Mandala South Asian Performing Arts, which connects audiences and students with the performing arts traditions of South Asia, presents Choreographers Showcase of South Asian perspectives in contemporary dance. Choreographers Ashwaty Chennat, Mandala’s associate artistic director, and Shalaka Kulkarni, Mandala’s 2022 artist in residence, premiere excerpts from new works, drawing upon their experiences with solo dancemaking during the pandemic. This performance also features a musical interlude by tabla artist Krissy Bergmark.
Using Zoom conversations, digital art creation, and various collaborations during the pandemic, Alight aims to explore creation in isolation and where we can turn for grounding, comfort, and nourishment during challenges that we universally experience. Chennat collaborates with experimental sound artist PM Tummala and dancers Misha Talapatra and Tuli Bera.
Kulkarni’s work is a study between tradition and exploration, based on the idea of myths in Indian culture. Fusing two Indian Classical dance forms, Bharatanatyam and Kathak, with other movement forms, text, and technology, the work takes the viewer through a day in the life of a reincarnated, mythical, female-identified goddess derived from Indian culture. Born as a human for a month in the year 2085, she meets her followers and explores realities and expectations for women through text, a hybrid form of Indian Classical dance and interactive technology.
