choir – all with highly specialized training in dance and music styles of Indian origin - Svāhā became the very thing it sought to celebrate – an act of gathering.

“Svāhā is inspired by the ways in which women come together to create community with rituals of love, life and death. Now, we find ourselves at a time when these very occasions are being recreated, not by choice, but because of outbreak of COVID-19. Making the decision to postpone was easy, sharing the news is not. I am humbled by the commitment and support of our team and partners at this time,” said Artistic Director Nova Bhattacharya. “We are unwavering in our commitment to bring this work to life when the time is right. When it is safe for our artists and audiences to gather again; we will.”

Josephine Ridge, Vice President Programming further commented, “TO Live is excited about our continued partnership with Nova Dance on this inspiring and ambitious work. We look forward to being able to announce a new presentation date at a time when we can once again gather as a community and an audience. A multilayered pageant of dance, chant, and ritual performed by women, Svāhā is a celebration of the joy and resilience of women and embodies TO Live’s commitment to support Canadian artists.”

Also, in the works is a western premiere of this work in Vancouver with DanceHouse, Indian Summer Festival and SFU Woodward's Cultural Programs. "We are thrilled and delighted to be associated with this project,” said Jim Smith Artistic and Executive Director of Dancehouse.

Although we are facing a future filled with unknowns, there is one thing about which there is no doubt; dance, song, performance and ritual will withstand the test of our times. They are how we hold our history, express our present and dream our future.