Dance Victoria 2023-2024 Season - Nrityagram Dance Ensemble program insert

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Nrityagram Dance Ensemble KHANKANĀ: the sound of dancing feet March 8 + 9, 2024 • 7:30 pm Royal Theatre Running time: 70 minutes (no intermission)

Nrityagram Dance Ensemble. Photo: Karthik Venkataraman

The Royal Theatre is located on the traditional lands of the Lekwungen peoples, also known as the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations. We extend our appreciation for the opportunity to live, create, and perform on this territory.

About the Work Artistic Director / Choreographer / Sound Design: Surupa Sen Music Composer: Pandit Raghunath Panigrahi Rhythm Composers: Dhaneswar Swain & Surupa Sen Master Tailor: Ghulam Rasool Executive Producer / Technical Director / Lighting Designer: Lynne Fernandez Dancers Surupa Sen, Pavithra Reddy, Anoushka Rahman, Rohini Banerjee, Daquil Miriyala Musicians Jateen Sahu, lead vocal & harmonium Rohan Dahale, chants & mardala (percussion) Parshuram Das, bamboo flute Siba Nayak, violin Surupa Sen, lead voice & manjira

Sankirtanam (a prayer) Wandering minstrels sing and dance in praise of Lord Krishna…

The lotus-eyed lord with the flute in his hands and a peacock feather in his hair.

The eternal lover, the yogi, the last refuge.

Protector of the universe, he is the purest of all beings.

The only truth.

Dancers Anoushka Rahman, Rohini Banerjee, Daquil Miriyala, Pavithra Reddy, Surupa Sen

Dhīra Samīré KHANKANĀ: the sound of dancing feet Nrityagram, the land of red mud and birdsong, is our home and muse. For over three decades, this land has nurtured us, and we have poured our sweat, dreams, and art into its bountiful earth.

We invite audiences to journey with us across time to witness KHANKANĀ: the sound of dancing feet. We present highly acclaimed and celebrated pieces over the last three decades by choreographer Surupa Sen, showcasing a unique sensibility of thought and movement.

Join us and soak your feet in the red earth of our land as we dance for a more hopeful future for our Earth.

A poem from the Gita Govinda is interpreted through facial expressions (bhava) and gestures (mudra). Written in Sanskrit in the 12th century by the poet saint Jayadeva, the Gita Govinda is a romantic ballad about the immortal love of Radha and Krishna. It is a song of love and longing that reflects the Vaishnava belief that all humankind is feminine energy (Radha) constantly seeking union with the one male godhead (Krishna).

Annoyed with Krishna who flirts with other women, Radha is in a state of jealousy and yearning.

The Sakhi (friend) brings a message to Radha that Krishna awaits her.

“In the dark of the night on the banks of the Yamuna river…

About the Odissi Dance Form Odissi dance is a classical form that finds its origins in the temple of coastal India’s Odisha region. Its structured and formalized movements can be found on the walls of temple ruins, indicating that its practice reaches back to at least 200 BCE. The artists of Nrityagram Dance Ensemble, recognized as being ‘among the world’s greatest dancers’ by The New York Times, are both keepers of and innovators in the ancient Odissi form.

Odissi speaks of love and union between human and divine, transporting viewers to enchanted worlds of magic and spirituality. Its sensuousness and lyricism reflect both the motifs of Odisha temple sculpture as well as the poetry from the deep wellsprings of Oriya music.

adorned with wildflowers and jewels, Krishna awaits you.

His flute calls out your name, as he wanders through the forest caressing the breeze for your touch.

He prepares a bed of love and his eager eyes search anxiously at every stir of a leaf.

Do not linger, oh sensuous-hipped one.

Cast away these traitorous bells from your ankles and drape yourself with the night.

Hasten to your beloved, he awaits you.”

Dancer Surupa Sen

Aakritī A submission to the inherently lyrical form of Odissi, this dance explores the various dimensions of its abstract, and geometric vocabulary.

Dancers Pavithra Reddy, Anoushka Rahman, Rohini Banerjee, Daquil Miriyala

Srīdevī A dance in praise of the Mother Goddess. As we brave new journeys, we ask the divine presence of the Mother Goddess to light our path.

“Oh mother!

Supreme power of the universe, grant us the vision to behold you within.

From you comes all life and into you we must all return. At your feet we offer our dance.

Nrityagram Dance Ensemble. Photos: Steven Pisano

Dancers Pavithra Reddy, Anoushka Rahman, Rohini Banerjee, Daquil Miriyala

Cast

Anoushka Rahman

Daquil Miriyala

Pavithra Reddy

Rohini Banerjee

Surupa Sen

Read the dancers’ and musicians’ full biographies by scanning this QR code with your smartphone’s camera:

Jateen Sahu

Parshuram Das

Rohan Dahale

Siba Nayak

About Nrityagram Dance Ensemble Nrityagram has presented seven full-length ensemble shows: Śrī: In Search of the Goddess (2001), Ansh (2005), Sacred Space (2005), Pratimā: Reflection (2008), Śriyah.

(2010), Sam . hāra (2012) and Āhuti (2019); two full-length duet shows Sam . yoga (2012) and Songs of Love and Longing (2013); and two full-length solo shows Yadunandana (2017) and Vinati: Songs from the Gita Govinda (2021). All works are choreographed by Surupa Sen.

Tour Management: Joanna Futral Exclusive USA Tour Representation: Pentacle Sandy Garcia sandyg@pentacle.org www.pentacle.org Nrityagram www.nrityagram.org lynne@nrityagram.org

Photos supplied by Nrityagram Dance Ensemble

Nrityagram (pronounced NRI-thyuh-graam) is located outside Bangalore, India. It was founded in 1990 by Odissi dancer Protima Gauri, who converted ten acres of farmland into a setting for the study, practice, and teaching of dance. A village of artists dedicated to the practice and nurture of a 2000year-old art form, Nrityagram (which means dance village) is home to a school inspired by the Gurukula, an ancient teaching paradigm, and the dance ensemble.

Nrityagram Dance Ensemble is regarded as one of the foremost dance companies of India. Led by Artistic Director Surupa Sen, the company has achieved worldwide critical acclaim. The ensemble is devoted to bringing Odissi—one of the oldest dance styles in the world—to audiences worldwide.

Although steeped in and dedicated to ancient practice, the ensemble is also committed to carrying Indian dance into the twenty-first century.

Enabled by grants from arts funding organizations, Nrityagram’s dancers not only explore creative expansions of traditions but are also able to commission fresh compositions from leading Indian classical musicians. They research, innovate, create original work, and perform to audiences across the globe.

50/50 Fundraiser for Dance Victoria All proceeds support dance creation in our community.

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Draw: May 17, 2024 • 2:00 pm Draw Location: Dance Victoria Studios, 111 – 2750 Quadra Street, Victoria, 250-595-1829 Total number of tickets: 400 @ $10 and 2000 @ 5 for $40 Purchase raffle tickets in the lobby or online at dancevictoria.com/raffle BC Gaming Event Licence #147818

Nrityagram Dance Ensemble. Photo (left): CFAA; (right): Steven Pisano

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Dance Victoria wishes to thank its many donors and volunteers.

Dance Victoria’s Chrystal Dance Fund and Endowment Fund are held at Victoria Foundation.

Dance Victoria is a proud member of the CanDance Network and the BC Alliance of Arts & Culture.

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Additional support for Dance Victoria’s presentation of Nrityagram Dance Ensemble and related outreach activities is generously provided by TD Bank Group through the TD Ready Commitment.