Fringe show blows lid off Western yoga culture
Are you worthy of the Goddess’s blessings? Or her wrath?
This August, actress, figure skater, professional dancer, and yoga professor, Mayuri Bhandari brings her award-winning show The Anti ‘Yogi’ to The Edinburgh Fringe. With Kali, the Goddess of Death by her side, she shines a light on the absurdities of Western Yoga culture and exposes the lycra and leggings nonsense.
The Anti ‘Yogi’, which plays at Jade Studio Greenside on George Street throughout the Festival, takes a critical look at cultural appropriation, commodification and colonisation in Western yoga By amplifying the South Asian voice and using dance, drama, comedy, poetry and live percussion by renowned musician Neel Agrawal, the show peels back the mat to smash the image of a “yogi” as a skinny woman in Lululemon, showing it to be someone who renounces worldly life in pursuit of truth.
The Anti ‘Yogi’ comes hot from a sold out run and six award nominations at The Hollywood Fringe Festival where it was the winner of the FRINGE AWARD FOR DANCE AND PHYSICAL THEATRE and also awarded the ZEPHYR’S ZEST AWARD. It is directed by: D'Lo and Shyamala Moorty. The choreographer /dramaturg is Shyamala Moorty with live percussion performed by Neel Agrawal.
"The Anti Yogi is a masterful performance and its message has never been more timely. In short, you’re not going to want to miss this show; it’s a standout production"
(Dan Ruth, LA HIDDEN GEMS)
Mayuri Bhandari is an actress, dancer/figure skater, and storyteller within Hollywood and Bollywood. She is the first South Asian to showcase figure skating on Indian National Television, and a national figure skating champion. She fuses Bollywood within the sport with her 'Bollywood on Ice' YouTube Channel and does Yoga Comedy.
The Anti Yogi plays at Jade Studio Greenside on George Street from 1 - 23 August. https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-anti-yogi