by Paul Gillis
Tehreema Mitha has been dancing her whole life. Growing up in Pakistan, she was trained in the classical Bharatanatyam style of dance. As an adult, she took up choreography, and felt a need to develop the dance in modern directions, building on the classical traditions. She eventually came to the U.S., apparently feeling that her experiments were too restricted by the cultural climate of her home.
Her Fringe program on the wooly Mammoth main stage, "Classical & Contemporary", showcases dances in traditional style, very contemporary dance, and works that are a blend of the old & new.
One thing all these dances had was a strong narrative element, but in the classical dances it was more stylized, and less obvious to an observer (like me) unschooled in the traditions. The contemporary pieces had a very clear theatrical dynamic. After seeing this program, I came away thinking that American choreographers could learn a lot from the Indian traditions.
To see more photos of these dances, go to
http://paulgillis.phanfare.com/album/338390/490155#imageID=22398909
1 comment:
Classisal dance have origined in India. Most of the classical dances like Bharatha natyam, Katakali, Kuchupudi and so on is very famous in India. But the limit for these classical dances is not only limited for ndia, But it has been successful to attract even the foreigners. These dances are not only representing India, but also Indian tradition & Indian culture wiht that.
Post a Comment