The South Florida chapter of the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation has diligently worked for nearly thirteen years to raise a million dollars to help educate children in remote tribal and rural areas of India. If not for the presence of Ekal Vidyalayas, these children would never have access to education.
The ageless Classic Western fairy tale comes to life through innovative original choreography, colorful costumes and unique music! Through this brilliant stage performance we were able to bring people of different personalities and creative minds together to bridge a gap between Indian and American culture.
Ten years ago, when I first started Bharatanatyam dance lessons with Guru Smt. Harija Sivakumar I would have probably burst into tears at the thought of having an Arangetram. I genuinely adored dancing! What eight-year-old would get excited about waking up early on a Sunday morning, missing out on cartoons, driving 45 minutes, and then spending an hour dancing? None! But over the years, mainly due to my parents’ persistence, my relationship with dance improved.
I was in a bit of a dilemma, if this program should be considered as a performance of a mature dancer or as an Arangetram. Madhuri has enthralled the entire audience with her grace, confidence, speed, footwork and show of emotions. She has a firm grasp of Bharatha Natyam precepts and presented herself very well. Right after the musicians ended the invocatory song Ganesh stuti, Madhuri came to the center of the stage to start her performance with Pushpanjali. We all instinctively knew this program is going to be superb. Let us look at the program as an Arangetram first and then I will give some feedback reviewing as a performance.
Laura Massa writes: India is one of the cradles of world civilization and center of ancient spiritual knowledge. It is my belief that learning should always provide a first-hand experience. In an effort to introduce an empirical approach into the classroom I invited dance Professor Harija Sivakumar from India, and Valerie DeWitt, an American yoga instructor and mother of one of our ninth graders. Both classes provided a vivid exposure to different aspects of Indian culture.
The ancient art, known as Bharathanatyam, is a form of Indian classical ballet where costumed participants use intricate hand movements, facial expressions and footwork, accompanied by traditional Carnatic music.
Ukrainian Dancers of the Ukranian Club of Miami, are basically folk dance groups. Others, like dancers from many ballet and jazz schools, the Indian dancers from Harija Sivakumar’s Vanee School of Dance and the Spanish dancers from Conchita Espinosa Academy of the Arts, are highly trained in the classical theatrical dance forms of their countries, June Taylor will make it work