Drasti Mody Presents Paheli: The Riddle of Motherhood
May 10, 2025 at 6pm and May 11, 2025 at 3pm
Zohar Dance Studios, 4000 Middlefield Road, L4, Palo Alto, CA
“Paheli: The Riddle of Motherhood” is a thought-provoking, deeply emotional, and energizing dance production that explores the personal journey of motherhood. Blending the beauty of classical and contemporary Indian dance styles, this 60-minute performance offers a captivating experience for audiences of all backgrounds. A special Q&A with the artist and choreographer, Drasti Mody, will follow the show. Paheli is a must-see for parents, aspiring dancers, art enthusiasts, close friends, and anyone looking for a meaningful and memorable night out.
About the Work
Paheli: The Riddle of Motherhood
Paheli : The Riddle of Motherhood is a full-length dance production that delves into the emotional journey of motherhood. Inspired by my personal experience and those of my community, this work explores themes such as grieving lost identities, reinventing oneself, and cultivating self-love. Blending elements of classical Indian dance, contemporary dance and dance theatre, Paheli offers a rich tapestry of movement, emotion, and symbolism to communicate the complexities of modern motherhood.
Drasti Mody is a performer, choreographer, and dance educator based in Saratoga, CA. Known for her high energy, expressive performances, and versatile training, Drasti blends traditional Bharatanatyam with Western influences, reflecting her dual identity as an Indian-American immigrant. To date Drasti has performed on stages across the US from New York to Oakland and taught a variety of dance classes. Drasti continues to dedicate her time to storytelling through the art of Indian dance exploring themes of women’s empowerment, immigrant experiences, and identity within the South Asian diaspora.
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“Evocative and poignant, Drasti's tear-jerking ode to motherhood displays the hard relationship between loving others and self-love. Her subtle and genuine abhinaya as she looks in the mirror critiquing her changing body drives home every woman's insecurities. I've been fortunate to have seen several iterations of the solo, and with time, Drasti finds a way to go deeper and deeper.”
~Ishita Mili, Founder and Artistic Director of IMGE Dance
“ Drasti portrays a part of motherhood that is both soft and hard, difficult and easy, painful and pain free in its essence; a part that mothers are never eager to share, but are all connected to on a deeply personal level…the use of classical movement and expressions to create a window into a timeless experience for reproductive bodies everywhere is an experience that every witness can relate to... Beyond biology, our innate feminine divine spirit that allows us to mother our circles can be seen and felt in this work on a visceral level.”
~Brinda Guha, a Bessie-nominated artist, choreographer, producer, curator and arts administrator
"Life has a way of whittling you down and putting you in boxes. Drasti's performance dismantled those limitations. In her piece, she showed how any woman can be a multitude of feelings, of desires, of ambitions, especially in motherhood.
Drasti is a consummate artist whose dynamic presence, passionate delivery, and exceptional talent captivate the audience. Her show, Paheli, promises to be an engaging and thought-provoking experience.”
~Soni Bedi, performing artist with Ameya Performing Arts