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Event
Kalashraya Dance Festival
The "Kalshraya Dance Festival" celebrates soloists in Indian classical dance. This specially curated event brings together several of the leading younger talents on the Indian classical dance scene today. The festival provides a platform for these outstanding performers to showcase the best of Indian classical dance. The theme of the 3rd Kalashraya Dance Festival is "Uninterrupted Continuity." Indian classical dance is not static. With each generation, dancers push the boundaries of their chosen art forms. This year, we celebrate soloists in Indian classical dance who create their own spaces within tradition as well as a soloist who takes her foundation in Indian classical dance in dynamic new directions. The festival aims to provide a platform for these outstanding performers from around the United States to showcase their art. No labels, just excellence.
This year's invited artists:
Rajika Puri is a dancer, storyteller and singer. Trained since childhood in two forms of Indian dance Bharatanatyam and Odissi Rajika has performed internationally in solo recitals (including a command performance for the President of Mexico). Since she played Narrator / goddess Kali in a Lincoln Center Theatre production directed by Julie Taymor (of Lion King on Broadway fame), she began to develop danced stories in which she incorporates not only the songs, chants, and rhythmic syllables of Indian dance music, but also a narration in English. Rajikas work Eleni of Sparta on Helen of Troy commissioned for the Epic Women dance symposium in 2012 for Natya Darshan in Chennai, is sung in ancient Greek, and has been performed in the US (Texas), India, and on tour in South East Asia.
The co-artist with Rajika will be Sayun Chang - multi-percussionist. New York based, Taiwanese percussionist Sayun Changs musical interests range from traditional and contemporary classical to diverse disciplines of world music which has led to collaborations with several chamber ensembles, performances in festivals, like Mostly Mozart and international collaborations with several Taiwanese dance groups.
Ramya Ramnarayan: Counted among the leading exponents of Bharatanatyam today, Ramya combines legacy, expertise and experience. A protégé of two exponents of the dance form, SK Rajarathnam Pillai and Kalanidhi Narayanan, Ramya is recognized as a capable performer, choreographer, educator and a torch bearer of this art, who blends tradition with innovation. Ramya is a Kalaimamani awardee, is an ICCR empanelled artist and A grade artist of Doordarshan. She has received other awards to mention a few, Nadanamamani from Kartik Fine Arts, Nrithya Seva Mani from Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana, and the prestigious Artist Fellowship Award for Choreography from National Endowment of Arts USA. Ramya has performed in prestigious venues such as the Madras Music Academy, International Fringe Festival, Asia Society and various festivals throughout the world.
Sudeshna Maulik is one of the most promising Kathak dancers today. Endowed with an electrifying presence, her performances speak of rare intensity and authority. Based in Canada and India she maintains an active performing career that spans North America, Europe and Asia. Sudeshnas unique art form has been inspired by more than one gharana or tradition of Kathak. Her tutelage began at tender age of seven under Pt Chitresh Das. She pursued her passion through training at Bharatiya Kala Kendra and later from Kathak Kendra (New Delhi) with Kathak legend Birju Maharaj as her mentor. She was an integral part of Kadambs performing unit (Kumudini Lakhias Dance Company), the unique institution for contemporary Kathak.
Shipra Avantica Mehrotra is the founder and artistic director of the Avantica Academy of Odissi Dance and is recognized as a rising exponent of Odissi dance. The New York Times described her performance at the 2010 Erasing Borders dance festival as wholly poetic and the truest revelation of dance itself. With technical virtuosity and evocative abhinaya, Shipra showcases the innate lyricism and theatricality of traditional Odissi while simultaneously revitalizing the dance form with her contemporary perspectives. This balanced approach has earned Shipra prestigious performances across the United States and India, including a 27-city tour of the US with the Orissa Dance Academy in 2013 and solo performances at the First Look Festival at the Asia Society Texas Center in 2012. Initially trained by Dr. Chitra Krishnamurti (Nrityalaya, Washington, DC), Shipra then received her advanced training at the Orissa Dance Academy from the eminent late Guru Gangadhar Pradhan and dancer Guru Aruna Mohanty.
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LocationKreeger Auditorium, JCC of Greater Washington (View)
6125 Montrose Road
Rockville, MD 20852
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: Yes! |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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