One Part Woman

Raka Maitra is a dancer and choreographer who defies the conventional dichotomy of “classical” and “contemporary”.  She is a dancer simpliciter, exploring through her work the notion of “Asian Culture” through her own language of contemporary dance. Trained in classical Odissi and Chhaua. Raka was an associate artist with The Substation from 2007 to 2011 and its co-artistic director from 2020 to 2021.

Maitra founded Chowk Productions in 2014 after being awarded the Seed Grant by the National Arts Council. Her noteworthy productions include: The Hungry Stones (2011), Circular Ruins (2012), Khayyams Rubaiyat (2013), The Blind Age (2014), The Second Sunrise (2016), From: The Platform (2017), The Pallavi Series (2016-2021), Variations on a Theme (2021), These Brief Encounters (2021), Yahi (2022) and Migration of Form (2025).

Her works have been regularly commissioned by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Singapore and have toured extensively abroad, including the centenary celebration of Visva Bharati university Santiniketan, Melkweg in Amsterdam, Les Hivernales in Avignon, 10 days in the island at Tasmania and the Kennedy Centre in Washington D.C.

Lakshman K P is a Bangalore-based theatre practitioner working as an actor, director, writer, and teacher, with a strong focus on theatre for children and young adults, as well as cultural activism. He is also a published poet, voiceover artist and translator-interpreter, and his work has been presented at both national and international theatre festivals. His practice reflects a deep commitment to marginalised communities and cultural discourse.

He holds a Professional Diploma in Acting from the Intercultural Theatre Institute, Singapore, a Diploma in Theatre Art from NINASAM Heggodu, and a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from SJP Bangalore. He is a founder member of the Jangama Collective and has served as visiting faculty at institutions such as the National School of Drama Bangalore, Baduku Community College and Abhinaya Taranga. His career spans performance, training and collaboration with multiple repertories and collectives.

His portfolio includes directing and performing in numerous significant productions, in addition to work as a musician, set designer and technician. His play DaklaKatha DeviKavya has been included in a course at Columbia University, New York and he has been invited to speak at seminars on art and cultural politics. He continues to contribute actively through workshops, translations and socially engaged theatre practice.