“…discover perfect, wordless harmony in exquisite dance”
—Sydney Morning Herald
Aakash Odedra Company fuses diverse dance styles, from ballet and Chinese folk to kathak and contemporary, with innovative production design to create Samsara; a bold cross-cultural performance.
Inspired by the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, Samsara traces the steps we take, both forward and backward, in search of our higher selves. Choreographed by UK/Indian Aakash Odedra and Chinese Hu Shenyuan the piece draws on the dance traditions of their respective countries to explore the notion of samsara: the wheel of birth, existence and re-birth. Drawing on thinking and imagery at the heart of Buddhist philosophy, Samsara’s mythological storytelling merges with personal experience in a seductive, astonishing journey of twin movement.
Samsara is performed by Aakash Odedra and Han-Taiwanese dancer Po-Nien Wang whose shared presence onstage deepens the cultural dialogue at the heart of the work. Together, they embody a dynamic fusion of heritage and innovation, tracing spiritual and physical journeys that speak across borders.
Event Details
- Runtime: approximately 1 hour, with no intermission
- Additional information: visit our FAQ page.
- Late seating policy: limited late seating available
Content warnings: Some parts with loud music and strobe effect. Sand is one of the main elements of the performance and will be used during the performance.
Ticket & Discount Information
Tickets available starting at $29. Student tickets always $11. Eligible for CLE Credit.
Discount Information
We offer several discounts for CPA series performances only. Partner and rental events are not eligible.
Important Notes:
- Discounts must be applied at the time of purchase and cannot be added retroactively.
- Only one discount can be used per order.
- We reserve the right to cancel tickets that do not follow these guidelines
Available Discounts:
Military & First Responders
- Discount: 15% off
- Limit: 4 tickets per person, per performance
- How to redeem: Use promo code SERVICE2526 online or call our box office
Seniors (65+)
- Discount: 15% off
- Limit: 4 tickets per person, per performance
- ID Required: Yes
- How to redeem: Use promo code SENIOR2526 online or call our box office
UNC-Chapel Hill Faculty & Staff
- Discount: 25% off
- Limit: 4 tickets per person, per performance
- ID Required at Entry: Yes (UNC One Card)
- How to redeem:
- Current faculty/staff: Use promo code UNCFS2526
- Retired faculty/staff: Use promo code UNCRET2526
UNC Health Staff
- Discount: 25% off
- Limit: 4 tickets per person, per performance
- ID Required at Entry: Yes (UNC Health ID)
- How to redeem: Use promo code UNCFS2526 online or call our box office
UNC-Chapel Hill Students
- Discount: $11 tickets (Zones 3, 4, and 5)
- Limit: 2 tickets per student, per performance
- ID Required at Entry: Yes (UNC Student ID)
- How to redeem: Use promo code UNCST2526 online and select price type “UNC Student,” or call our box office
Non-UNC Students (K-College, Statewide)
- Discount: $11 tickets (Zones 3, 4, and 5)
- Limit: 2 tickets per student, per performance
- ID Required at Entry: Yes (UNC Student ID)
- How to redeem: Use promo code UNCST2526 online and select price type “UNC Student,” or call our box office
Carolina Alumni Members
- Discount: 15% off
- Limit: 4 tickets per order
- How to redeem: Use promo code GAA2526 online or call our box office
Watch our video on applying discount codes when checking out!
Visit our FAQ page for more details.
Why We’re Presenting This
At Carolina Performing Arts, we seek out artists who defy convention and expand the language of movement. Performed by Odedra and Wang this piece brings together classical and contemporary forms from across cultures to explore inner journeys, shared mythologies, and the search for connection. The piece invites us to consider belonging—not just to place, but to one another, and to the stories that shape us.
For CPA, Samsara also invites us to consider how stories can be reimagined through powerful interdisciplinary performance. With its synthesis of design, philosophy, and physicality, the work creates a rich space for reflection and many entry points into a collective experience, reminding us that live performance can be a sustaining force—a place to return to, again and again.
About Aakash Odedra Company
Aakash Odedra Company, based in Leicester, delivers exceptional creative experiences for audiences and participants, aiming to build a happier, healthier society through dance and the arts. The company creates dance works through a synthesis of kathak, bharatnatyam, contemporary, and Bollywood-jazz which push boundaries and draw inspiration from contemporary issues.
Bilingual in classical and contemporary dance, the company uses the voice of British-Asian experience to translate movement languages into stories that resonate today. Rooted in Leicester’s international communities, they are deeply attuned to the power of welcome, representation, and meaningful connection. Aakash Odedra is an Associate Artist at Curve Leicester, Birmingham Hippodrome and Sadler’s Wells. The company is a National Partner Organization of Sadler’s Wells and part of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio.
Aakash Odedra
Performer & Choreographer
Odedra is a UK-born dancer, choreographer, and founder of Aakash Odedra Company. Trained in kathak and bharatanatyam, he has performed over 300 full-length works across 40 countries and created commissions for major institutions like the Apollo Theater and Theater Freiburg. His work blends classical South Asian forms with contemporary movement and has earned him numerous awards, including a British Empire Medal for services to dance, best male dancer and outstanding male classical performer critics circle, national dance awards.
Po-Nien Wang 王柏年
Performer
Wang is a Berlin-based freelance dancer, choreographer, and performing artist. Born in Taiwan, he graduated from the Dance College at the Taipei National University of the Arts in 2011. A former dancer with Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, Po-Nien was a soloist in Lin Hwai-Min’s “White Water”. Po-Nien relocated to Berlin, Germany in 2018, and has since performed in festivals and theatres such as the Venice Biennale, Julidans, MilanOltre, and multiple seasons at Staats Oper Unter den Linden. He is also a longtime guest dancer with Le Supplici, the company of Italian choreographer Fabrizio Favale.
“Prelude to Mountain Ghost” is Po-Nien’s first ever self-founded project. Premiered in 2024 at The Feuerle Collection in Berlin. This solo piece is rooted in his personal exploration of belonging, queerness, fluidity, and identity.
Hu Shenyuan
Choreographer
Shenyuan is an independent dancer and choreographer known for his emotionally nuanced and technically precise movement. A graduate of the Dance Academy of Central MinZu University, he rose to prominence performing in Yang Liping’s Under Siege and later founded Hu-Hu Dance. His choreographic work has been widely recognized in China and internationally, earning awards in Rome, Seoul, and Beijing.
To learn more about the performance, please visit aakashodedra.com/productions/samsara/.
“Through this work we’re seeing different sides to a culture you may be familiar with, but the way we’re collaborating is new and inviting for audiences. This collaboration is a statement of that and breaking down these barriers”
—Hu Shenyuan
Credits
Performers: Aakash Odedra and Po-Nien Wang
Choreographers: Aakash Odedra and Hu Shenyuan
Original Producer: Anand Bhatt
Composer / Singer: Nicki Wells
Musicians: Beibei Wang & Michael Ormiston
Movement Director: Cheng-An Wu & Melissa Ugolini
Rehearsal Director (2022 REMOUNT): Cheng-An Wu & Sadé Alleyne
Dramaturg: Lou Cope
Creative Consultant: Theresa Beattie
Set Designer: Tina Tzoka
Sound Designer: Simon Ryder
Lighting Designer: Yaron Abulafia
Costume: K H Lee
Production Manager: Salvatore Scollo
Stage Manager: Emanuele Salamanca
Commissioned by Bagri Foundation
Co-producing/commissioning partners of Samsara: Asia TOPA; Arts Centre Melbourne; Birmingham Hippodrome; Curve Leicester; the Royal Ballet; Shanghai International Dance Centre, Chaillot – National theatre for dance, Paris.
Supporting partners of Samsara: British Council; Jacob’s Pillow; Peacock Contemporary Dance Company (Kunming, China); Playking Foundation; Sidney Myer Fund; Victoria Government.
Go further
Want to explore more about the Aakash Odedra Company? Start here.
Learn:
Aakash Odedra Company: Check out more about the performers and their various works.
Listen:
Aakash Odedra, The Guardian: explore the inspiration behind the creation and artistic vision of the performance.
Watch:
Want to see more performances?
Check out the full lineup for the 2025-2026 CPA Season, and discover more incredible shows!