She Who Moves Everything, seen at the Theatre Deli, a vibrant cultural hub on Leadenhall street, is a new project by Rajeswari Ramaswamy, in which she explores her relationship with dance and its connection to feminine energy. The work is a culmination of Rajeswari’s two-week residency at Theatre Deli where she collaborated with dance artist Sneha Semaleesan. As a London based Bharatanatyam dancer and educator originally from Chennai, Ramaswamy, brings a unique perspective to the traditional South Asian dance form, Bharatanatyam, blending her experiences with contemporary dance and the cultural landscape of London.
Originally intended as a live performance, the piece was rapidly transformed into a film when Semaleesan had to return to India unexpectedly. Ramaswamy, adapting quickly, and before Semaleesan departed, worked with filmmaker Omar Toussaint Ramaswamy to create the film in just two days. Whilst the absence of live bodies on stage was a shame, the film – shot on location in Greenwich, near the Cutty Sark – captures the intricacy and intimacy of the Ramaswamy and Semaleesan’s duet from a broader perspective. The natural environment of trees, water and the cityscape frames the dancers, and the use of closeups and wide shots highlight both their connection to each other and to the world around them. The cyclical nature of the work is reflected in the structure of the piece and both the visual and aural rhythms.
The inspiration for the work comes from the Devi Mahatmyam, an ancient Sanskrit text that celebrates Shati – the vital force that animates all life. Ramaswamy reimagines Shati, not as a deity but as an embodiment of female energy: a lifeforce that is recurrent and transformational. Through expressive steps, gestures and body language rooted in Bharatanatyam, the dancers explore this concept with remarkable intensity. Their connection is forged through expressive eyes, dynamic facial expressions and powerful gestures creating a sense of unity and discovery.
She who moves Everything unfolds in four distinct sections, each tracing a journey through birth and origins, creativity, empowerment and quiet reflection. In the opening, the dancers emerge beneath a tree, enveloped in a circular, womblike space. Closeups emphasise the mudras – hand gestures – showcasing flexibility and athleticism of the fingers as the women discover themselves and a vital pulse, standing shoulder to shoulder as if one body. The next section expands to a wider shot, capturing the dancers’ synchronised movements and increasingly spirited arm gestures as well as the delicate, compelling hand mudras.
The third section shifts to the Thames’ beach, with the river and city as a backdrop. Here the dancers move deliberately and slowly, searching with their bare feet in the sand, sifting and patting as if mapping the terrain. This different environment creates a connection between their bodies and the wider world. The following scene returns to the concrete pavement, where rhythm and tempo accelerate and the performers experiment with elaborate combinations of steps, arms positions and gestures accompanied by composer Ashwin Subramaniyan’s rhythmic music. Here they seem to come into their own, interacting playfully with each other, taking turns to follow and lead, celebrating the vitality they have discovered.
In the final section Ramaswamy and Subramaniyan return to a more introspective state within the closed, darkened space of the studio – a stark contrast to the spacious landscapes of Greenwich. Now they move reflectively, questioning what it means to be a woman. A voiceover suggests attributes such as vulnerability, endurance, resilience and curiosity as well as emotions such as anger, compassion, joy and sadness. The dancers embody these qualities, each weaving them into their performance, from their own, distinct life experiences.
Drawing on her contemporary approach, dance history and studies in psychology, Ramaswamy moves away from the geometric patterns of traditional Bharatanatyam’s highly technical choreography and embraces a more flowing holistic style. Sitting in the studio at the Theatre Deli, it feels like a privilege to witness the culmination of her innovative approach, a celebration of feminine energy and transformation through dance.
Creative team:
Conceptualisation and choreography – Rajeswari Ramaswamy
Collaborating artist – Sneha Semaleesan
Rhythmic composer – Ashwin Subramaniyan
Film creator – Omar Toussaint