THIS IS DANCE: An Evening With Vidya Patel

An Evening with Vidya Patel marks Vidya’s return to her home city of Birmingham.

Born and raised in Birmingham, Vidya Patel is a UK-based dance artist, choreographer, performer and collaborator whose practice is deeply shaped by her cultural heritage, upbringing and experiences of belonging. Trained in Kathak from a young age, Vidya’s work merges this classical Indian dance form with contemporary movement, drawing from dance, music, poetry and visual arts to explore themes of identity, memory, nature, well-being and empowerment.

Since representing the South Asian category on the inaugural BBC Young Dancer in 2015, Vidya has presented work at venues including Sadler’s Wells, the Royal Opera House, Southbank Centre, Tate Modern and the V&A. She has collaborated and performed with artists and companies including Sir Richard Alston, Gary Clarke, Hetain Patel, Thick & Tight, Orchestral Qawwali, Sampad and Akademi, alongside an ongoing creative collaboration with composer Shammi Pithia, designer Shankho Chaudhuri and others. She has made work for BalletBoyz and the National Ballet Company of Jersey and continues to see how she can collaborate with other artforms. Her performance work has received three National Dance Critics Circle Awards nominations, alongside the Michele Fox Choreographic Award and Vic-Wells Award in 2023.

Vidya was a Sadler’s Wells Young Associate Choreographer (2020–22) and Philharmonia Artist in Residence (2024–25).

Alongside her artistic practice, Vidya is involved in boards, advisory groups and mentoring initiatives, advocating for accessibility and equality within the arts. She founded South Asian Dance Artists UK and has supported and mentored emerging artists through initiatives including One Dance UK’s Young Creatives Programme and U Dance Festival.

Vidya is committed to creating a more equitable and accessible arts sector, challenging existing structures and developing new approaches that enable wider participation and representation.