The Path is Hidden

Ragamala Dance Theater

Experience the classical Pandanallurtradition of Bharatanatyam, performed by nationally recognized,Minneapolis-based Ragamala Music and Dance Theater. Born in the Hindu templesof South India , more than 2,000 years ago,the classical dance form of Bharatanatyam is a visceral expression ofspirituality and devotion.

Cast:

Tamara Nadel, Ashwini Ramaswamy, Amanda Dlouhy, Nithya Balakrishnan, Kimloan Nguyen, Jessica Fiala, Devika Kataky, Meghna, Kataky

Ranee Ramaswamy (Founder/Artistic Director/Choreographer/Principal Dancer) trained under Smt. Alarmel Valli (Chennai, India), aleading exponent of the Pandanallur style of Bharatanatyam. She has received many awards, including numerous McKnight Fellowships for Choreographers, two McKnight Fellowships for Interdisciplinary Artists, a Bush Fellowship for Choreography, a LIN (Leadership Initiative Neighborhood) Grant, an NEA Choreographer Fellowship, a Choreography Fellowship from the Minnesota State Arts Board, and an Artist Exploration Fund Grant from Arts International (New York). Ranee’s workhas been commissioned by Zenon Dance Company, the University of Minnesota’s Interplay Series, composer Jan Gilbert, and the Walker Art Center (Minneapolis).

About the Company Ragamala’s work provides a bridge between cultures both ancient and modern, exploring a unique style of living poetry for the stage. Rooted in Bharatanatyam, the ancient classical dance of southern India, Ragamala blends dance, music, and poetry. Old forms are used in new ways to honor the past, celebrate the present, and inspire the future. Ragamala’s work has been presented in prestigious venues nationally and internationally, such as the Lied Center(Lawrence, KS), Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall (Sarasota, FL), State Theater (New Brunswick,NJ), Open Look Contemporary Dance Festival (St. Petersburg, Russia), Miao-Li International Mask Festival (Taiwan),and Bali Arts Festival (Indonesia). Ragamala has been the recipient of several grants from the National Endowmentfor the Arts, as well as grants from the National Performance Network, New York-based Arts International, the National Dance Project, and the Japan Foundation (New York).(More information about Ragamala’s upcoming tours is available at www.ragamala.net.)

Schedule:

Tuesday, May 27, 8:30 PM
Wednesday, May 28, 5:30 PM
Thursday, May 29, 8:30 PM
Friday, May 30, 5:30 PM
Saturday, May 31, 8:30 PM

Location:

Social Hall

Press Material:

print-ready photo
web site

Contact:

612-824-2892
aparna@ragamala.net

Rate this show:

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3 Reviews for The Path is Hidden

  1. I really enjoyed the joy, spirit, confidence, elegance, facial expressions and endurance displayed by the dancers. Thank you also for the narrative.

    Comment by Liz Floyd — May 28, 2008 @ 7:36 pm

  2. This was truly lovely. I’d never seen this type of dance before. I so appreciated the way they explained the dances before doing them and showed the audience what some of the gestures meant. The gestures were like sign language, and I loved being able to recognize the gestures that had been explained to me. That way I felt like I was “following along” during the dance. I enjoyed it so much. And it was so energetic and colorful that my not-quite-seven-year-old enjoyed it greatly, too. Even my four year old liked it pretty well. (It’s not a kid-specific show, but my kids are pretty mellow, so it worked out for us to see the show as a family.)

    Comment by Elizabeth O'Sullivan — May 29, 2008 @ 12:44 pm

  3. This was a wonderful persormance. The dancers danced with their entire bodies and made me again realize how dance originated in temples. Every gesture was meaningful and beautiful. I can’t praise this performance enough.

    Comment by Joan Calof — May 31, 2008 @ 2:31 pm

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