Vaishnavi Mannava

Vaishnavi is a Bharatanatyam student and a psychology graduate keen on merging the two disciplines using performance and movement as a medium of research.

Her first experiments in dance began with performances in unconventional spaces such as public gardens, house parties, pubs, and clubs. By disrupting the trend of traditional dance experiences on stage, she seeks to measure the impact of old art forms with new music and new audiences.

In 2018, she joined The Gati Forum – an arts initiative in Delhi- to develop her perspectives on the viewing, interpretation and creation of movement-based performances. This led to the materialization of her two-year-old dream project – Cat’s Cradle.

Cat's Cradle

The game of cat’s cradle is common to many cultures and is typically played by two people using their two hands and a piece of string. In this powerful piece, Vaishnavi and her dance partner Greeny, transform the game onto a larger scale using the body and rope.

The rope is used to explore the nature of vulnerability as a game of dependence, interdependence, and co-dependency between bodies.

The performer and the viewer share the excitement of the endless possibilities that the rope has to offer, as it hangs from the ceiling and travels across the room in endless directions. One is left to imagine, the other is left to react.