Created in 2016 in response to Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code that criminalized sexual intercourse against the heteronormatively defined ‘order of nature’ in India for over 150 years, before it was finally scrapped by the Supreme Court of India in September 2018, Queen-size is a choreographic exploration that takes the form of a detailed study of the intimacy between two men. The duet was initially triggered by Nishit Saran’s article titled ‘Why My Bedroom Habits Are Your Business’, first published in the Indian Express in January 2000. Played out on a charpai, Queen-size makes an embodied argument for the fundamental right to love by examining the nuts and bolts of a close encounter between two male bodies.
Mandeep Raikhy is a dance practitioner with a particular interest in exploring the intersections between dance creation, performance, research, and pedagogy. He began studying jazz at the age of 19 at the Danceworx, New Delhi, and his subsequent interest in contemporary dance took him to London where he completed a BA (Hons) in Dance Theatre at Laban. He undertook his first tour with Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company, London and has toured with their annual productions between 2005 and 2009. He was also part of the company’s education team and has extensive teaching experience. Since 2010, Mandeep has created several dance works, notably Inhabited Geometry (2010), a male ant has straight antennae (2013) and Queen Size (2016). These works have travelled across the country and internationally over the years including Kampnagel, Southbank Centre and Singapore International Arts Festival. Since 2009, Mandeep is Managing Director at Gati Dance Forum, where he has worked to develop a supportive environment for contemporary dance in the country through projects as diverse as residencies, festivals, publications and advocacy initiatives. He has also led the curriculum development team for the Master’s in Dance Practice, launched at Ambedkar University Delhi in July 2017. This programme is the first of its kind in South Asia.
Sandbox Collective is a creative services organisation that curates, produces, and tours performances. It acts as a catalyst facilitating meaningful collaborations nationally and internationally between artists, cultural agencies, and arts spaces creating an explosion of innovative artistic expression.
Parinay Mehra is a graduate in Dance Theatre from Trinity-Laban, London. He has been trained in ballet and various contemporary techniques namely release, limon, graham & cunningham. He has also been trained in jazz and studied and experienced various forms of Indian classical dance. He has performed in various dance works for both stage and film in the UK, Europe, and Delhi, which range from new contemporary works, restaged works, ballet production and short films. He has also done an internship at Jose Limon Foundation in New York.
Lalit Khatana started dancing in Natya Ballet Center in New Delhi, where he learned Mayurbhang chhau under Guru J.J. Sai Babu. In 2008, he moved to Bangalore and joined Diploma in Contemporary Dance and Mixed Media offered by Attakkalari Center for Movement Arts and subsequently toured nationally and internationally with its allied company. In 2013, Lalit graduated from Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance (SEAD) under the post-graduate choreography course, International choreographic exchange (ICE) for artists in practice. Lalit has worked with choreographers such as Richerd Siegal, Samir Akika, Sudesh Adhana, and Eulalia Ayugade Farro.
Please Note : The performance runs in a 45 minute loop played out continuously over two and a half hour. The audience can enter the performance at specific intervals through this period and stay for as long as they like.
Recommended arrival times are 2 pm / 2:30 pm / 3 :00 pm / 3:30 pm
