Seeta Patel Biography
Born in London, Seeta Patel began training under the guidance of Kiran Ratna in 1990 and has since worked with a range of Bharatanatyam and contemporary dance professionals including Mavin Khoo, Padma Shri Adyar K Lakshman, Pushkala Gopal, Darshan Singh Bhuller and more.
Patel has toured with DV8 Physical Theatre, Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company, David Hughes Dance Company and Mavin Khoo Dance amongst others.
She was awarded the Lisa Ullmann Travel Scholarship to study in India (2005) and at the New York Film Academy (2013).
Patel has presented solo and ensemble works at the Purcell Room, Royal Opera House: ROH2 and Sadler’s Wells (First Light – 2014, Last One Standing – 2010, Shringara – 2009, Alter Ego – 2007, She Was Still… – 2005/6, Cycle of Change – 2005).
She presented her solo classical London debut, Shringara: Journey of Desire, to a sold out audience at The Clore Upstairs, Royal Opera House (June 2009), and went on to tour the UK in 2010/11. She has subsequently presented solo classical works Dancing My Siva and Something Then, Something Now to sold out audiences at Sadler’s Wells and the Purcell Room (Darbar Festival).
Over the past 12 years, Patel has received numerous awards and bursaries for her creative and professional development.
She produced a multi award-winning short dance film, The Art of Defining Me in 2013, which gained national and international acclaim.
Seeta was a judge, mentor and advisor for the first ever BBC Young Dancer Competition. She choreographed a new play at the Theatre Royal Stratford East called The House of In Between, and looks forward to broadening her horizons in this medium.
In 2017 Seeta received the Washington S&R Award for her work championing Bharatanatyam in the diaspora and is now very proud to be have presented her solo classical Bharatanatyam performance with live music at Sadler’s Wells as part of the prestigious Darbar Festival in November 2017.Seeta worked as a choreographic collaborator with the world renowned Gandini Juggling in the production Sigma which premiered in a successful multi-award winning run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Archangel Award, Total Theatre Award & Asian Arts Award). UK and international touring has begun.
Her latest contemporary work in collaboration with Lina Limosani (Aus) entitled Not Today’s Yesterday looks at the whitewashing of history around the world. It was the recipient of the Adelaide Artist Fringe Fund and did a successful run at the Adelaide Fringe Festival in 2018 winning Best Dance and the Peace Foundation Award. The work is touring the UK in Autumn 2018 and will include a series of exciting curated talks with vital voices on the subject matter including activists, historians and artists. The work has also been presented at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as part of the British Council showcase and has toured internationally.
Embarking on creating larger ensemble works, including the iconic Rite of Spring (winner of Best Dance Production 2020 at Eastern Eye Arts, Culture and Theatre Awards), and championing young talent and Bharatnatyam in the diaspora forms the next stage of Seeta’s creative vision.
The constantly growing world of South Asian Dance is developing as an integral part of the international dance landscape and Seeta Patel aims to be a part of producing high quality and thought provoking work.
