A Conversation with Mayuri Bhandari on the Occasion of Her Show “The Anti ‘Yogi’” at the Zephyr Theatre During the Hollywood Fringe Festival, by James Scarborough

Mayuri Bhandari's "The Anti 'Yogi'," set to premiere at the 2024 Hollywood Fringe Festival, is a compelling theatrical critique of Westernized yoga culture. Through the lens of an Indian artist, Bhandari unveils the complexities of cultural appropriation and identity within the realms of spiritual disciplines that have been commodified in the West.

The performance combines dance, dramedy, and poetry to navigate the personal and cultural tensions encountered by an Indian yoga professor. This approach not only enhances the narrative. It also engages with the audience on an intellectual and emotional level.

Central to the narrative is the figure of the Goddess Kali. She serves as both a spiritual guide and a disruptive force. She challenges the protagonist and, by extension, the audience, to reconsider the essence of yoga beyond its commercialized Western portrayal. The choice of Kali, a symbol of destruction and renewal, underscores the potential for decolonizing and reclaiming cultural heritage.

"The Anti 'Yogi'" addresses the irony of a cultural insider teaching an externalized version of her own culture. It highlighting the absurdities and misconceptions that arise from cultural translation and misinterpretation. Bhandari's critical engagement with these themes offers a needed (and entertaining) voice in the discourse on cultural appropriation, pushing for a more nuanced understanding and appreciation of yoga's deep, multifaceted origins.

This work is not just a performance. It is also a critical intervention into the dialogues of cultural practice, identity, and authenticity. Bhandari's blend of personal narrative and cultural criticism urges a reevaluation of how Eastern spiritual practices are *consumed* and understood in the global cultural economy.

JS: How does “The Anti ‘Yogi’” challenge conventional Western perceptions of yoga?

MB: Through edutainment, my show brings light to the issue that yoga is a way of life, not a fitness class, aka “Liberation not Lululemon”. Sadly, though yoga is so popular, yoga spaces in the west end up enhancing egos rather than working on them. Instead of being spaces of service and detachment, many ‘yoga’ gatherings become privileged, exclusive centers of entitlement filled with surface mindfulness, spiritual bypassing, and narcissism.

Though yoga has South Asian origins, there has been an erasure of South Asian voices and authenticity in yoga. Through THE ANTI “YOGI”, I hope to improve the cultural literacy around Yoga and its true essence.

This show blends dramedy, dance, and poetry to explore real life scenarios alongside mystical characters and offer diverse perspectives. It incorporates sound and movement to craft a sensory immersive experience, enabling the audience to feel rather than just grasp ‘yoga’ intellectually.

JS: You’re a figure skater, dancer, and actor. How do these disciplines inform your story and performance?

MB:  I love rhythm and for me the disciplines are interconnected. Though I cannot bring an ice rink to the stage (yet), my training as a figure skater has helped me with stamina and aspects of artistry in the show. I've often found myself as one of the only South Asians in various spaces: figure skating, western dance (B.A.), acting, and even learning/teaching yoga in the West. Infusing my culture and artistic expression into these disciplines has become a recurring theme for me. Each of these fields has enriched me as an artist through unique experiences. Through this solo show, I’m able to bring my stories, experiences, and skills onto a single stage. My performance intertwines intricate elements of movement, sound, and the embodiment of various characters to explore yoga in the west.

JS: What role does the character of the Goddess Kali play in your show? How does she symbolize the themes you are exploring?

MB: Goddess Kali plays a significant role in this show, portraying an outsider within Western yoga spaces. She embodies a myriad of identities for many: the underrepresented, Dalit groups, tribal communities, Mother Nature, the divine feminine, and the annihilator/destroyer of ignorance. Her presence resonates deeply with my own emotions, mirroring my sentiments towards yoga and the world at large. I feel a profound sense of sadness and frustration amidst the grip of corporate greed, colonization, and supremacy. In the show, she grapples with these dynamics, striving to navigate the inherent conflicts and contradictions within Western yoga practice.

JS: How do you balance humor and critique in your portrayal of yoga culture?

MB: It's been a challenge. Yoga is an important and vast topic and to capture all of its facets in a 60-minute show is not quite possible. But through a variety of mystical and not-so-mystical characters in the show, I infuse humor and let the absurd yet true tales of my encounters with Western yoga culture speak for themselves.

A solo show allows for a lot of creative freedom and exploration, and that helps in balancing humor and critique by using various characters and blending different genres.  For example, the blend of drama and comedy (dramedy) in the show enables teachings to be conveyed with a light-hearted touch, while also allowing deeper sentiments to resonate in a profound and meaningful way.

JS: Could you discuss the collaborative process with your directors (D’Lo and Shyamala Moorty) and choreographer (Shyamala Moorty) in shaping this performance?

MB: This show has a lot of moving pieces. Creating a one-woman show was not easy; and I needed a supportive community to bring the show to fruition, especially given its focus on South Asian culture and practices. My directors, D’Lo and Shyamala, played integral roles in structuring the piece, with Shyamala serving as both dramaturg and choreographer, shaping the movement for characters and dances within the piece. The process involved numerous drafts, beginning with collaborative creation with Shyamala and incorporating D’Lo’s writing expertise to refine the script. My producer, Jessica Lynn Johnson, has been a key figure in both the creation and marketing aspects of the show. Since its inception, Jessica has played an integral role in shaping its development and providing insights through the process. I’m grateful for my team and their guidance.

JS: As a yoga professor, how has your academic and practical experience influenced “The Anti ‘Yogi’”?

MB: I have converted many of my academic papers that I wrote during my M.A. in Yoga studies into theater, film, and poetry pieces. My yoga classes in the LMU Dance department are a combination of philosophy, discussion, and application (movement, breathwork, intro to stillness) and every semester, my students have shown a real interest in having the deeper conversations about yoga, and how they can really adopt Yogic practices in their daily life.

Simultaneously, I've encountered a great deal of ignorance beyond the confines of the classroom. Whether it was discovering incidents through books like "White Utopias," listening to podcasts, or observing events at festivals and studios, I've witnessed an abundance of misinformation and misguided practices. I felt I had to speak up, but again in my way as an artist. I had to do it through ‘artivism’.

JS: What messages do you want audiences to take away from your production at the Hollywood Fringe Festival?

MB: My show is a ‘call to action’- to raise awareness, create dialogue, and possibly leave the audience with something to think about.

It highlights the colonized history of yoga and the ignorance still being inadvertently perpetuated in western yoga spaces.

Yoga, once a culturally revered practice with deep spiritual significance, has been commodified into a mere fitness trend. If western “yogis” truly embodied yoga's ethical principles, we would witness activism and revolution. However, the popularity of yoga often fails to translate into meaningful societal impact. Whether labeled as yoga or not, what truly matters is the transformative work itself. Who are we beyond our societal roles, conditioning, traditions, and religion? Yoga, at its core, is about uniting with our true essence. And that essence is unique to each individual.

I hope people from South Asian backgrounds will resonate with the show and possibly discover something about our own lost history and cultural practices. For people from yoga communities- I hope it will raise questions and inspire yoga practitioners/spaces to dive deeper, analyze ‘mindfulness’ we ascribe to, and take further accountability. Overall, I hope everyone leaves with something that moved them, something they felt, and a bit more awakened.

JS: How does this performance address the nationalization of yoga in the East and its recolonization in the West?

MB: The audience has to just come to show to get this answer 😛

My show highlights diverse perspectives by using different characters (many who are inspired from real life) from the East and West. Many of the scenarios are true stories/events. I wanted to make sure the portrayal of yoga wasn’t just one sided- revealing the hypocrisy of appreciation and demonization in the West while also uncovering the dark underbelly of classicism/casteism of certain lineages in the East.

In my show, I want to give voice to a whole range of perspectives by stepping into the shoes of different characters, both from the East and the West. A lot of these characters are inspired by real people and real events. I didn't want the portrayal of yoga to be one-sided- not only revealing the hypocrisy of how the West sometimes both ‘appreciates’ and demonizes yoga, but also by shining a light on the less talked about issues like classicism by certain yogic lineages in the East. It’s all about sparking conversations and making people think about the complexities of our cultural landscape.

JS: How do you view the role of digital media, your YouTube channel, for instance, in engaging and educating audiences about the themes of your show?

MB: The spark for this show actually came from my Yoga TikTok channel. I'd share different aspects of yoga through my videos (a few went viral), and the responses were eye-opening. To my surprise, there were folks genuinely eager to learn more. And not to my surprise, there were comments like "Yoga is demonic" or "Stop complaining, yoga is meant to evolve."

Social media, despite its flaws, has the ability to connect us. Through it, I found other South Asian yoga teachers and communities in a way that might not have been possible otherwise. Social media has fostered this growing desire for a more authentic and grounded approach to yoga.

Yoga's journey of cultural appropriation isn't unique. So many groups and cultures around the world have been facing and still face similar challenges. It's like peeling back layers and seeing how interconnected all our struggles are.

JS: Looking ahead, how do you see your work evolving in both live performance and digital spaces?

MB: For the future, I envision this show going on tour and forging connections with other South Asian and POC creators and artists who are tackling similar issues. My goal is to raise awareness about representation and to witness these kinds of stories in TV, film, and beyond. I'm eager to fuel more of these conversations on social media, igniting deep discussions that have the potential to become widespread. And I'm excited about collaborating with other artists to take these efforts to an even larger scale. This show is the first of 2; while this one focuses on spirituality, my next will focus on sensuality.

TAKEAWAYS

"The Anti 'Yogi'" critiques the commercialization and superficial engagement with yoga in the West. It aims to educate audiences about yoga's true essence as a way of life, rooted in South Asian traditions, rather than a mere fitness trend. The show highlights how Western yoga spaces often become centers of entitlement and surface-level mindfulness, overshadowing the practice's deeper spiritual and cultural significance.

Mayuri Bhandari's diverse background in figure skating, dance, and acting enriches her performance. She integrates these disciplines into the show, creating a sensory immersive experience that combines movement, sound, and character embodiment. This artistic fusion allows her to explore and critique Western yoga culture while infusing her own cultural and artistic expression into the performance.

The character of Goddess Kali plays a pivotal role in the show, representing marginalized identities and the struggle against ignorance, corporate greed, and cultural appropriation. Kali embodies Bhaskar's emotions and frustrations with Western yoga practices, offering a powerful critique of the cultural dynamics at play. Her presence serves to highlight the broader societal issues and the need for a more authentic and respectful engagement with yoga.

Performances are on Saturday, June 8, 4:45 PM, Sunday, June 16, 6:30 PM, and Thursday June 20, 7:00 PM. Tickets are $15. The Zephyr Theatre is located at 7456 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood. For more information, click here.