STL Indian Dance Festival -2010

Soorya Performing Arts, a non-profit organization devoted Indian Performing arts - presented St. Louis Indian Dance Festival on April 16, 17, 18 2010 in Saint Louis. Soorya Performing Arts is a pioneer organization bringing awareness of century old Indian Classical dance and music to St. Louis region through its training, performances. It presented the first time ever a complete Indian classical dance festival to be held in the greater metropolitan area of St. Louis in 2008.

St. Louis Indian Dance festival highlights the art forms nurtured and developed by original Indian artists from India and  immigrant Indian population to United States of America. Apart from many visiting great artists from India, more than half of the artists are from USA who has developed interest in preserving their culture and tradition. This is the first time dance styles such as Bharathanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Mohini Attam, Nattuvangam, Indian Contemporary and Indian modern dances are performed on one single platform. These classical dance styles are as old as Indian tradition and practiced even today and making them the original art forms of Indian Subcontinent.

Soorya Performing Arts (SPA), an organization devoted to creating innovative performances of the Indian classical dances with emphasis on access, community and audience development. Prasanna Kasthuri, founder/artistic director of Soorya Performing Arts is excited about celebrating SPA’s 5th anniversary in such a fulfilling way. Prasanna is fondly referred to as Guruji for his superb teaching and performing of two Indian dance styles – Kathak and Bharathanatyam.

St. Louis Indian Dance Festival - 2010 - Schedule

Friday - April 16 2010 - Evening
Venue: Clayton High School, #1 Mark Twain Circle, St. Louis, MO 63105
- 6:30 PM - Inaguration - Lighting of Dance Lamp -
- 6:40 PM - 15 minutes - Soorya Dance Company - Inaugural Dances - 
- 7:00 PM - 15 minutes - Dances of India - Bharathanatyam
- 7:15 PM - 45 minutes - Suryanarayana Murthy - Bharathanatyam - 
- 8:00 PM - 45 minutes - Kathak Nrityakala Kendra - Group Kathak show - www.asfkathak.com

Saturday - April 17 2010 Morning
Venue: All that Dancing, Crestwood Court, Crestwood MO 63126
(Just East of Escalator Between Sears and old Dillards) - (Formerly American Eagle in Crestwood Plaza)
- 9:30 AM - 60 minutes - Workshop 1 - Odissi Workshop by Guru Aditi Bandhopadhyay
- 10:30 AM - 60 minutes - Workshop 2 - Mohini Attam Workshop by Guru Smitha Rajan
- 11:30 AM - 60 minutes - Workshop 3 - Constructing Dance in Bharathanatyam by Guru Prasanna Kasthuri

Saturday - April 17 2010 Evening
Venue: Clayton High School, #1 Mark Twain Circle, St. Louis, MO 63105
- 5:00 PM - 40 minutes - Kuchipudi Kalanidhi - Group Kuchipudi
- 5:45 PM - 40 minutes - Yamini Saripalli - Kuchipudi
- 6:30 PM - 55 minutes - Navarasa Dance Theater - Group Experimental
- 7:30 PM - 40 minutes - Madhumita Roy - Solo Kathak
- 8:15 PM - 60 minutes - Pampa Dance Academy - Group Bharathanatyam

Sunday - April 18 2010 Morning
Venue: All that Dancing, Crestwood Court, Crestwood MO 63126 -
(Just East of Escalator Between Sears and old Dillards) - (Formerly American Eagle in Crestwood Plaza)
- 9:30 AM - 60 minutes - Workshop 4 - Kalaripayattu - Martial Dances Workshop by Navarasa Dance Theater
- 10:30 AM - 60 minutes - Workshop 5 - Kathak - Abhinaya by Guru Madhumitha Roy
- 11:30 AM - 60 minutes - Workshop 6 - Bharathanatyam - workshop - by Guru Suryanarayana Murthy

Sunday - April 18 2010
Evening Venue: Clayton High School, #1 Mark Twain Circle, St. Louis, MO 63105
- 3:00 PM - 25 minutes - Nrithya School of Dance - Bharathanatyam - Group
- 3:30 PM - 10 minutes - Kolata - Sangama - Kannada Association
- 3:45 PM - 40 minutes - Indique - Bharathanatyam
- 4:30 PM - 15 minutes- Yakshagana Kala Vrinda - Yakshagana -
- 4:45 PM - 15 minutes - Nartan - Raas - Gujarati Folk Dance -
- 5:00 PM - 40 minutes - Smitha Rajan - Solo Mohiniattam
- 5:45 PM - 15 minutes - Coffee Break
- 6:00 PM - 75 minutes - Fanaa - Group Dance drama
- 7:30 PM - 20 minutes - Award Ceremony - Felicitation

Workshop Information
Eligibility: Any one who is interested to know different dance styles of India are welcome.
Workshops are $25 per session OR $75 for all six sessions
Send an email at info@sooryadance.com and register
Please include your name, address, Phone and email address and best time to contact, when you register
Full payment of workshop fee is needed in advance
Register Before: April 10th 2010 and get your spot confirmed

Press Release

Reviews:

http://www.stlbeacon.org/content/view/101740/72/
http://www.iastl.org/events/event.php?id=43
India Tribune
St. Louis Post Dispatch