Sonnet of Samsara

How can the water move us? The beauty of the natural world meets the power of dance and storytelling for the Beach of Dreams festival finale.

Join us on the Dorset coast for a spectacular Beach of Dreams finale in September, presented in partnership with Activate Performing Arts as part of their Inside Out Dorset festival. Featuring the breathtaking Sonnet of Samsara, this performance delves into the cycles of existence, displacement, and the pressing realities of the climate emergency.

Choreographed by Jayachandran Palazhy of Attakkalari Centre of Movement Arts alongside UK dance artist Charlene Low, Sonnet of Samsara is a touring immersive experience that evolves with the landscapes and stories of the communities it embraces. Incorporating Kinetika’s hand-painted Beach of Dreams Silks, it blends exhilarating dance with stunning visuals to reflect on Samsara — the eternal cycle of life and its impermanence.

Esplanade, Weymouth DT4 8DG

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About the artists

Jayachandran Palazhy is a visionary leader whose work has impacted the development of contemporary dance in India. A choreographer, dancer, teacher and Artistic Director of Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts (Bangalore), Jayachandran has trained in Contemporary Dance, Ballet, Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Kalarippayattu, Tai Chi, Capoeira, Indian and African Folk Dance forms. His transdisciplinary productions in collaboration with international artists have toured to some of the most iconic festivals and venues across the globe receiving much acclaim. Jayachandran is the Director of Attakkalari India Biennial Festival, FACETS Choreography Residency, Incubation Centre for Arts & Media (ICAM) and the Attakkalari’s Diploma in Movement Arts and Pedagogy and other education initiatives. He is currently the curator for contemporary dance for Serendipity Arts Festival, Goa. He is a speaker, consultant and mentor for international dance residencies and festivals and has directed NAGARIKA, a seminal interactive digital archive on Indian Somatic Expressions. He is a guest faculty in few reputed universities in India and abroad and currently spearheading to build a new Centre for Innovation in Performing Arts (CIPA) in Bangalore.

Charlene Low choreographer and creative movement facilitator with over 20 years of experience specialising in the delivery of movement to everyone, including people with learning disabilities, PMLD, the elderly (Active and those with dementia), children (from toddlers to teenagers) & families.Her work aims to connect people through their stories and build a world together through dance movement. In 2010 she founded Sardines Dance Collective. The work has been funded by Arts Council England and she continues to deliver for companies such as the Unicorn Theatre, GOSH Arts at Great Ormond Street Hospital, Entelechy Arts, Upswing, Blink Dance Theatre and many more.

Ali Pretty is the Founder and Artistic Director of Kinetika, established in 1997 to unite communities through extraordinary silk-based designs and public spectacles that inspire social action and enrich local environments. With a distinguished background in carnival arts and community engagement, Ali has collaborated on major events worldwide, including WOMAD, the Olympics and Cultural Olympiads (Atlanta, Athens, Beijing, London, Paris), and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant. Since 2012, Ali has pioneered transformative walking arts projects, including T100 festival. She served as the Artistic Director for Silk River, a British Council UK/India Year of Culture project, and now leads Beach of Dreams, a year-long creative programme exploring the UK's coastal heritage and climate futures.

About the partner

For over 30 years, Activate has been promoting, supporting and producing some of the most exciting events in the UK bringing performing arts to as many people as possible and giving creatives the support they need to make outstanding work. Activate connect communities, breakdown barriers, and celebrate the landscape. They pride themselves on being open and working with others to make performing arts accessible for all.

Activate’s award-winning international outdoor arts festival, Inside Out Dorset, takes place across the county every two years. At the heart of what we do is our belief that the performing arts should be accessible for all – no matter what your experience or background. Therefore, all of Inside Out Dorset is free to attend.