Her work also draws on music, poetry and visual arts
Vidya Patel is returning to Birmingham for An Evening with Vidya Patel in November 2026, bringing together dance, music and creative exchange rooted in classical Indian performance.
The event at Birmingham Rep’s The Studio will see Patel bring her artistic practice back to the city where she was born and raised, drawing on her training in Kathak and her work across classical and contemporary dance.
Patel is a Birmingham-born dance artist, choreographer, performer and collaborator whose practice has been shaped by her cultural heritage, upbringing and experiences of belonging.
Trained in Kathak from a young age, she combines the classical Indian dance form with contemporary movement.
Her work also draws on music, poetry and visual arts, exploring themes including identity, memory, nature, well-being and empowerment.
Patel first came to wider attention after representing the South Asian category on the inaugural BBC Young Dancer in 2015.
Since then, she has presented work at major UK venues including Sadler’s Wells, the Royal Opera House, Southbank Centre, Tate Modern and the V&A.
Her collaborations have included work with Sir Richard Alston, Gary Clarke, Hetain Patel, Thick & Tight, Orchestral Qawwali, Sampad and Akademi.
She also has an ongoing creative collaboration with composer Shammi Pithia and designer Shankho Chaudhuri.
Vidya Patel has created work for BalletBoyz and the National Ballet Company of Jersey, continuing to explore collaborations across different art forms.
Her performance work has received three National Dance Critics Circle Awards nominations, while she received the Michele Fox Choreographic Award and Vic-Wells Award in 2023.
She was a Sadler’s Wells Young Associate Choreographer between 2020 and 2022 and served as a Philharmonia Artist in Residence from 2024 to 2025.
Patel has also become involved in boards, advisory groups and mentoring initiatives focused on accessibility and equality within the arts.
She founded South Asian Dance Artists UK and has supported emerging artists through initiatives including One Dance UK’s Young Creatives Programme and U Dance Festival.
Her work continues to focus on creating a more equitable and accessible arts sector, while challenging existing structures and exploring new approaches to participation and representation.
With An Evening with Vidya Patel, the Birmingham-born artist brings her experience across classical Indian dance and contemporary performance back to the city where her artistic journey began.
An Evening with Vidya Patel
November 21 at 7:45 pm
Tickets go on general sale from midday on September 4.
