Do the times compel us to look 'within'? To recognise our deepest, most complex emotions. To explore our innermost spaces where humanity and brutality, masculinity and femininity, good and bad seem to lie in half embrace. Waiting to be disentangled. Waiting to be recognised beyond the binaries. Waiting to find expression in ways that shape our lives, our actions, our selves.

At the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2013, Salman Rushdie said, "Classically, we have defined ourselves by the things we love. By the place which is our home, by our family, by our friends. But in this age we're asked to define ourselves by hate. That what defines you is what pisses you off. And if nothing pisses you off, who are you?"

Is there another way to discover the sky, the eternity within us? Where does one seek inspiration for this journey?

"To understand yourself you must create a mirror that reflects accurately what you are... Only in the understanding of what is, is there freedom from what is."  J. Krishnamurti 

Choreographer's note:  "Choreographing 'Within' has been a very different experience from my last few works. It has been about delving into the self and exploring our deepest emotions, however disturbing they may be. Needless to say, the process of creating it has sometimes been almost too close for comfort. That is the journey I invite you to take with us.

When I began conceptualising the piece, I re-visited mythological stories in the context of the social turmoil of our times. Eventually these have become the subterranean stream that feeds the work. Leaving 'Within' both, 'knotted' up in our emotions, and 'unwrapped' of them. In doing so, I found myself inspired by the emptiness and eternal space of the 'siddha' sculpture." -Aditi Mangaldas

A powerful and aesthetic dance performance with unusual and enthralling images, highlighted by impressive light effects. Von Monika Klein, rp-online.de, Leverkusen, Germany , 2019

“Once again she impresses by her solo performance full of virtuosity, but her dance conveys much more: pride, passion, happiness, tenderness, concentration, musicality, and tremendous delight in expressing herself through dance. She is joined by her troupe for a great celebration, which turns into a stunning finale of suggestive power. The audience is quickly drawn into this mesmerizing dynamism. After a brief moment of silence the guests from India are celebrated with thundering applause.” Manfred Herker, www.mainpost.de, SCHWEINFURT, Germany, Mar. 2019

The dancers are moving in an atmosphere which makes the audience shudder. The symbiosis which is portrayed between an environment as a whole and age old traditional Indian and contemporary dance styles is as mesmerizing as it is scary. The audience follows the happenings on the stage with bated breath………. pleased about the beautiful finale to this unusual performance applauds enthusiastically. -Von Renate Zährl , schwarzwaelder-bote.de, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany, Mar. 2019

Exciting as well as demanding since the dynamism of attractive solo performances and the virtuosity of the dance troupe are only one side of their performance. The other side is the decoding of a complex choreography comprising symbolism, music, songs, light, and stage design…………….. The performance of the dancers is outstanding and speaks without any concrete reference. .…. What remains is a long look at an unknown culture, full of riddles, beauty and abysses. A long round of applause for an extraordinary dance performance. Von Rainer Sliepen Wolfenbuttel, Germany, Mar. 2019

“Within starts in darkness and moves into the light in two linked but distinctively different works, the combination of which is greatly moving. …..The finesse and individuality of Mangaldas' dancers are displayed in formal groupings but the undeniable highlight is a lightning fast, lustrous solo for the choreographer, who darts and flutters like a joyous humming bird.” Deborah Jones, deborahjhones.me, 2016

“Classical Indian dance that delivers both narrative intelligence and jaw-dropping virtuosity…….Her (Aditi’s) artistry and poise, her dramatic gifts and unshakable technique are truly astounding; dance as effortlessly compelling as this is a joy to watch in itself, but underpinned by the questioning intelligence of Mangaldas, it becomes something transformative.” Maxim Boon, Limelight Magazine, 2016