Together with

Coming up at Sadler’s Wells East, on 17th - 19th July, the Aakash Odedra Company will bring a mythical songbird to life through a mix of classical kathak dance, Sufi poetry and a soaring musical score in Songs of the Bulbul.

The Wick spoke to Aakash ahead of his debut at East London’s new epicentre for dance, to find out more about his work bringing this beautiful show to life.

What does the myth of the bulbul signify to you and how is it brought to life in this work?

It is a Persian myth about a bird whose song is said to be so exquisite that it cannot be compared to any worldly melody. Its rarity was reflected in the value of this bird. Once captured, the bulbul was forced to undergo a process of refinement to bring out its best song.

First, the bird would be placed near a window in a cage so that it would look at the blue sky and sing in memory of its former freedom. Then it was placed in a dark room where only a few rays of light were able to penetrate, so the bulbul sings in desperation for the light to touch its feathers. The next stage is where the cage would be blindfolded in a black cloth so the bird becomes shrouded in total darkness, forcing its melody to become more desperate, more powerful. In the final stage, the bird's eyes are removed. Now blinded, the bird knows there is no other option than to leave its mortal body, the confinements of its physical and spiritual cage.

This is when the bulbul sings its most melancholic, potent, and powerful song. For me, there is a parallel to an artist's life. Every time we perform, we die a little, we refine and refine until there's nothing left to refine. The myth spoke to me about spiritual transcendence.

What emotions does the dance evoke and why are these important to the piece?

Often when I perform, my truth on stage is quite different from the audience's truth. Emotionally, what I feel myself and what the audience feels is too many degrees different. But in Songs of the Bulbul, it feels like a collective journey because the audience becomes the bulbul and together, we all become observers of our emotions — from freedom to doubt, from darkness and no hope to light and strength. I feel many hearts beating with mine and our pulse becomes one. We are all caged in some way, shape, or form in our individual lives. We understand the power of the song of the caged bird.

Because it sings of freedom?

Yes. In today's world, we have everything and yet we feel like we have nothing. There's a melancholy and a search to fill this void. Identifying this, I feel that Songs of the Bulbul also speaks about endurance no matter what obstacles one may feel in their inner world or environment.

A dance about a song requires a suitable score – how do you feel Rushil Ranjan's music achieves that?

Rushil is one of the most intelligent, sensitive souls I’ve ever known and worked with. His music has the voice of divinity within it; it has pain and sweetness that live side by side. Even if the audience closed their eyes and simply heard the soundtrack of Bulbul, they would see the story in their mind — such is the power of his music.

The score has been recorded with the Manchester Camerata Orchestra. There’s a sense of timelessness within the score — the music could have been a hundred years old or you could hear it in another hundred years and still feel the relevance of it.

Often, after premiering a work, I don’t hear the music unless I rehearse the work or perform it, but this sound score is unique. I listen to it in my car, in my house, whether I am feeling happy or sad or anything in between. He has created magic, and it is a true honour to bring the physicality of this music to life through dance.

What does it mean to you to bring this show to the new Sadler's Wells East?

It will be my first time performing here, and it’s an honour to do my full-length solo debut on this stage. It’s exciting that we will be in another part of London, engaging with new audiences. Sadler’s East is a place where the new generation of dancers and artists will leave their imprint. It’s a blank canvas that we will all colour with our experiences on stage.

Why should audiences make sure they come to see Songs of the Bulbul?

In this busy world, there are very few moments that anyone gets to connect to themselves. We get so lost in what needs to be done and fulfilling our obligations that we lose sight of the real person within. Songs of the Bulbul is a mirror that reflects and reminds you of your true identity — what it means to be free from within, the value of life simply by being alive and present. It is a show that brings gratitude back into your day through the poetry of dance, music, and magic.

More info and to buy tickets for Songs of the Bulbul from just £15 here.

The CIG meets again this Friday morning - all welcome

📸 Aspiring fashion snappers will want to book a place at the next talk in the series being held at the World Press Photo exhibition at MPB Gallery, Here East. At Kid Circus - The Journey to Become a Fashion Photographer, you’ll hear how Kid came up via the initial wave of photographers finding success through Instagram, initially embracing mobile phone photography to capture architecture and London street life, before finding his feet with portrait and fashion work on location and in the studio. Wed 23rd Jul.

👔 Following the sudden closure of Fish Island’s Indra Gallery last week over rent disputes, this weekend’s showcase from 1012 Workshops can happily still take place across the way, on the third floor of Algha Works. You’ll find work from 10 of London College of Fashion’s BA Menswear graduates plus complementary drinks from Crate and East London Liquor Co this Sat 12th Jul.

🚶🏼‍♀️‍➡️ Refugee Tales is a series of events in solidarity with refugees, people seeking asylum, migrants and those who have experienced immigration detention, and is hosting a special film screening tomorrow, Thurs 10th Jul, at Hackney Picturehouse. The evening will see tales, films and participation ahead of a series of nightly walks organised right across London in the days after.

🤣 Wicked Funnies is back at HWK tomorrow night, Thurs 10th Jul, with free entry, great drinks and stand-up comedy from Aire David, Ahmed Ibrahim and Dean Dixon-Foster.

New on thisisthewick.com this week - the lowdown on the latest local sushi

🥐 Brick Lane’s charitable Kahaila Cafe have just opened a new outpost in Hackney Wick in the beautiful courtyard garden of St Mary’s of Eton church. As well as pastries, sandwiches and excellent coffee, their organisation works with homeless people to support them into employment, including through Barista training.

🍵 New Filipino cafe Kubo Garden is preparing to take over the former site of Copper Street Cafe, directly opposite the Copper Box, bringing signature boba teas and authentic produce direct from Manila to the area.

🦚 Plants Can Dance (and Mushrooms Sing) is a suitably quirky new monthly Sunday afternoon session launching this Sun 12th Jul at No.90 Hideout exploring the art of biosonification. DJ Brian D’Souza bridges the gap between natural ecosystems and electronic music (see pic above), and will be aided on this musical journey by plants supplied by Lamine Toure from nearby experts in the field, Repot. The afternoon starts with workshops, guest speakers and deep listening sessions, culminating with a moment for everyone to cut loose on the lush dancefloor.

🥳 Multiple crews and underground DJ pioneers descend on the neighbourhood this Sat 12th Jul for the return of Multi Multi, the annual bash from longstanding club heroes SecretSundaze. You’ll get a day-into-night bonanza of house, electro, techno and other sounds at the latest event to unite venues in Hackney Wick under one banner.

🍹 This week’s 100 Free Drinks on the Rooftop promotion at the Lord Napier Star is back tonight, Wed 9th Jul, starting from the slightly later kick-off time of 6pm. You’ll find free Tequila and Trip Cocktails for the first 100 people to arrive after that, plus the cocktail will be £5 all night after that. Or drop by tomorrow, Thurs 10th Jul for the return of the infamous Star Wars Pub Quiz.

🍺 Sister pub The Leyton Star are tempting customers to fill in a quick customer survey to get a free drink in return. They are also offering £5 pints Mon-Fri before 8pm, making it a very attractive post-work watering hole for locals.

🎧 Natureboi is back at Nico’s bar at Hackney Bridge this Fri 11th Jul for a night of hip hop, R&B and neo-jazz edits alongside Bonnet the Mixtress too.

📝 The Wick Award is supporting Southampton University research into understanding what features in the urban spaces of Hackney Wick make the area special and unique, and how this reflects the spirit and identity of the local people. Sign up to speak to their team in a slot this Thurs 10th - Sat 12th Jul and you’ll enjoy free coffee and cake at the newly opened Kahaila Cafe (see above) in the St Mary’s of Eton courtyard and receive a £30 gift voucher for your time.

🦺 Applications are open for the COLLABORATE: SAFER SPACES Commission, offering the opportunity for four diverse-led teams to receive support and up to £50k each in flexible funding to develop collaborative ideas around the theme of ‘Safer Spaces’, as part of the final round of Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund, supported by Westfield Stratford City and co-funded by Foundation for Future London. The commission will provide the time and space to develop, test and embed collaborative work alongside partners, with wraparound co-designed support across each stage of programme development. Apply by 18th Aug. Look out for the drop-in session on 9th Jul too.

🎶 The Royal Docks Originals Festival 2025 is calling all musicians connected to Newham with a paid opportunity to improvise live as part of an atmospheric fire and water spectacular being held later this summer, and performed to audiences of over 2,000 people. Apply to be part of a paid workshop audition by 14th Jul.

🎤 Hear from East London Art Prize shortlisted artist Kuda Mushangi on what it is like working as an artist and architect in East London, and find out all about the opportunities and programmes the Good Growth Hub has on offer for up and coming local artists and young people at the free Talk and social: Good Growth Hub late with Kuda Mushangi and Vyonne Mirara, being held at their Hackney Bridge hub on Thurs 31st Jul.

🪛 The Restart Project is looking for proficient fixers to help revive small to medium-sized electricals, with support and training provided, at Hackney’s new Fixing Factory. If you’re a seasoned pro, you can also help reduce waste and bring items back to life while guiding others. Sign up to join a learning module now.

📊 Hackney Wick and Fish Island Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ) is looking to review and strengthen its objectives to match the changing needs of local creative and other businesses. Have your say in under a minute by responding to this short four-question survey to help shape proposals for supporting the local creative community for the next three years and beyond.

🎓 The Inspiring Success Scholarship at Loughborough University London covers 100% of tuition fees on a masters programme, including career guidance and support, to unemployed or under-employed graduates from East London at their London campus at Here East. Residents of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, or Waltham Forest who are willing to actively contribute to the local community are invited to apply for the programme by 31st July.