A captivating video of Yasmina Patel performing a stirring solo dance to the soulful music of Lacrimosa preceded the Facebook Page announcement for the show Journeys of the Soul staged from May 26 to June 4, 2023 at the Leeds Grand Theatre in the UK. Journeys was brought together by three groups: singers from Opera North, with eight dancers from the Phoenix Dance Theatre and another eight from Jazzart Dance Theatre of Cape Town. The cross cultural production was divided into two sections to depict varying perspectives on death. "While ‘Requiem’ explored themes around grief and loss, especially those related to the recent global pandemic, ‘After Tears’ (with music composed by Neo Muyanga) explored the soul’s journey and the cultural traditions in South Africa with emphasis on the celebration of life,” mentioned Patel.
UK’s leading periodicals, The Times and The Observer both gave five star ratings to the new works choreographed by South African choreographer Dane Hurst. The Yorkshire Post considered the dances "a recognition that in life, death is ever present and those who remain must go on, acknowledging the fragility of existence yet looking to the future, to renewal.”
Responding to Parsiana’s queries by email, Patel stated, "It was a very enriching project and it was such a beautiful experience to have eight dancers join us from South Africa. The energy that we all brought to the space was very fiery! We worked on this project for five months and in November 2023, it will also be available to watch on BBC iPlayer (a video on demand service from the BBC)!”
She recalled the journey that commenced in November 2022 when the Phoenix Dance Theatre auditioned for this six-month project. After hundreds of applications and a two-day audition, she was among the eight selected. Rehearsals commenced in January and in April the dancers were all offered two-year contracts with Phoenix. "I have accepted this and look forward to my journey as a dancer here. There are very few dance repertory companies in the UK (that create works and perform every season as well as bring back previous works) and so to be working with one and have a future with them is such a privilege, one that I am very grateful for,” acknowledged Patel. She recognizes that her recent performances at Leeds have "given me immense exposure in the dance industry and I have learnt so much and grown even more into the artiste I am today.”
Last year she enjoyed the privilege of being a featured dancer (one who has a more prominent role than the others in the ensemble) in the Birmingham 2022 Opening Ceremony for the Commonwealth Games. The troupe performed in a large stadium before an audience of 30,000 while another five million were witnessing the show on their television sets.
Top: Yasmina Patel Photo: Genevive Reeves;
above Patel (center) performing solo to the music of Lacrimosa Photo: Tristram Kenton
"Being a dancer demands so much of the human body, mentally and physically. It requires commitment and dedication. It is no easy career. It works your physical body to limits you didn’t realize were possible and needs a strong mentality to show up every day no matter how tired you may be. You learn to be so in tune with your body and mind, and to really look after yourself.”
Born in Kingston Upon Thames in London, UK, Patel moved with her family to New Zealand at the age of five where she started her training in ballet and modern dance at a local dance school. Eight years later when the family relocated to the UK she continued her dance training alongside school. It was while studying for her A-levels that she decided she wanted to pursue a career in dance so she auditioned for the Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD) in Leeds where she was accepted and trained for three years. On receiving a BA (Hons) degree she decided to continue her training and after many rounds of auditions was accepted into NSCD’s Masters Professional Placement Scheme. She spent a year as a work-based learner with the Scottish Dance Theatre in Dundee, Scotland. After this placement ended, she deferred the final part of her MA to perform in the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games. Returning to the Scottish Dance Theatre as a guest company dancer, she works and performs with them for three months. "A year later I have taken leave from work to complete the final part of my Masters this summer and will return to Phoenix Dance Theatre at the end of August,” she summed up her dance trajectory.
"Growing up, I made many sacrifices to be in the position I am today. Social events missed because I had dance class. It’s not easy to make these sacrifices and till today it can be emotionally difficult when you have to miss things because you are already committed to your work. But the dedication and commitment I had as a child / teenager and the support of both of my parents helped me to get to where I am today and I feel so lucky to do what I love as a career,” conveyed Yasmina. With her father Narius being a Zoroastrian and mother Carrie, a Roman Catholic, Yasmina and her siblings Sam and Zaine "have had the beauty of being brought up learning and appreciating two different religions.”
Offering hope to others she shared her experience: "In the dance industry, there are limited opportunities for People of the Global Majority (explained by Wikipedia as a collective term to describe approximately 85% of the global population in lieu of "racialized” terms like "ethnic minority” or "person of color” or "visible minority” or "Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic”) and as a mixed-race dancer with some South Asian background, you do stand out and feel like you have to work harder. I feel really proud to carry my heritage and religious identities and hope to inspire and uplift others who may feel they don’t yet have a voice or opportunities for them in the contemporary dance sector. You have to really stick to your inner voice and trust yourself and trust that there are people out there who will see you for what you are and take that chance on you.”