A moving dance work inspired by the Sufi nightingale myth comes to The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi
A nightingale sings its most beautiful song when it knows the end is near. That idea sits at the centre of Songs of the Bulbul, a striking dance work coming to The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi this weekend.
Created and performed by award-winning choreographer Aakash Odedra, this is an intimate and emotionally charged piece that leans into stillness as much as movement. Odedra blends classical Kathak with contemporary dance, using rhythm, breath and control to tell a story about love, sacrifice and release. The work draws on a Sufi myth about the bulbul, a nightingale kept in captivity. As its life slips away, the bird sings with haunting beauty. That song becomes an act of freedom. On stage, Odedra turns that moment into a meditation on what it means to give yourself fully, even when it hurts.
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Odedra developed the choreography with acclaimed Kathak artist Rani Khanam, and the collaboration shows in the precision and restraint of the movement. Every gesture feels deliberate. Nothing feels decorative.
The music grounds the piece. London-based composer Rushil Ranjan created an original score that weaves Indian classical sounds with Sufi influences and orchestral textures. It shifts the mood without overpowering the dancer, creating space for reflection rather than spectacle. This marks the second major collaboration between Odedra and Ranjan, following their work on Ghar Aa.
The piece also carries a deeply personal thread. Odedra dedicates the work to his mother, describing her as his bulbul. That sense of devotion runs through the performance and gives it weight.
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After the show, audiences can stay for a live Q&A with Dr Alka Bagri, art historian and trustee of the Bagri Foundation, offering insight into the cultural and spiritual layers behind the work.
Location: The Red Theater, The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi
Time: Sunday, January 18, 7:30pm
Cost: Dhs52.50 at Platinumlist
Contact: (02) 628 6868
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