Embodied Ritual: Bharatanatyam in the Diaspora

Bharatanatyam is one of the oldest classical Indian dance forms that originated in the temples of Tamil Nadu in South India over 2,000 years ago. In a class led by Bharatanatyam experts and practitioners, Aparna, Ranee, and Ashwini Ramaswamy, founders of the Ragamala Dance Company, introduce students to Alarmél Valli’s lineage of Bharatanatyam, focusing on the percussive, poetic, and expressive vocabularies that are the underpinnings of the form. The Ramaswamys discuss the concept of lineage and how it informs their creative aesthetic. The class offers students of all levels, from beginner to advanced, the opportunity to discuss and experience how culturally-rooted art forms evolve and reinforce their relevance in the 21st century.

Photo Credit: Ragamala Dance Company. Left to right: Ashwini Ramaswamy, Aparna Ramaswamy, Ranee Ramaswamy. Photo by Graham Tolbert.

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