SF GATE: ‘Broken Seeds (Still Grow)’ from Nava Dance Theatre

“Broken Seeds (Still Grow)” harnesses the storytelling powers of the classical Indian arts of Bharatanatyam dance, miniature painting and calligraphy to examine the 1947 British partition of India. Nava Dance Theatre, under the direction of choreographer Nadhi Thekkek, joins visual artist Rupy C. Tut for the mixed-media show premiering Thursday, Nov. 16, at the Flight Deck in Oakland.

Thekkek and Tut source firsthand accounts from a Berkeley project called the “1947 Partition Archive,” linking these narratives of displacement to their own experiences as “hyphenated-Americans.” Videos of Tut’s art — paintings and works of calligraphy — are projected throughout the theater during the dancers’ performance.

“As a first-generation immigrant, I’ve always looked for solace in the stories of my ancestors,” says Tut. “I’m hoping that ‘Broken Seeds (Still Grow)’ can help to facilitate feelings of tolerance and belonging.”

— Maxine Marshall

“Broken Seeds (Still Grow)”: 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 16-18; 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 19. $22-$30. The Flight Deck, 1540 Broadway, Oakland. www.brokenseeds.com