Main content

Shobana Jeyasingh - Recreating the 1918 flu pandemic through dance

Felicity Finch joins acclaimed choreographer Shobana Jeyasingh as she creates Contagion, a piece inspired by the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 which killed millions globally.

Choreographer and director Shobana Jeyasingh has been creating dynamic, fearless and ground breaking dance works for 30 years. Born in Chennai India, her acclaimed pieces have toured internationally, tapping into both the intellectual and physical power of dance. Her major new work Contagion is inspired by the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 which infected a third of the world鈥檚 population. It鈥檚 estimated that this flu killed between 50 and 100 million people, more than the First World War itself.

Felicity Finch joins Shobana and her company of eight female dancers, along with the show鈥檚 composer and video designer, as they explore the challenge of how to portray the Spanish flu virus and its devastating effects through contemporary dance.

Producer: Felicity Finch

Contagion is part of 14-18 NOW, a five-year programme of arts experiences connecting people with World War One.

(Image: Choreographer and director Shobana Jeyasingh)

Available now

27 minutes

Last on

Tue 3 Nov 2020 21:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Tue 6 Nov 2018 03:32GMT
  • Tue 6 Nov 2018 05:32GMT
  • Tue 6 Nov 2018 11:32GMT
  • Tue 6 Nov 2018 18:32GMT
  • Tue 6 Nov 2018 21:32GMT
  • Sat 10 Nov 2018 18:32GMT
  • Tue 3 Nov 2020 05:32GMT
  • Tue 3 Nov 2020 06:32GMT
  • Tue 3 Nov 2020 09:32GMT
  • Tue 3 Nov 2020 11:32GMT
  • Tue 3 Nov 2020 21:32GMT