Archive · 31 Oct 2025
‘C.Tactile’ Dance Show Explores Politics and Power of Touch
A dance show called ‘C.Tactile’ is about how we touch each other and what it means.
The person who made the dance, Shruti Maria Datar, thinks about how touch can be both personal and affect society, like a political act.
She was inspired by special nerves in our skin that feel soft touches and by her baby niece.
The dance shows how women sometimes move in crowded places to protect themselves from unwanted touch, similar to how they might protect their belongings.
The show also explores how gentle touch is important for comforting children and how it can bring back happy memories.
The dance has been performed in several cities and will be shown in more places soon.
‘C.Tactile’ is a 45-minute dance performance exploring the personal and socio-political dimensions of touch.
Choreographer Shruti Maria Datar was inspired by C-tactile afferents, nerve receptors sensitive to soft touch.
The piece addresses social distancing, touch deprivation, and the impact of street sexual harassment on women's agency.
It highlights how urban women develop specific movements to protect themselves in crowded spaces from aggressive touch.
The performance also touches upon the importance of affectionate family touch and its connection to childhood memories.
- Who
- Choreographer Shruti Maria Datar and movement collaborator Melitta D’Souza
- What
- A 45-minute dance performance titled ‘C.Tactile’ exploring touch as a personal and socio-political act.
- When
- Conceptualized over two-and-a-half years, presented in Mumbai, Kolkata, Santiniketan, Delhi on November 2nd, with future shows in Goa and Kochi.
- Where
- Performed in Mumbai, Kolkata, Santiniketan, Delhi (Odd Bird Theatre), with upcoming shows in Goa and Kochi.
- Why
- To investigate the complexity of touch, contrasting social distancing with touch deprivation, and examining street sexual harassment and agency for women, highlighting the different priorities of men and women in public spaces regarding protection.
- Choreographer
- Shruti Maria Datar
- Performance Length
- 45 minutes
- Conceptualization Time
- Two-and-a-half years
- Performance Dates (Delhi)
- November 2nd
- Inspired by
- C-tactile afferents (nerve receptors responding to soft touch), niece's birth in 2020