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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline MAY 24, 2024 | The Indian Eye 30

Nritya Darpan Dance Festival

Returns on May 25

OUR BUREAU Vikas Arun and his company Project Conver-
gence, will present Taalam (Rhythm), a euphoric
New York, NY
union of Bharatanatyam and American tap dance
ritya Darpan 2024, a one-day dance festi- celebrating the universal language of rhythm.
val presented by the Indian Heritage and Project Convergence is home to the union of
NCultural Association (IHCA-NJ), in part- Bharatanatyam and American tap dance. Laud-
nership with the Consulate General of India, New ed by both the New York Times and The Hindu,
York returns on May 25th, 2024, at the New Bruns- the Project Convergence presents an experience
wick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC) in New simultaneously familiar and unfamiliar to audi-
Brunswick, New Jersey. ences by uniting two seemingly different cultures
in the universal language of rhythm. The company
The concept of Nritya Darpan is developed has been featured in The Guardian, WNYC (New
York Public Radio), and The Dance Enthusiast.
by the Founder and the President of IH- They’ve appeared across the United States, in-

CA-NJ, Dr. Ashok Chaudhary, to promote cluding at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre
for the Erasing Borders Dance Festival, Lincoln
exceptionally talented local artists and Center for their 2018 Out of Doors Series, and the
dance groups. The festival, initiated in Houston Texan’s NRG Stadium. Excerpts of their
show Taalam (Rhythm) have played to a sold out
2022, showcases exceptional performing 5,000-person audience at Damrosch Park at Lin-

artists from the tri-state area who move coln Center and the Citigroup Theatre at Alvin
Ailey.
beyond the classical Indian dance forms Bharathi Penneswaran, artistic director and
and bring a contemporary vision to their co-founder of Aalokam, who will perform two co-
medic creations, Chahiti and Shadjam, along with
creations. her ensemble. These works blend the narrative
aspect of Bharatanatyam with Penneswaran’s bold
The dancers and choreographers who are and playful sense of humor. The Artistic Direc-
expert in Indian classical dance forms and trying tor and Co-Founder of Aalokam, Bharathi Pen-
to sustain our rich heritage and culture in US by neswaran, is a dancer and choreographer based in
adopting various dance forms including western New York City. She specializes in Shilpanatanam
dance styles, have been chosen to participate at and imbues traditional Indian dance with a boldly
Nritya Darpan. energetic perspective. Aalokam productions meld
Shubhamani Chandrasekhar, exponent of traditional and contemporary themes to create a
Bharatanatyam, will bring to life the qualities of unique set of works that combine music, move-
freedom and self-assurance exemplified by the ce- ment, acting, and storytelling.
lestial beings called apsaras in a duet titled Apsara. Mesma Belsaré, a captivating performer, will
These stories serve as a contrast to the challenge dance Jatayu, a work that investigates this cam-
of women being objectified as fulfillers of others’ eo character - the king of birds in the Hindu epic
needs. Shubhamani Chandrasekhar, born in a Ramayana. The piece is choreographed by Maya
family of great dancers and musicians. She started Kulkarni in the Shilpanatanam genre, a narrative
learning Bharatnatyam (form of Indian Classical dance form pioneered by Kulkarni that stretches
Dance) at the age of 5 under her illustrious mother the boundaries of Indian classical forms to non-tra-
Sharadhamani Shekar. ditional themes and expressions. Mesma Belsaré
Parul Shah, an exquisite dancer known for is a classically trained dancer, choreographer, and
her contemporary explorations stemming from tion from Teachers College, Columbia University. educator. The New York Times calls her “a tour
the Kathak classical dance form from North In- She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in dance de force...a true act of transcendence and religious
dia, in all that lies. This work in progress attempts and cultural studies, focusing her research on the immersion”; The Dance Current magazine hails
to challenge and disrupt Western stereotypes and decolonization of dance education in America and her “as mesmerizing as staring into the heart of
expectations of Indian dance. Shah will perform examining cultural identities through dance. With a fire”. Belsaré is the recipient of the Dance/USA
the piece with Harsimran Kaur. Shah,an artistic years of training under the renowned Padmabhu- 2023 Fellowship funded by the Doris Duke Chari-
director of the Parul Shah dance company, utilizes shan Kumudini Lakhia, Shah’s repertoire takes in- table Foundation, and the NJ Arts Council’s 2024
performance and education to promote cultural spiration from the dance tradition, Kathak, while Artist Fellowship Award for her outstanding work,
awareness and explore stories around identity. building on the dance form’s mythological story- besides support from NEFA, the Government of
Drawing from her North Indian Classical dance telling roots to explore contemporary narratives. Delhi (Sāhitya Kalā Parishad) and the Cambridge
training in Kathak, Shah expands the classical me- She is an adjunct professor at Montclair State Arts Council. Belsaré has engaged with audiences
dium beyond cultural boundaries. Shah has earned University, NJ and Marymount College, New at several U.S. public universities, colleges and art
her B.A. in Political Science from New York Uni- York City while also a teacher of Kathak for more museums including Boston MFA, Peabody Essex
versity and her M.A. in Dance & Dance Educa- than fifteen years. Museum, and the Gardner Museum.

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