Co-Choreographer: Rohini Rau-Murthy

Dances: Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam

Choreographers: Rohini Rau-Murthy

Damage comes to women in many forms—hate crimes, human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual harassment, and many others – which manifests in physical and psychological wounds. This dance, in an interpretive mixture of Classical Indian Bharata Natyam and Kuchipudi styles, demonstrates the internal struggle that a woman goes through in order to heal from such damage.  Two dancers enact two parts of a woman’s being presented as separate parts (a mistreated self and a central self) that finally join together as she overcomes the trauma and heals into a whole, capable of self-respect and expecting respect from others. The title Mardhini means warrior and is an homage to the strength of many survivors still healing and moving forward.

Performed at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, 2015

Performance at ‘Human Trafficking in Our Neighboorhoods: A Community Responds’, 2016