ASTHIR
Asthir examines the masks we wear to navigate a world shaped by social expectations. Performed by seven dancers, the work introduces a series of characters — the Extroverts, the Introvert, the Couple, the Polished, and the Viewer (society) — each reflecting a different relationship to visibility, protection, and identity.
Through contemporary movement and theatrical expression, rooted in a dialogue between Indian and Western contemporary dance practices, Asthir invites audiences to reflect on vulnerability, conformity, and the quiet cost of concealing one’s true self.
Asthir does not seek to provide answers. Instead, it opens a space for reflection: What mask do we wear, and who are we when it begins to fall away? How much weight do we carry when we hide our true selves? And does the mask protect us — or quietly distance us from who we are?
ABOUT THE CREATORS
PRITESH MEHTA
ORIGINAL CONCEPT & CHOREOGRAPHY
Pritesh Mehta is an Indian choreographer and dancer whose work investigates identity, transformation, and the tensions between tradition and contemporary experience. Trained in both contemporary dance and Indian movement forms, his practice combines physical precision with a strong theatrical sensibility. Through his choreographic work, Pritesh Mehta engages with personal and collective experiences shaped by social expectations, cultural inheritance, and inner conflict. Asthir marks Pritesh Mehta’s first major collaboration with Sinha Danse and a new creation developed through an international India-Canada residency.
MANON BOURGEOIS
CO-DRAMATURG
Manon Bourgeois is a multi-hyphenate artist currently based in Toronto. Graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Performance Acting BFA, her practice is rooted in French-Canadian theatre and improv training, on-camera work, dance, circus arts, and visual arts. As a multidisciplinary freelance artist, she teaches, creates, and has had the pleasure of working as a dramaturg for Asthir since 2022, supporting the development of characters and narrative structure.
shubhank chaube
COMPOSER
Shubhank Chaube is a composer and music producer working across films, web shows, and television. Raised in a family rooted in academics, he found his calling in music early on and chose to pursue it with conviction. Blending acoustic sensitivity with modern production, he creates immersive and emotionally resonant soundscapes. Moving fluidly between commercial projects and independent music, he also collaborates closely with singers, songwriters, dancers, theatre actors, and artists from diverse creative fields, helping shape distinctive sonic identities. Beyond the commercial space, he seeks projects that offer creative freedom, allowing his craft to evolve through exploration, instinct, and lived experience.
CREDITS
ORIGINAL CONCEPT AND CHOREOGRAPHY Pritesh Mehta
DRAMATURGY Pritesh Mehta, Manon Bourgeois, and Rushab Sanghvi
PERFORMERS Emmanuelle Martin, Aloshi Amal, Aswathy Chandran, Divieta Sahajwala, Jeanne Brabant-Lavigne, Mayank Upadhyay, and Suman Ali
REHEARSALS ASSISTANT Mayank Upadhyay and Suman Ali
COSTUME CONCEPT Pritesh Mehta assisted by Roger Sinha
COSTUMES Mohit Nagar
LIGHTING DESIGN Sangeet Shrivastava and Roger Sinha
LIGHTING ASSISTANT Bhushan Sanjay Patil
ORIGINAL MUSIC Shubhank Chaube
Special thanks to everyone who contributed to the project, and in particular to the Vinyasa Earth Center and Aaron Fernandes’s entire team for supporting this project.