• By Mabel Pais

Get enthralled watching different styles of Indian dance performances at the ERASING BORDERS DANCE FESTIVAL when it returns for ‘THEN AND NOW’: its 17th annual event with three totally different programs. The Festival will treat audiences to a wide and exciting range of artists, storytellers, and musicians performing different styles of Indian dance: Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Odissi, and more. Live performances will be presented on September 21 & 22 at 6 PM at the Ailey Citigroup Theater and the September 23 performance from India will be live on Facebook and YouTube.com at 7 PM. The Festival will also include two workshops: ‘Bollywood Kathak’ on Saturday September 21, and ‘Meet & Learn’ with Alarmel Valli and Uttara Coorlawala on Sunday September 22.

Day 1, Saturday September 21 at 6 PM

Samir Kumar Panigrahi and Santosh Ram, award-winning dancers with the Bhubaneswar-based Rudrakshya Foundation, will perform Odissi;

Vedya Spurthi, a disciple of Jaikishore and Padmavati Mosalikanti, and Himabindu Challa, will appear in the Kuchipudi dance-drama tradition. Her character, Satyabhama, is a prominent figure in Hindu mythology and the consort of Lord Krishna;

Fuchsia Dance Company, the Indian classical dance collective that explores traditional art through contemporary themes, such as climate change, will perform Bharatanatyam; Nirupama and Rajendra, will perform Kathak style. The couple are founders of Abhinava Dance Company, one of India’s most popular and cutting-edge production houses recognized worldwide.

Day 2, Saturday September 22 at 6 PM

Malavika Singh and Sri Thina Subramanian will appear in a work entitled ‘Unveiling Traditional Narratives: If Women Had a Voice,’ a dance that combines Bharatanatyam, Odissi, scriptures and poems, bridging the gap between mythology and today’s societal issues;

Sri Thina Subramanian is recognized for creating work that merges Bharatanatyam and Odissi by exploring their interplay. She is recognized as a fighter for diversity in the arts as well as a mentor and inspiration for all dancers;

Ramya Harishankar is artistic director of the 40+ year old Arpana Dance Company in California. Her forte is abhinaya (emotive and expressive performance) which she has performed as a soloist on five continents. She was recently named legacy artist by the California Arts Council.

Anugraha Sridhar will perform the solo Pranaya; The Evolving Embrace,” an exploration of love’s journey through various stages of life, enacted through Bharatanatyam, Karanas, and the spoken word;

Kumar Sharma, a leading Bollywood choreographer, in a male trio performing in Kathak style.

Day 3, Monday September 23 at 7 PM [Virtual, on IAAC [Facebook (facebook.com/iaac.us) and YouTube.com (youtube.com/user/IAACEvent)]

Traditional and contemporary artists performing from New Delhi, Orissa, Pune, and Kerala.

Jayaprabha Menon, one of the most accomplished Mohiniyattam exponents of India, will perform a solo from New Delhi. A danseuse of exceptional artistry and versatility, Menon has a reputation unmatched in the firmament of Indian classical dances;

Ratikant Mohapatra S Srjan School, appearing from Orissa, will present an Odissi duet.  Since 1975, Ratikant has been surrounded by Odissi dance and music in years of training with his father and guru, the late Sri Kelucharan Mohapatra – from whom the current Odissi lineage appears. Ratikant himself has created a world-class dance institute, attracting students from all over the globe;

Vaishnavi Dhore will perform a solo in Bharatanatyam, appearing from Pune. The artist is a disciple of Smt.Rama Vaidyanathan and has performed in festivals and concerts in India and abroad;

Rima Kallingal’s contemporary group from Kerala will appear in a group work that displays the choreographer’s new idiom and dance language, drawn from her studies in various forms of dance, including Kalaripayattu, Bharatanatyam, Mohiniattam, and contemporary dance.

Workshops, September 21 & 22 at the Ailey Studios, 405 West 55 Street

Saturday September 21, 1 to 4 PM – Bollywood Kathak Workshop with Kumar Sharma

Learn under the guidance of Kumar Sharma, acclaimed Kathak and Bollywood choreographer behind Ranveer Singh’s iconic dance performance in the Bollywood hit ‘Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani’. Also known for his work on popular TV dance reality shows, including Dance India Dance and Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa with Madhuri Dixit, Kumar Sharma brings a wealth of expertise to this intensive, energetic, and fun workshop, ideal for dancers with 5+ years of experience.

Sunday, September 22, 3 PM

Small Steps to Giant Leaps: Alarmel Valli in conversation with Uttara Coorlawala

The event promises to be a captivating conversation about sustaining a long and highly decorated artistic career with Alarmel Valli,renowned Bharatanatyam performer, guru, and speaker, and Uttara Coorlawala, a leading dance scholar and IAAC Senior Dance Curator. Alarmel Valli will discuss her unique perspectives on dance, dance documentary, sangam poetry, and how literature influences her artistry, her collaborations, her teaching, and dance pedagogy. The artist will also impart her advice for younger dancers and participate in a Q&A session.

TICKETS

For Tickets to each of the performances, visit eventbrite.com/cc/erasing-borders-dance-festival-605689

IAAC

Located in New York City, Indo-American Arts Council Inc. is a not-for-profit arts organization passionately dedicated to promoting, showcasing and building an awareness of arts and artists of Asian Indian heritage. The artistic focus is primarily on the performing arts besides the visual, literary and folk arts. For more information, visit IAAC.us.

(Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Spirituality, Cuisine, Health & Wellness, Business, and Education)