Collaboration three: The artists

Mohammed Fairouz

Mohammed Fairouz, from New York, is one of the most frequently performed composers of his generation.

Aged 26, he has written numerous orchestral and operatic works which straddle both Eastern and Western influences, and draw on his Arab-American roots.

His music has been performed at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Boston's Symphony Hall, the Kennedy Centre and internationally throughout the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Australia.

In 2008 Fairouz was honoured with a national citation from the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Washington DC for outstanding achievement in artistry and scholarship.

He is no stranger to intriguing collaborations, having worked in the past with celebrated Arabic poets and most recently, the Irish literary giant Seamus Heaney. When asked to take part in the Collaboration Culture series, he revealed a lifelong desire to work with a Bollywood-style dancer.

Shakti Mohan

Shakti Mohan is a huge star in India.

Based in Mumbai, she won a nationwide television talent show called Dance India Dance in 2010.

Her natural and elegant style impressed the judges, who were all top Bollywood choreographers and performers.

Trained in both traditional and contemporary Indian dance, Mohan is also influenced by Western culture and performance techniques, making hers a cross-cultural dance fusion.

Recently she has been acting in an Indian soap opera, but left her role upon winning a scholarship to further her dance studies.