Pre-Fringe Profile: Bezubaan: The Voiceless

SHOW TITLE: Bezubaan: The Voiceless
PRODUCER: Bollywood Dance Scene
SHOW DESCRIPTION: The creators of 2015’s best-selling show bring you an original dance dramedy exploring preconceptions, fear, and identity in flamboyant Bollywood style. Happily, we’re never too old to learn or too old to love!
WHAT CAUGHT MY INTEREST: These guys have been a force to be reckoned with and I still haven’t made it to any of their shows.
INTERVIEWEE: Divya Maiya (director/choreographer/dancer)

Just who do you think you are, anyway?

I am the artistic director of Bollywood Dance Scene, a nonprofit organization that brings together many like-minded people – Indian and non – to form a vibrant community dedicated to dance, diversity, and inclusion.

We are the creators of MN Fringe’s top-selling shows in both 2014 and 2015. Our last year’s show, Spicy Masala Chai, broke all records to become the highest-selling show in the 22-year history of MN Fringe festival and highest-selling Fringe show in the United States!

So what’s the big idea?

This year we present, Bezubaan: The Voiceless, an original Bollywood dance dramedy exploring themes of immigration, integration, and identity.

Meet Appa, father figure and longtime Hindu Indian immigrant, who struggles with change at the international market he considers both his means of livelihood, and his sanctuary. He, his Desi family, and their Minnesotan friends must face a new addition to their community whose presence could be life changing.

This family friendly show is packed with exciting traditional and contemporary Indian dance styles, from Sufi-Kathak fusion to Swing and Maharashtrian folk to Hip Hop, which punctuate and illustrate the storytelling. 

How did you come up with a screwy idea like that?

Our show touches on deeper themes like xenophobia & Islamophobia which are current and need to be discussed. We however portray it in a light hearted way with lots of dancing in between just like Bollywood movies.

However, the screwiest part is we try to fit in 90+ people on a 23×25 asymmetric Rarig Thrust stage!

Why should I care?

How often do you get to see an inter-generational and multicultural cast of 90 people from all walks of life have a blast on stage? I promise you that you will leave the theater with a big smile on your face.

Justify your show’s existence in haiku form.

Dance brings happiness
Dance brings people together
Dance empowers all

Questions? Comments? Enraged invective? Check out my answers to occasionally asked questions in Notes on Notes, or the contact info linked from that page!