Queensborough couple to take the stage during New West's Winter Celebrations

It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it.

What better way to say farewell to 2022 with an inspirational performance by Cassius Khan and Amika Kushwaha? They'll be performing Poetry in Motion during the Winter Celebrations event at the Anvil Centre.

Winter Celebrations will begin on Wednesday, Dec. 21, but Khan and Kushwaha will perform on New Year's Eve.

"It's going to be very interactive, and I have some set pieces or ideas that I can tailor based on the audience. That's the part I look forward to most, is to play off the audience's energy," explains Kushwaha, giving an example of two young girls who tried to copy her performance during the last installment of Winter Celebrations.

"It was just really cute. When I saw that, I was like, 'OK, let me put more arms [into it] ... just to have them more involved.' And their parents were trying to shut them down, but I was like, 'This is what it's all about!' To encourage the younger generation and to show them there is so much we can do in live music and dance."

Kushwaha and Khan's one-of-a-kind Indian classical music performances are rare to find in Canada: Khan plays tabla as Kushwaha dances to the music, and she often dances while wearing a string of bells on each ankle. You may have also seen the duo perform at the Mushtari Begum Festival—they're responsible for putting on the event at the Massey Theatre every year.

"I accompany Amika when she's dancing. All the footwork patterns that she dances with her feet, the feet and my tabla have the same language. Whatever composition she's going to do, I will mimic and play to the best of my ability to sound the same on my tabla," explains Khan.

For those who might not be familiar with Indian classical music, or the connected dancing, Kushwaha says there'll be an opportunity to learn more about how all the components come together to create a memorable experience.

"When it's presented to an audience who isn't particularly interested in the history, you want to present it to them so that they maybe even remember something about it. So, if it's about how the snow falls off the trees and like just the rhythm of that, for example, is something they'll be like, 'Oh yeah, I can hear that,'" says Kushwaha.

For both, it's also about sparking joy during some of the darkest days of the year.

"I think we will definitely bring light ... when they are watching us perform, we want them to be in that moment. We will do our very best to make sure that they are right there with us. Even though they may not be able to understand or complete the steps, it's just a matter of engaging and just saying we're here to have a good time," notes Kushwaha.

"If you want to see a very rare kind of performance, I think this is the one," says Khan.

Learn more about the various performances taking place during Winter Celebrations. Some are ticketed, with the costs starting at $5. Khan and Kushwaha's performances are part of the Winter World Labyrinth at the Anvil Centre—which means they're free to enjoy.