Dance Festival of India
Over the past 35 years, the Indo-American population and its cultural influence has increased exponentially in the U.S. and nowhere more prominently than NYC. So it’s only fitting that this year, marking India’s 60th Anniversary of Independence celebration, The Dance Festival of India will be held on Sept. 20th at Carnegie Hall. Featuring a pre-performance celebration dinner and a six-part evening concert lasting three hours, the festival will begin at 8PM showcasing six internationally recognized dance troupes from across India performing the following classical dance styles: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Odissi, and Kalaripayattu. A little knowledge of this art form’s cultural context helps you to fully appreciate it. It’s hard to imagine that India’s dance heritage is at least 5000 years old but historic evidence clearly marks its origins. Early group dancing sequences are depicted in exquisite rock paintings in the Bhimbetaka caves of Madhya Pradesh. Nataraja, the dancing Lord Shiva, is the supreme manifestation of Indian dance. The moon which adorns his head symbolizes complete control of the senses. The serpents wound around his body represent complete control over vital life forces. His foot raised high over the wicked demon, a symbol of triumph over the ego. Indian dance techniques are rooted in thematic movements based mythological lore contained in ancient books like the Natya Shastra written nearly 2,000 years ago. The 3 distinct dance movements are:
Nritta is pure and simple dance with movements of body and limbs
Nritya is linked with facial expressions, hand gestures and symbolic body poses.
Natya has the elements of a drama which is introduced through the use of spoken word.
You’ll be sure to notice that dancers often adopt a mix of all 3 using their entire body to communicate with the audience.
More information on PlanetEye: Carnegie Hall
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