The Arena
Production Title: The Arena
Length: Total 15 minutes - 11 minutes of dance, 4 minutes of explanation
Concept: Inspired by the concept of Navarasa and poems by Rupi Kaur, we depict how women feel like they are put into boxes based on how they are expected to act, feel, and live their lives. Restrained by these societal expectations, they pull each other down and turn against each other, even though each of them is facing their own struggles. Once they realize that the battles they face are common among other women,the story concludes with a message that women are stronger when they are together.
Cast: Meera Suresh, Janhavi Pillai, Smrithi Suresh, Urmila Vudali, Vani Suresh, Sanjana Melkote
Synopsis: The story opens in a bathroom/dressing room. Six women of different occupations and backgrounds are getting ready. The influencer (Meera), the athlete (Janhavi), the actress (Smrithi), the writer (Urmila), the engineer (Vani) and the young mother (Sanjana). The song begins with us all in the bathroom getting ready and then the Influencer walks in and all eyes are on her. We admire her beauty internally but begin gosipping about her “too confident” way of dressing, acting, oversharing etc. because we don’t have that confidence within us. The athlete is strong and built. She is bullied for not being feminine enough. Her muscles and stamina don’t conform to the beauty standard. Conversely she also feels like the others are too girly – all they think about are dressing up and makeup. The struggling actress is introduced. She is pretty, but deals with “never being good enough”. She has an eating disorder and wants to be thinner. The writer on the other hand is filled with conviction. She speaks out about injustices in society which are frowned upon. She is loud and confident and witty, everything a woman should not be. She believes other women are too materialistic, shy, and limited in their thinking. The engineer is a classic case of a woman in male-dominated field. She gets comments like you should smile more or is often called “honey”. She is looked down on by her male counterparts. She believes no other woman understands her plight. The young mother is looked at as pitiful. Some are not sure why she chose, or didn’t, to have a child at such a young age. Some call her “weak” for being a “stay at home mom”. She struggles to find a balance between caring for her child, being proud to be a mother, and chasing her other dreams.
Soundtrack:
Song: Fusion Raga by Jyotsna Srikanth
We will intersperse the song we have chosen with poems about self love, the experience of being a woman, and the importance of community written by Rupi Kaur. Here are a couple poems that really capture the message we are going for.
Inspired by poems by Rupi Kaur, we depict the experience of being a woman, self love, and the importance of community.