Natya Dance Theatre, founded and run by Hema Rajagopalan in Chicago, is celebrating its 30th anniversary in a big way.
It is presenting a high profile event titled - Dance India: Choreographing Traditions. This is an international conference and festival combining performances, panel discussions and workshops and will be on from Sept.7 to 10.
Here is a concise program schedule -
Friday, September 8, 7:30 p.m.
Performance: Priyadarshini Govind, leading Indian dancer, with live orchestra
Cindy Pritzker Auditorium
Harold Washington Library Center
400 S. State Street, Chicago
All tickets $30/$15
Saturday, September 9, 7:30 p.m.
Performance: 'Spanda' by Leela Samson, choreographer, with eight dancers
Cindy Pritzker Auditorium
Harold Washington Library Center
400 S. State Street, Chicago, All tickets $30/$15
Sunday, September 10, 2:30 p.m.
"Rasa: The Emotions" – Kathak and Bharata Natyam performances
"Red Earth and Pouring Rain" – verse and dance program
Cindy Pritzker Auditorium, Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State Street, Chicago, All tickets $30/$15
These works will feature Natya Dance Theatre and a leading dance company from India.
There will also be workshops - Indian martial arts, folk and regional dances from India. On Sept 9, there is a special workshop with dance guru Kalanidhi Narayanan (closed for full registrants)
Workshops are $30. Workshops will be at : Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington Street,
There are also some free events.
Panel Discussions and Talks "Global Identity and Dance Traditions"
Claudia Cassidy Theater, Chicago Cultural Center 9/8, 10:45am-12pm
"Choreographing Indian Dance Traditions" Claudia Cassidy Theater, Chicago Cultural Center 9/9, 9:30am-10:30am
Keynote address: "Choreographing the Past to Meet the Present" by Dr. Kapil Vatsyayan
Preston Bradley Hall, Chicago Cultural Center 9/9, 10:30am-11:30am
"Provoking and Influencing Indian Dance," a tribute to Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan Preston Bradley Hall, Chicago Cultural Center
9/10, 10am-12pm
"New Stages for India's Performing Arts"
Claudia Cassidy Theater, Chicago Cultural Center
Performances
9/6, 12:15pm Natya Dance Theatre lecture-demonstration
Cindy Pritzker Auditorium, Harold Washington Library Center
9/7, 6:30pm-8pm A performance of regional dance and martial arts of South India
Preston Bradley Hall, Chicago Cultural Center
9/8, 12:15pm-1pm
"Dancing Along the Silk Road: India"
Millennium Park, Wrigley Square
9/8, 3:30pm-5:30pm
"Bharata Natyam by Chicago artistes"
Claudia Cassidy Theater, Chicago Cultural Center
9/9, 4pm-6pm
"Innovations in Dance/Departures from Tradition"
Cindy Pritzker Auditorium, Harold Washington Library Center
Contact Natya Dance Theatre for inquiries: 312.212.1240 or www.natya.com/danceindia
