Dance of desire between devadasis

OPEN, the pre-festival of the Singapore International Festival Of Arts, closed last weekend with an Indian dance performance at 72-13.

It takes its inspiration from a traditional practice in South India where young girls from the "untouchable" class are sometimes married to rich patrons. But instead of becoming housewives, the girls are required to dedicate their lives to a deity or temple, spending most of their time learning to dance and sing to please the gods. Such girls are called devadasis or "maids of the gods".

For dancer and choreographer Navtej Johar, the lives of these girls are deeply fascinating. He's intrigued by the dynamics between the rich and the poor, between masters and servants, and among the girls themselves.