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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline DECEMBER 30, 2022 | The Indian Eye 22

Nritya Darpan mesmerizes the

New Jersey audiences with dance festival

Six multi-talented US based dance companies performed high quality dance dramas using various Indian
classical dance forms such as Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Manipuri and Odissi along with Western dance styles

Stills from ‘Sama Equanimity and Equity’ by Kaustavi Sarkar. Stills from ‘Elements’ by Sonali Skandan

OUR BUREAU in the world of dance, while Karen mination to break that cycle, which that the audiences have welcomed
Greenspan is a New York City-based was performed in Manipuri dance this festival with open arms. I am ex-
New Brunswick, NJ
dance journalist and frequent con- style. tremely thankful to those who have
ndian Heritage & Cultural As- tributor to several publications. ‘Nimitta - Amba Shikhandi’ by unconditionally supported me”, he
sociation-NJ (IHCA) held it’s There were seven different Shila Mehta performed in Kathak added.
IFIRST ever dance festival Nritya groups of highly talented dancers, dance style in the Lucknow gharana. We can vouch for the fact that
Darpan, on December 10th, 2022, that performed different dance The dance piece drew on the charac- there has never been such a unique
at New Brunswick Performing Arts styles, each telling a story with amaz- ter and story of Shikhandi in the epic presentation of dance, that wonder-
Center celebrating emerging contem- ing and unique techniques. Mahabharata, who was born a wom- fully showcased the classical forms of
porary and classical artists from the ‘Sama: Equanimity and Equity’ an but became a man and the cause the performing art with a fascinating
Indian diaspora. by Kaustavi Sarkar. Sama: Equality (Nimitta) for Bhashma’s defeat seal- amalgamation of Indian and Western
nurtures ing the fate of the great battle be- styles. Meant for a niche audience,
Six multi-talented US based Equanimity is a meditation on tween Kauravas and Pandavas. this festival enthralls the audience
spiritual humanism rallying against ‘An Impossible Romance’ by with its spellbinding performances
dance companies performed casteist injustice. was presented in Kaustavi Sarkar depicted a spectacu- and thought-provoking themes. We
high quality dance dramas us- the Odissi dance style. lar love affair between the cloud and look forward to seeing more of these
‘Elements’ by Sonali Skandan, the lightning. The peacock in this sto- masterpieces in the coming years.
ing various Indian classical depicting the impact of climate ry is the prime mover and manipula- The concept of Nritya Darpan
dance forms such as Kath- change and human destruction shift tor. He lures the cloud towards the has been developed by the Founder
the balance of nature was presented lightning, very well anticipating the and the President of IHCA-NJ, Dr.
ak, Bharatnatyam, Manipuri in Bharatnatyam style. cloud’s imminent death in the hands Ashok Chaudhary, to promote ex-
‘(No)man’ by Ishita Mili used
and Odissi along with Western Bharatanatyam, Hip Hop, Street of the lightning. ceptionally talented local artists and
dance groups and to bring communi-
‘Kali’ by Bharathi Penneswaran
dance styles. Styles, and Chhau to weaving togeth- created magic on the stage. This ties together to discuss various social
er their signature fusion movement, dance piece explores Kali’s tantric issues through performing arts. Dr
The dance dramas were selected rhythmic footwork and world music roots as Shakti, the innate energy Chaudhary is also known to organize
by the very talented curators Maya in their performance. that has been dormant for millennia. the annual short play festival ‘Natya
Kulkarni-Chheda and Karen Green- ‘The Wild Swans’ by Dr. Krish- “Being the first Nritya Darpan, it Darpan’. It that has been lauded by
span who had the painstaking task of nakali Dasgupta, a concise dramati- has been a very stressful but extreme- the audiences and supported by the
selecting the best entries among the zation of Hans Christian Anderson’s ly satisfying experience”, said Dr Middlesex County NJ and the Con-
large pool of entries across the USA. -The Wild Swans. The story was an Ashok Chaudhary. “I have received sulate General of India in New York.
Maya Kulkarni is a highly re- allegory on ostracization based on numerous messages with loads of Photos Courtesy:
spected and a well-known figure blind prejudices and victory of deter- praises for the show. I am thrilled Nutan Dabholkar Kalamdani

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