PhysFestNYC opened this week at the Stella Adler School of Drama in downtown Manhattan. Festival producers Becky Baumwoll and mime Bill Bowers introduced the evening’s performances, setting the context for the week’s programming of physical theater and performance work.
Vaibu Mohan’s “Chituparraku ~ The Flight of the Sparrow” demonstrated the codified movement vocabulary of Indian classical dance, a system of expression refined over millennia. The performance integrated mythology, natural imagery, and everyday narratives through gestural language where each mudra and stance carries specific meaning.
This work functions beyond theatrical presentation—these movement forms remain active elements in community festivals, rituals, and celebrations throughout India. Photographing the performance documented both an individual artist’s interpretation and the continuity of cultural practice, movement knowledge passed between practitioners across generations.
For more information on Vaibu Mohan visit her website HERE.
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