Photo: Elizabeth Abraham
LASANDHI DANCE THEATER
Lasandhi Dance Theater was a performance company featuring a dance & music collaboration. Lasandhi performed at New England venues including the Silk Road Gala, Boston, Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center, Cambridge, Holy Cross College, Worcester, the Groundwerx Choreographers Showcase at Carriage House Theater, Providence, ArtBeat, Somerville and Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in Becket, MA.
Photo: Carl Rosenstein
In a dynamic fusion of the ancient and contemporary, dancers merged classical Indian dance and modern choreography, using their classical expertise in Bharat Natyam and Kuchipudi and drawing on their respective movement training: West African dance, Modern dance, Taiko drumming and Kalaripayat (Indian martial art). The dancers choreograph in conjunction with Indian melodic musicians and Japanese and Middle Eastern percussionists. The musicians created compositions based on the nine major moods in Indian dramatic theory, ranging from amazement to anger. Within the music, a lyricist weaves the poetry (in English) of Indian women from varied religions and backgrounds, addressing different themes in the lives of contemporary women in South Asia and the diaspora.
Photo: Laura Wulf
Lasandhi was originally choreographed by Tara Ahmed and Wendy Jehlen with music composed by Elaine Fong, Nandlal Nayak, Suresh Mathur, Durga Krishnan and Ramani Sripada-Vaz. Dancer Sangita Shresthova joined and added additional choreography.