Rhythms of India, Roots of Spain

One of the worlds most well known contemporary artists Jose Agudo was on a India tour, his career shaped up after many exciting projects like his dance at the London Olympics Opening Ceremony, performing at the Davis Cup Opening in Madrid, ‘A Thousand Shepherds’ for Cape Dance Company in South Africa,  ‘Glansvit’ for Norrdans in Sweden, Collaborating with renowned architect Zaha Hadid, Co-directing ‘Selah’, a feature film in Malta, premiering ‘Carmen’ in France and performing his solo piece ‘Hero’ in London. I caught up with Jose for a heart to heart chat, excepts from the interview: 

Tell me about your dance journey?

My journey began in Pinos Puente, a small village in Granada, Spain. At age 10, I joined a local theatre group led by my aunt, touring across Spain, Morocco, Cuba, and Ireland. It was through a dance-heavy production called From Here to Hollywood—learning routines from VHS tapes—that I discovered my love for movement. Words felt limiting, but dance gave me freedom.

Though my family couldn’t support my passion, a teacher once told me, “You’re a dancer. That’s what you should be doing.” That stuck with me. At 18, I saw a flamenco performance that changed everything. Antonio Vallejo, the lead dancer, invited me to train for free as part of a community program. From there, I joined a Clásico Español school, studied flamenco, ballet, folklore, and paid my way working in a hotel.

I took every opportunity—tablaos, street performances, circus, workshops—until a contemporary dance workshop with Ramón Oller opened a new world. I joined Date Danza, then trained at Centro Andaluz de Danza in Seville, learning Graham, Limón, Horton, and Cunningham. Soon after, I danced Swan Lake with Oller and joined Charleroi|Danses in Belgium.

My career took me across Europe and to the U.S. I eventually moved to London, training in Kathak under Akram Khan. That brought me full circle to my flamenco roots. After seven years with Akram Khan Company, I founded Agudo Dance Company to create work rooted in both tradition and transformation.

What brings you to India? Where did you go for workshops?

My connection with India began in 2019 when I came to Play Practice in Bangalore to find collaborators for my piece Silk Road. The pandemic interrupted those plans. In 2022, I met Mruga Shroff at the Impulstanz Festival. She attended my workshop and appreciated how I combined flamenco and Kathak. She invited me to India, I toured the country. I held workshops and performed in Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Surat, Kolkata and Kochi.

What did you think of Indian dancers?

The response has been truly heartwarming. Indian dancers resonated deeply with my fusion of styles. They were open, curious, and respectful—embracing the hybridity of my work, especially in my Flamenco Roots workshops. Many participants told me they rediscovered why they fell in love with dance in the first place. That’s the best feedback I could hope for.

What attracts you to India and its dance culture?

India is a land of vibrant contradictions, and I feel completely myself here. The people are warm, kind, and deeply respectful. What I admire most in Indian dancers is their devotion. They surrender to the form without resistance—only questioning after fully experiencing it. That’s rare and powerful.

Some say contemporary dance is a fad. Your thoughts?

Contemporary dance has given me the freedom to find my voice. I’ve studied flamenco, ballet, theatre, martial arts, and Kathak—but it’s contemporary dance that let me weave it all together. It’s not a fad; it’s a living, evolving art form. I believe it will continue to grow, welcoming new influences and perspectives, just like it did for me.

What’s next for you?

Right now, I’m focusing on my solo career. I’m in my late 40s, and I want to challenge the idea that contemporary dance is only for the young. I’m also exploring children’s dance theatre, new group works, and collaborations in India. I’ve stepped into musical theatre, too—first with The Kit Kat Club in London and now with Strictly Ballroom in Copenhagen.

Sandip Soparrkar holds a doctorate in world mythology folklore from Pacific University USA, an honorary doctorate in performing arts from the National American University, He is a World Book Record holder, a well-known Ballroom dancer and a Bollywood choreographer who has been honored with three National Excellence awards, one National Achievement Award and Dada Saheb Phalke award by the Government of India. He can be contacted on sandipsoparrkar06@gmail.com