Performance
by Dance Company from India celebrates Women
Irvine - Women of courage
and character in Indian mythology and history will be the subject of 'Ekaantha
Seetha - a lonely furrow' a dance drama presentation at the Irvine
Barclay Theater on Sunday October 15 at 6pm. A joint presentation
of the Irvine based Ektaa Center and the Irvine Barclay Theatre,
this production by Cleveland Cultural Alliance has 17 dancers handpicked
from Indian and US based schools / companies. Choreographed by the renowned
duo, The Dhananjayans, it also features music set by T.V. Gopalakrishnan,
one of the leading maestros in South Indian music.
The production's dance styles
and music will range from the highly classical to folk, from evocative
'raga' patterns to martial rhythms, from foreign adversaries to village
bullies and from uplifting moments to rustic humor. In line with its protagonists,
the languages used in the production will include Valmiki's Sanskrit, the
Hindi of Tulsidas and Subhadhra Chauhan and India's most recent language,
English. Most of the music for the production will be recorded, but some
of the singing, recitations and narrations will be live on stage.
In mythology, as in parables,
in literature as in fables and in history as in everyday life, there have
been, as there continue to be, inspirational women who were forced by circumstances
to plough a lonely furrow. While examples are plenty, the production features
such known characters from Hindu mythology such as Seetha from the Ramayana.
Seetha, incidentally, means furrow in Sanskrit. Drawing from the stories,
the veteran choreographers Shanta and V.P. Dhananjayan weave
an exotic blend of movement, mime and mood that has been a trademark of
their productions.
It is almost impossible to think
of a couple who have contributed as much to Indian classical dance - as
performers, teachers, choreographers and champions - as the Dhananjayans.
From their start as leading student-performers in the legendary mythological
productions of Kalakshetra almost five decades ago, to their establishment
of two excellent institutions, Bharata Kalanjali in Chennai and Bhaaskara
in Kerala, of their own, they have indeed been an extremely hard act to
follow. These institutions train some of the best professionals in classical
dance and music for dance. Audiences around the world, particularly in
North America, have been enthralled by many of their wonderful productions-
Sita Rama Katha, Sanghamitra, Mahabharatam, the multi cultural productions,
Jungle Book - The Adventures of Mowgli and The Twain Shall Meet,
being among the best known.
Music for this production is
composed by Prof. Gopalakrishnan. TVG as he is popularly known is
a rare blend of scholarship, artistry and versatility. He is a highly respected
singer of both Carnatic (south Indian) and Hindustani music (North Indian)
and a doyen among mridhangam (south Indian drum) players.
His years of performance include
projects with renown names like Pundit Ravi Shankar, the incomparable
Ustad Alla Rakha , George Harrison, Pierre Favre and John
Handy, among others. The 17 member dance company includes talent from
a wide range of schools and training in dance styles as well as in the
martial arts.
'This production with a message
will entertain diverse audiences and also provide an opportunity to experience
the essence of music and dance from India' said Harish Murthy, Executive
Director of the Ektaa Center. The Ektaa Center is the first center in Southern
California for the arts and culture of India. Based in Irvine, the Center
serves the southland community with classes, events and activities that
promote an awareness and understanding of the arts and culture of India.
Irvine Barclay Theatre is one of the premier venues in Orange County for
multi cultural performances.
For more details or information
about the Ektaa Center call Harish Murthy at (949) 300-8912. For tickets to the performance please call the box office at (949) 854-4646
or go online to www.thebarclay.org.
MasterCard, VISA, American Express, and Discover are accepted. The theatre
is located at 4242 Campus Drive in Irvine.
Web Sites:
Ektaa Center - www.ektaacenter.org
Irvine Barclay Theatre - www.thebarclay.org
Cleveland Cultural Alliance
and Ekaantha Seetha - www.thehorizons.net/cca
