At Chandler:

Ragmala Music & Dance Theater

Takes a Journey Through Time

The Ragamala Music and Dance Theater will take audiences on a journey through time Friday, Jan. 12 beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Randolph’s Chandler Music Hall. The troupe will present the classical dance style from Southern India, along with music, drumming, poetry and singing. This is an opportunity for the kind of cultural exposure not often found in Central Vermont.

One of the most popular of Ragamala’s offerings, "From Temple to Theater," is a production presenting Bharatanatyam, the ancient classical dance of India, and highlights the company’s stunning contemporary collaborations. It is set to diverse musical influences, from the soulful classical music of India to the thundering Taiko drums of Japan. Also featured are stirring original poetry and the a cappella vocalizations of Zap Mama.

In India, dance has been used both as a vehicle of worship and as an expression of profound emotion. The origins of Indian dance are shrouded in the mist of antiquity. A bronze figurine of a dancing girl was discovered in the 4,000-year-old ruin of Mohenjodaro and is the world’s earliest evidence of dance.

Bharanatyam is an ancient classical dance style, originally performed in the Hindu temples of Tamil Nadu, in southern India. It is one of the oldest and most comprehensive dance systems in the world, having an unbroken tradition that goes back 2,000 years.

Bharatan is devotional in spirit yet possesses a highly stylized and sophisticated technique. Graceful movements, soulful music and evocative expression contribute in equal measures. The style is a blend of two distinct components: nritta, or abstract dance, utilizes a vocabulary of classical steps to create complex rhythmic patters; and nritya, or expressive dance, utilizes the language of gesture to interpret various themes from Hindu mythology. Most of the themes are of love and devotion.

Ragamala’s work provides a bridge between cultures, both ancient and modern, exploring a unique style of living poetry for the stage. Old forms of classical Indian dance are used in new ways to retain the past, enhance the present and inspire the future.

Reserved seat tickets can be ordered by calling the Chandler Box Office at 728-6464 or online at tickets@chandler-arts.org. This performance is presented by Chandler Center for the Arts and sponsored by Northfield Savings Bank and Vermont Castings.

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