From Myth to Memory: Stories of Resistance

This evening features two solo performances by Sreyshi Dey and Jitesh Jaggi. Sreyashi is a classical Odissi dancer and Jitesh is a storyteller and poet. Sreyashi Dey’s dance theater work "Hidimba" reimagines a lesser-known character from the Mahabharata, exploring gender, power, identity, and sacrifice. Blending classical Odissi, music, and spoken word, Sreyashi illuminates Hidimba’s struggles as a woman navigating social hierarchies, love, and motherhood, revealing the personal costs of power and belonging. Jitesh Jaggi’s spoken-word poetry explores the lives of underdogs, outcasts, and the misunderstood, examining themes of power, alienation, empathy, and love. Combining humor, pathos, and surreal storytelling, Jaggi draws on his background in dance and theater to create a performance that balances playful expression with thoughtful reflection on the complexities of everyday life. The evening also includes a discussion with the artists and Anya Golovkova, Professor of Religion and a South Asia scholar at Lake Forest College, and an audience Q&A.