Artist Representative: Sophie Myrtil-McCourty | 212.278.8111 x313

R E P E R T O R Y


 

 

 

 

 ŚRIYAH, A DECADE OF DANCE  MAKING
Śriyah is a selection of works created over a decade by Artistic Director, Surupa Sen. The Sanskrit word Sriyah means from Śrī (beginning). Nrityagram’s creative journey started in 2000 with the piece, Śrī in search of the Goddess. It was followed by Ansh (2004), Sacred Space (2006) and Pratima: Reflection(2008). Śriyah will include dances from each of these works.

 

Śrī In Search of the Goddess (2000)

Śrī From Sanskrit; pronounced Shree.

Śrī The divine female principle. A single syllable that encompasses the many facets of woman. Śrī. An exploration of female energy within the framework of Odissi. A search for the Goddess within, which carries us beyond mythological images and definitions. Towards a consciousness that this world driven by the mind, rationality and power needs in order to reach fulfillment.

 

Ansh (2004)

Surupa Sen, Bijayini Satpathy and a stunning ensemble of female dancers, transport viewers to enchanted worlds of magic and  spirituality with the sensuous flow of Odissi, the oldest of India’s classical dance forms.  Originally a sacred ritual, Odissi is marked by lyricism and curved bodylines that bring alive the temple sculptures of India. Ancient wisdom and divine transfiguration are unveiled and interpreted in electrifying dance.

 

Sacred Space (2006)

In Indian thought, a network of power lines traverses and divides cosmic space, charging the universe with the energy of the Godhead. Temples were built and rituals devised, to capture and reflect this energy, generating power-fields within. If an energy grid can be created in temples, can Odissi dance – originally a temple ritual – be based on the same principles? Is it possible that the dance can be constructed to reflect and create energy in much the same way as other temple rituals? Can Odissi become a journey to a higher source?

 

Pratima: Reflection (2008)

Images of the dance and the dancer. Never separate, one enhancing the other. The reflections unite, multiply, gently embellish themselves. And grow languidly in the sensuous realms of Odissi.
PRATIMA: REFLECTION
Pratima: Reflection, is an evening-length work that explores the relationship between the dancer and her dance as she seeks to find an image of herself through the essential truths – of Creation, Contemplation, Separation and the Duality of the human spirit. Choreographed by Surupa Sen, the piece is performed by an ensemble of female dancers to an original score. The language of the show is Odissi, the oldest of India’s classical dance forms. Pratima: Reflection has been commissioned by the Joyce Theater’s Stephen and Cathy Weinroth Fund for New Work.
SACRED SPACE
Explores the parallels between a dancer’s journey and the journey one takes as a spiritual being. The first half consists of Odissi temple rituals, and the second consists of more lyrical expressions of an ancient love ballad. The piece poses the questions “Can the ephemeral tap into the eternal? Can humanity be divine?” Sacred Space is choreographed by Surupa Sen and features six female dancers and four musicians. In December 2005, Sacred Space was awarded the best production of the season by the prestigious Music Academy, Chennai, India. The piece was performed to sold out houses in the US. Some of the 2006 spring and summer venues included Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival,  Lee, MA; Aspen Dance Festival, Aspen, CO; University Musical Society, MI; World Music Institute, NYC; Spoleto Festival USA, Charleston, SC; George Mason University, VA; Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, CA; University of Florida Performing Arts; Miami Dade College, FL; and Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, FL.
 
I N    D E V E L O P M E N T
 
SAMHARA
For the 11/12 season, the company is working on a new piece entitled Samhara (Sanskrit: collection; practice; skill; compilation; drawing together).A collaboration between Nrityagram & the Chitrasena Dance Company from Srilanka, this work is an exploration of the meeting point between Nrityagram’s Odissi dance & Kandyan dance from Srilanka.

Originally a sacred ritual, Odissi is marked by lyricism and curved body lines that bring alive the temple sculptures of India. Also rooted in ancient practice, Kandyan dance was a shamanic ritual to purify & invoke divine energy. Kandyan dance has a masculine dynamism that serves as a wonderful counterpoint to the sensuousness of Odissi.

 

Ancient wisdom and divine transfiguration are unveiled and interpreted in a thrilling work that reflects the “civilizational unity” of two cultures.

 

Choreographer’s Note:

The sound of the dance & the dancer have communicated ancient histories & entire belief systems over centuries. At Nrityagram & Kalayatana, the two premier dance institutions of India & Srilanka, we share a common devotion & passion that seemed to unite us from the very start in deeper ways than we realized. The initial awe that we shared for each others dance soon culminated in a promise to delve deeper into what “made us” only to find unbelievable movement connections in the Odissi & Kandyan dance traditions. After an honest & joyful interaction over a period of 3 years it became apparent that the two regions had shared elemental connections by way of dance. In communicating with each other we relive our ancient histories, battles, conquests of faith, religion & territory. This unified search has begun to yield a wonderful & unique collaboration that blends the lines of our two dance forms & connects us to our ancient “wholeness”. Almost as if the Indian Ocean never dragged one of us away…….

 
 
W O R K S H O P S
LECTURE – DEMONSTRATION
An Introduction to Odissi that includes a demonstration of the language of the dance and of dance pieces, the lecture-demonstration provides an opportunity for participation and interaction with the dancers and serves as a vital aid to better understanding of a performance.
MASTER CLASS
An Introduction to Odissi that includes a demonstration of the language of the dance and of dance pieces, the Master Class is an opportunity to learn very basic phrases of pure Odissi movement and the isolated body training specific to Odissi.
 PHOTOS Background: Richard Termine, Vertical top to bottom: Richard Termine, Richard Sylvarnes