Award-winning UK choreographer and dancer Aakash Odedra returns to Australia in 2026 with his stunning, critically acclaimed dance work, Songs of the Bulbul, playing at the Sydney Opera House (28 – 31 January), Arts Centre Melbourne (3 – 7 February) and the Perth Festival (13 – 15 February).
Winner of the Best Show Award at Edinburgh International Festival, this solo dance piece brings together the graceful yet powerful art of Kathak dance and Sufi storytelling to create a dialogue between intense physicality and a spiritual journey.
Inspired by the ancient Sufi myth of a bulbul (or nightingale) held in captivity, the work uses the beauty of this songbird’s melody as a metaphor for the fleeting moments of dance, and life itself.
Bound by its constraints, the bird’s despair deepens as its final moments approach, and it sings more sweetly as its end draws near, delivering one last heartbreaking song before its soul departs.
From Persia to the Indian subcontinent, from freedom to captivity, Songs of the Bulbul explores the soul’s journey towards divine love and enlightenment. In this extraordinary performance, Odedra poses a universal question – will we remain confined to the material world like the caged bird, or will we find freedom in the ultimate release?
Developed with choreographer Rani Khanam and composer Rushil Ranjan, Odedra combines Ranjan’s new score with the music, dance and poetry traditions of Sufism to create an ambitious work that is both ferocious and contemplative.
Since its debut, the work has garnered critical acclaim across Europe, praised for its breathtaking precision, emotional depth, and innovative fusion of classical and contemporary forms. Critics at the Edinburgh International Festival celebrated it as “a mesmerising tour de force” and “a profound exploration of freedom and the human spirit.”
Aakash Odera Company, founded in Leicester in 2011, is a globally recognised dance company that blends classical Indian forms (Kathak and Bharatanatyam) with contemporary dance from a British Asian lens.
Led by Bessie Award winning dancer and choreographer Aakash Odedra, the Company is known for its boundary pushing award winning works created in collaborations with world class artists and has performed in over 600 full length productions across 50 countries.
“Songs of the Bulbul has the confidence of a performer who has found his place. It is a song of beauty and light and life.” – The Guardian
Songs of the Bulbul will be presented at the Playhouse – Sydney Opera House (28 – 31 January), Playhouse – Arts Centre Melbourne (3 – 7 February) and the Perth Festival (13 – 15 February). Checkout the trailer here!
Images: Songs of the Bulbul – photo by Kuldeep Goswami | Songs of the Bulbul – photo by Angela Grabowska