res o u rc e g ui de 2012-2013
Ragamala
Dance
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
11 am – 12 Noon
Power Center
School Day Performance
UMS Yo uth
Ed ucation Prog ram
TA BL E
OF CO NT ENT S
04
ATTENDING THE PERFORMANCE
05 Being an Audience Member
06 The Details
08 Venue
10 Maps and Directions
1 1 Accessibility
12
THE ARTISTS
13 Ragamala Dance
14 Interview with Founder Ranee Ramaswamy
16 Company Members
20
Cultural context: India
21 Bharatnatyam
22 South Indian Arts Overview
24 Costumes + Make-Up
25 Gestures
26
ON STAGE
27 Sacred Earth
28 Visual Art
30
Bibliography
32
UMS: BE PRESENT
33 About UMS
34 Thank You!
ATT END I NG
T HE
PERFO RM ANC E
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At t e n din g The Preformance
BEING AN
AUD I ENCE M E M B E R
When preparing students for a live performing arts event, it is important to address the concept of “concert
etiquette.” Aside from helping prevent disruptive behavior, a discussion of concert etiquette can also help
students fully enjoy the unique and exciting live performance experience. The following considerations are
listed to promote an ideal environment for all audience members.
Your Surroundings
• Concert halls and performing arts venues are some of the
most grand and beautiful buildings you might ever visit, so be
sure to look around while you follow an usher to your group’s
seats or once you are in your seat.
• UMS Ushers will be stationed throughout the building and
are identifiable by their big name badges. They are there
to help you be as comfortable as possible and if you have
a question (about the performance, about where to go, or
about what something is), please ask them, and don’t feel
shy, embarrassed, or hesitant in doing so.
Sharing the Performance HaLl with Other
Audience Members
• As an audience member, you are also part of the
performance. Any enthusiasm you might have for the
performance may make the performers perform better. So, if
you like what you are seeing make sure they know it! Maybe
clap, hoot and holler, or stand up and cheer. However, when
expressing your own personal enjoyment of the performance,
consider whether your fellow audience members will be able
to see or hear what’s happening on stage or whether they will
miss something because of the sound and movement you are
making. Given this consideration, it’s often best to wait until a
pause in the performance (a pause of sound, movement, or
energy) or to wait until the performer(s) bow to the audience
to share your enthusiasm with them.
• Out of respect for the performer(s), if you do not like some
part of the performance, please do not boo or shout anything
• Consider whether any talking you do during the performance
derogatory. Remember, a lot of hard work went in to creating
will prevent your seat neighbors or other audience members
the performance you are watching and it takes great courage
from hearing. Often in large rock concerts or in movie
for the performer to share his or her art with you.
theaters, the sound is turned up so loud that you can talk
and not disturb anyone’s listening experience. However,
in other concerts and live theater experiences, the sound
is unamplified (or just quiet), and the smallest noise could
cause your seat neighbor to miss an important line of
dialogue or musical phrase. Movements or lights (from cell
phones) may also distract your audience neighbors’ attention
away from the stage, again, causing them to miss important
action...and there’s no instant replay in live performance!
Share your Experience with Others
• An important part of any performing arts experience is
sharing it with others. This can include whispering to your
seat neighbor during the performance, talking to your friends
about what you liked and didn’t like on the bus back to
school, or telling your family about the performance when
you get home.
• At a performance, you are sharing the physical components
of the performance space with other audience members. So,
room in such a way that both you and your seat neighbors
are comfortable.
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consider whether you are sharing the arm rest and the leg
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T HE
D ETA I L S
VENUE
Power Center, 121 Fletcher St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109
TICKETS
We do not use paper tickets for School Day Performances. We hold school reservations at the door and
seat groups upon arrival.
A RRIVA L TI M E
Please arrive at the Power Center between 10:30-10:50am to allow you time to get seated and comfortable
before the show starts.
SE ATING & USHERS
When you arrive at the auditorium, tell the Head Usher at the door the name of your school group and he/she
will have ushers escort you to your block of seats. All UMS School Day Performance ushers wear large, blue
laminated badges with their names in white letters.
BEFORE THE STA RT
Please allow the usher to seat individuals in your group in the order that they arrive in the auditorium. Once
everyone is seated you may then rearrange yourselves and escort students to the bathrooms before the
performance starts. PLEASE spread the adults throughout the group of students.
DURING THE PERFORMANCE
At the start of the performance, the lights wIll dim and an onstage UMS staff member will welcome you to the
performance and provide important logistical information. If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints
(for instance, about your comfort or the behavior of surrounding groups) please IMMEDIATELY report the
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situation to an usher or staff member in the lobby.
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PERFORM A NCE LENGTH
One hour with no intermission.
At t e n din g The Preformance
A F TER THE PERFORMANCE
When the performance ends, remain seated. A UMS staff member will come to the stage and release each
group individually based on the location of your seats.
BUS PICK UP
When your group is released, please exit the performance hall through the same door you entered. A UMS
School Day Performance staff member will be outside to direct you to your bus.
LOST STUDENTS
A small army of volunteers staff School Day Performances and will be ready to help or direct lost and
wandering students.
LOST ITEM S
If someone in your group loses an item at the performance, contact the UMS Youth Education Program
(umsyouth@umich.edu) to attempt to help recover the item.
SENDING F EEDBACK
We LOVE feedback from students, so after the performance please send us any letters, artwork, or academic
papers that your students create in response to the performance: UMS Youth Education Program, 881 N.
University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1011.
NO FOOD
No food or drink is allowed in the theater.
PATIENCE
Thank you in advance for your patience; in 20 minutes we aim to get 1,000 people from buses into seats and
will work as efficiently as possible to make that happen.
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VEN U E:
POWER CENT E R
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POWER CENTER
The Power Center for the Performing Arts grew out of a realization that the University
121 Fletcher St
of Michigan had no adequate proscenium-stage theater for the performing arts. Hill
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Auditorium was too massive and technically limited for most productions and the
Emergency
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre was too small. The Power Center was built to supply this
Contact Number:
missing link in design and seating capacity.
734.764.2538
Call this number to reach
a UMS staff person or
In 1963, Eugene and Sadye Power, together with their son Philip, wished to make
a major gift to the University. The Powers were immediately interested in supporting
audience member at the
the University’s desire to build a new theater, realizing that state and federal
performance.
governments were unlikely to provide financial support for the construction of
a theater.
Opening in 1971, the Power Center achieved the seemingly contradictory
combination of providing a soaring interior space with a unique level of intimacy.
level to the balcony and the well known mirrored glass panels on the exterior. The
lobby of the Power Center presently features two hand-woven tapestries: Modern
Tapestry by Roy Lichtenstein and Volutes (Arabesque) by Pablo Picasso. The Power
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Center seats approximately 1,300 people.
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Architectural features include two large spiral staircases leading from the orchestra
At t e n din g The Preformance
MA PS +
D IRECT I O NS
121 Fletcher St., Ann Arbor, 48109
B u ss ing / Tr an s po rtat i o n Directions
Ragamala Dance
School Day
Performance
Drop-Off Zone is on the East side of Fletcher from Huron to University. If no space
is available in the Drop-Off Zone, circle the block (see above) until space becomes
available. Please arrive between 10:30am-10:50am.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
11:00am-12:00pm
Power Center and Mall Bus Parking driving directions on the next page.
Power Center
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The best visitor parking: Palmer Dr. Parking Structure behind Power Center: $1.10/hr
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Need Day-of Help?
Call Omari on his cell phone: 734-730-9202.
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MA PS +
D IRECT I O NS
From I-94:
From US-23 South
Take State Street Exit 177. Head north. Continue on State Street
Take US-23 North to the Washtenaw Exit and go West (towards
approximately 2 miles to the main campus area. From State,
Ann Arbor) on Washtenaw. Take Washtenaw to Observatory and
turn right on N. University. From N. University, turn Left onto
turn left. Observatory becomes N. University. From N. University,
Fletcher, where you can drop-off your students on the right.
turn Right onto Fletcher, where you can drop your students off
on the right, as shown on the map.
From US-23 North
Take US-23 South to M-14 West. Take Downtown Ann Arbor exit
From I-96 East (& US-23)
(exit 3) which puts you on Main Street. From Main Street, turn
Take I-96 East to US-23 South. Follow the directions from
left on Huron St. Turn right on State. Turn Left on N. University.
US-23 South.
From N. University, turn Left onto Fletcher, where you can drop
your students off on the right, as shown on the map.
From I-96 West (& M-14)
Take I-96 to M-14 West. Take Downtown Ann Arbor exit (exit 3)
which puts you on Main Street. From Main Street, turn left on
Huron St. Turn right on State. Turn Left on N. University. From
N. University, turn Left onto Fletcher, where you can drop your
students off on the right, as shown on the map.
Accessibilit y
The following services are available
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY
to audience members:
The Power Center is wheelchair accessible and has 12 seats for
• Wheelchair, companion, or other special seating
audience members with special needs.
• Courtesy wheelchairs
• Hearing Impaired Support Systems
BATHROOMS ADA
Compliant toilets are available in the green room (east corner)
PARKING
of the Power Center for both men and women.
There is handicapped parking very close to the Power Center on
Fletcher Street and in the parking structure behind the Power
ENTRY
Center on Palmer Drive. The first three levels of the Palmer
The front doors are not powered; however, there will be an
Drive structure have 5 parking spots on each level next to each
usher at that door opening it for all patrons.
elevator. There are a total of 15 parking spaces in the garage.
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T HE
ART IST S
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More from Ranee and Aparna!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Eclm1u5gKkM
T he Art is t
Rag a mala
Dance
Ragamala Dance is a dance company of international
acclaim based in Minneapolis, Minn. that explores the full
dimensions of Bharatnatyam dance, the ancient classical
Indian dance form. They infuse their performances
of the ancient art form with contemporary ideas and
social themes. The company includes dancers and
musicians and they often collaborate with composers,
choreographers, poets, playwrights, and artists.
The name ‘Ragamala’ is derived from the terms “raga”
meaning tune and “mala” meaning garland.
Our work re-frames the cultural specificity of Bharatanatyam, bringing the eloquence of
the form to universal themes in order to move beyond the personal and spark a global
conversation. It is this focus that allows our work to transcend barriers of culture, ethnicity,
nationality and geography and speak to a broad audience.
With each project, we aim to find a new way to answer the question of what it means to
be a 21st century American choreographer working within a classical, Indian tradition. In an
era in which innovation is so often seen as a rejection of the past, we are committed to the
philosophy that it is vital to retain roots in our collective history while reaching into the future.
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—Ranee Ramaswamy and Aparna Ramaswamy
Co-Artistic Directors
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T he Art is t
IN T ERVI EW
WITH Fo unde r
Ranee Ramas wa m y
Bharatnatyam is not
about gesture, it’s
about the entire
experience. The more
involved the artist,
the more beautiful
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the expression is.
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T he Art is t
In your opinion, what is Ragamala?
It is an American dance company that shows old forms of dance in new ways. It uses stories
from mythology, philosophy, even using the idea of Japanese Guardians interacting with
Hindu Gods. Ragamala takes ideas and puts it on a contemporary stage.
How do you live up to your mission statement, especially the phrase: “[being]
committed to the philosophy that it is vital to retain roots in our collective
history while reaching into the future”?
One-hundred percent, we never breakaway from that, no matter what. The art form of
Warli painting is depicted without changing paintings. Kolams are treated the same way, as
well. The performance is being performed by dancers born and raised in the US, but the
technique learned from our teacher is always there. We keep the integrity of Bharatnatyam
and these art forms.
Describe your early years of learning Bharatnatyam.
I was so eager to take what my teacher gave me; my desire to learn was so much. While my
peers would learn three steps, I would learn five. I loved the challenge of learning and, taking
it as a challenge, it becomes more interesting to learn.
What is one important thing to know about Bharatnatyam?
Everyone thinks that Bharatnatyam is about understanding hand gestures. Bharatnatyam is
not about gesture, it’s about the entire experience. The more involved the artist, the more
beautiful the expression is. The most important part of Bharatnatyam is the way the dancers
communicate with an audience.
Why did you choose the environment as the focus of your piece?
The concept of taking care of the Earth is new in Western culture, but in India it has been a
long standing tradition. Even when you walk the streets in India, they say you should walk
lightly or Bhumadevi (the Goddess of the Earth) will awake. There must be awareness that the
Earth is not just given to you but it is a privilege. For thousands of years people have said the
Earth was important, and we have to take care of what has been given to us.
Portrait of
Ranee Ramazwamy
Photo Credit,
McKnight Fund
How do you feel when you perform Sacred Earth?
It is almost like a religion to me, there is a deep spirituality in it. The music is beautiful, as is
the whole idea of the dance. We feel very present and while we all may be dancing the same
basic moves, through study with our masterful teacher, we are able to bring out our individual
personality while dancing too.
floor designs in Sacred Earth?
I started making Kolams when I was five years old for the Goddess of Prosperity. Not many
know about the idea of Kolams. It’s a way of giving back. Similarly, Warli people live at one
with nature; everything is included from ants to lions.
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What were the motivations behind including Warli wall painting and Kolam
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T he Art is t
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COMPANY
ME M B ER S
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Aparna
Ramaswamy
ranee
Ramaswamy
tamara
Nadel
Amanda
Dlouhy
Jessica
Fiala
Ashwini
Ramaswamy
David
Rissager
Rajna
Swaminathan
Anjna
Swaminathan
Lilit
Subramaniam
T he Art is t
COMPANY
ME M B ER S
A pa rna Ramaswamy
Co-Artistic Director
Choreographer
Principal Dancer
Born in India and raised in the U.S., Aparna Ramaswamy
is a protégé of legendary Bharatanatyam artist Alarmél
Valli, one of India’s greatest living masters. Described as
“a marvel of buoyant agility and sculptural clarity” (Dance
Magazine), “thrillingly three-dimensional,” and “an
enchantingly beautiful dancer,” (The New York Times), She
has been awarded several honors, Aparna currently serves
on the Board of Trustees of Dance USA. She has a B.A. in
International Relations from Carleton College.
Ra nee Ramaswamy
Founder
Co-Artistic Director
Choreographer
Principal Dancer
Ranee Ramaswamy has been a master teacher and
performer of Bharatanatyam since 1978. Since founding
Ragamala in 1992, she has worked with celebrated artists
such as poet Robert Bly, jazz musician Howard Levy,
legendary composer/violinist Dr. L. Subramaniam (India),
the Çudamani ensemble (Indonesia), and Wadaiko
Ensemble Tokara (Japan). Among her many grants and
fellowships are 13 McKnight Artist Fellowships, a Bush
Fellowship, and an Artist Exploration Fund grant from Arts
International. Most recently, Ranee has been chosen as the
also just recently been nominated to the National Council
on the Arts by President Obama.
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McKnight Foundation Distinguished Artist for 2011. She has
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T he Art is t
COMPANY
ME M B ER S
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Tamara Na d el
Jessi c a F i a la
Dancer
Dancer
A disciple of Ranee and Aparna Ramaswamy, Tamara Nadel has
Jessica Fiala has been performing with Ragamala since 2006
been performing, touring, and teaching with Ragamala since
and has toured with the company throughout the U.S. and
1994. She has toured extensively with the company, performing
to India and the U.K. She has also performed locally with
throughout the U.S. and in Russia, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia,
Kaleena Miller and Vanessa Voskuil. Jessica completed a
India, and the U.K. Tamara recently began studying Carnatic
master’s degree in liberal studies with a focus in museum
music under Lalit Subramanian. She also serves as Ragamala’s
studies at the University of Minnesota in 2008. This fall
Development & Outreach Director, and has a degree in Religious
Jessica is leaving a position as Registrar and Membership
Studies and Dance from Macalester College.
Coordinator at the Alliance Française to join Forecast Public
Art as their new Artist Services Program Assistant.
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A man da Dlouh y
Dancer
Amanda was introduced to Bharatanatyam by Ranee
Ashwini Ramaswamy has studied Bharatanatyam with
Ragamala’s Artistic Directors Ranee Ramaswamy and Aparna
Ramaswamy—her mother and sister—since the age of five and
has toured extensively with Ragamala, performing throughout
the U.S. and in Russia, Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan, the U.K, and
India. Ashwini is Ragamala’s Director of Publicity & Marketing
and also works as a freelance publicist for the publishing
company The Penguin Group in New York. She holds a degree in
English Literature from Carleton College and currently sits on the
board of Arts Midwest.
been touring with Ragamala Dance since 2005, performing
throughout the U.S. as well as in India, Indonesia, and the U.K.,
and she also teaches in the Ragamala School. She is a graduate
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of the University of Minnesota in history and currently works as
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A sh w i ni Ramaswamy
Dancer
Ramaswamy and Aparna Ramaswamy in 2004. She has
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Program Assistant at Nonprofits Assistance Fund in Minneapolis.
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COMPANY
ME M B ER S
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David Rissager
Anjna Swaminathan
Technical Director
Violinist
David Riisager is a freelance lighting designer. He has designed
lights for several of Ragamala’s shows in the Twin Cities and on
tour throughout the country. He also works for The Children’s
Theater Company (Minneapolis, Minnesota) as Electrician,
Follow Spot Operator, Tour Master Electrician, and Assistant
Lighting Designer. He was Production Manager at The Southern
Theater (Minneapolis, Minnesota) for four years, and currently
designs lights for many small theaters in the Minneapolis area.
Anjna Swaminathan is a disciple of violin maestro Parur Sri
M.S. Gopalakrishnan and Mysore Sri H.K. Narasimhamurthy.
She performs solo violin concerts and provides violin
accompaniment for music and dance performances. She has
also studied Western violin and Bharatanatyam. In 2009,
Anjna received a Master/Apprentice award from the Maryland
State Arts Council to study songs that are unique to dance
performances with her mother, vocalist Lalitha Swaminathan.
Anjna has provided accompaniment for dance productions
with companies such as Ragamala Dance and The Spilling Ink
Project. In the Summer of 2010, Anjna had her solo concert
debut in India. Anjna is currently a freshman at the University of
Maryland in College Park, majoring in Theatre.
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Rajna Swaminathan
Mridangist
Lali t S u b rama ni am
Rajna Swaminathan is an accomplished artist in the field
of South Indian classical percussion – mridangam. She is a
disciple and protégé of mridangam maestro Umayalpuram
K. Sivaraman. Rajna is one of only a handful of female
mridangam artists in the world. She has accompanied many
renowned musicians widely in the US, Canada, and India. She
has also performed extensively at the December Music Festival
in Chennai. Rajna works with several dancers and performs
lecture demonstrations and workshops at universities
and prominent percussion events, such as Percussive Arts
Society International Convention (PASIC). Rajna has a base in
classical piano and has also learned Bharatanatyam (South
Indian classical dance) for some years. She is currently an
undergraduate student of Cultural Anthropology and French at
the University of Maryland in College Park.
Lalit was born and raised in the city of Pune in the state of
Maharashtra, India. He hails from a family of connoisseurs
of Indian Classical Music, and his parents initiated him into
Carnatic vocal training at a young age. He is currently the disciple
and protégé of Sri Tiruvarur S. Girish, who is the grandson of
Sangeetha Kalanidhi Smt. T. Brinda and the torch bearer of the
very unique bani of Veena Dhanammal. He also periodically
receives instruction from Sri Neyveli R. Santhanagopalan.
He received his initial vocal training from Smt. Rajalakshmi
Pichumani, a renowned violinist, vocalist, and Bharatanatyam
instructor. He has also undergone extensive training in
Hindustani Classical Music training under Pandit Shekhar
Kumbhojkar, who is a disciple of Pandit Jitendra Abhishekhi.
Vocalist
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CULT URAL
CONT EX T:
IN D IA
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C u lt u r al Con text: Indi a
BHAR AT NAT YA M
b h ava | raga | ta la | n a tya
B haratnatyam is der ived from th e fo l lowin g San sk rit wo rds:
bhava
mood & emotion
+
raga
tune
+
tala
beat
+
natya
drama
The Bharatnatyam style originated in South India in the Tamilnadu region and is part of the wider
Natyashastra dance style. The Natyashastra is the overarching umbrella from which originated all other
classical Indian dance forms:
Oddissi, Kathakali, Kathak, Manipuli, Kuchipudi, Mohiniyattam, Bharatnatyam, and Sattriya.
Bharatnatyam began as a dance in the Hindu tradition and over the years has moved past just being a
movement connected to religious ritual, into courts and performance spaces. Ragamala Dance has been
part of a Bharatnatyam revivalist movement in the US and has actively worked to explore the full range of
expressiveness in the dance form, maintaining the traditions and extending them to interested people who
typically have not been involved in the art form — for instance, men and students of non-south Asian descent.
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C u lt u r al Con text: Indi a
S outh
indian a rts
ove rview
Complex and ancient,
the artisans of this
style have been passing
down their craft
from generation
to generation.
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Although Indians are bound together by their national pride, each respective state in India has not only its
own history but also a distinct array of cultural characteristics. Ragamala Dance reflects south Indian culture
most prominently in its work.
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C u lt u r al Con text: Indi a
Visual Art
Each state in India has its own sense of visual art. For instance, in the state Tamil Nadu, there is
an artistic style known as Tanjore in which Hindu deities are depicted adorned in precious and
semi-precious stones. Complex and ancient, the artisans of this style have been passing down
their craft from generation to generation. These images can span an entire wall or be as small as
a figurine sized idol. Artisans from South India also often just work with precious metals (like gold
and bronze) and stone.
MUSIC
Ragamala Dance incorporates Carnatic music into their performances. Carnatic music originated from
south India mostly as a form of devotional Hindu music. Lyrical elements of Carnatic music (played by
the violinist and vocalist) are called sangeet and the rhythmic elements (played by the mridangam drum)
are called tala. Improvisation plays a significant role in Carnatic music.
Dance
Besides Bharatnatyam, several other dance forms are prominent in South India, including Kathakali,
Mohiniyattam, and Kuchipudi.
Kathakali is a group presentation in which elaborately face-painted dancers take on various character
roles in performances traditionally based on themes from Hindu mythology. Evil folklore characters are
painted green while ascetics and men who are considered good are painted in hues of yellow.
Mohiniyattam is similar to Bharatnatyam stylistically. Though also performed in the temples by
priestesses, Mohiniyattam is based on love in all its facets – carnal, devotional, and maternal – and has
dancers. Kuchipudi is unique among the Indian classical dance styles and its themes are mostly derived
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been considered a more feminine dance form.
from Hindu scriptures and mythology.
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Kuchipudi technique involves use of fast rhythmic footwork and sculpturesque body movements, hand
gestures and subtle facial expression, as well as more realistic acting and occasional dialogues by the
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C u lt u r al Con text: Indi a
Cost u mes + Mak e- u p
Costumes
Flowers
A classical Indian dance costume reflects the history and
Flowers decorate the hair of a dancer and may be real
tradition of the region from where the dance originated. Tamil
flowers or fake flowers made of soft paper often in colors of
Nadu, the region where Bharatanatyam originated, features
orange and white.
a costume made of colorful silk fabric containing borders
embroidered with fine gold thread. There are two styles of
Make-Up
Bharatanatyam costumes known as the pant-style costume
(pant costume) and the saree costume (skirt costume).
Eyes:
To accentuate and elongate the eyes, a dancer uses black
The pant-style costume includes:
eyeliner and applies it in thick layers around the curves of
Blouse
the eyes.
Davani (wraps around the blouse)
Pants
Pleats (fan-like piece attached to both pants legs)
Cheek bones:
Seat (hugs the pants and the fan at the hip area
To define the facial features, red blush is used to accentuate the
cheeks.
The saree costume includes:
Blouse
Lips:
Davani (wraps around the blouse)
Dark-colored shades of lipstick such as maroon complete the
Skirt
overall facial appearance of the dancer.
Pleats (fan-like piece attached to both pants legs)
Pottu:
Fan (a small fan that is tied around the waist
Dot on the forehead.
Jewelry and Accessories
Painted feet and fingers:
South Indian dance jewelry is called “temple jewelry.”
Red dye known as alta is used to paint the fingertips of the
It is traditionally made of rubies, gold, and pearls.
hands and toes of the feet to resemble henna.
These days, many dancers wear artificial “costume” jewelry.
The red color accentuates the hand gestures and feet
movements of the dancer.
The jewelry includes:
Chutti (head piece)
Sun and Moon (jewels attached on the top of the head on
each side of the chutti)
Necklace
Mattal (jewels attached to the earrings and run over the ears)
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Earrings
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Jimiki (dangling jewels of the earrings)
Mukuthi (side nose ring)
Bullaku (center nose ring)
Bangles (gold bracelets)
C u lt u r al Con text: Indi a
Gest ur es
Navarasas
Navarasas are facial expressions used during traditional Bharatnatyam dances. In Bharatnatyam, rasa is an emotion
experienced by the audience because of a performer’s facial expression and bhava is the emotion portrayed by the
actor, and the combination of the two is called rasa-abhinaya.
Ras a
B hava
Rasa is the emotion expereinced by the audience.
Bhava is the emotion portrayed by the actor/dancer.
Shringar
e rot i c
Raudra
te rr i b le
Bibhatsa
odious
Hasya
Karuna
Rati
Ha sya
humorous
path etic
d e light
Veera
Bhayanaka
Krodh
a nge r
he rois m
Shanta
Jugupsa
Vismaya
heroic
Adbhuta
wondrous
fear fu l
peacefu l
d isgu st
Shoka
la u ghte r
so rrow
Utasha
Bhaya
wo nd e r
fe ar
Calm
p e ace
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Mudras
Hand gestures are important in Bharatnatyam. They are called mudras. In pure dance, hand gestures are used to
complement the body movements. In expressive dance, they are used like sign language to tell a story. There are 28
single-handed gestures and 24 double-handed gestures. Each one can mean many different things, depending on
how it is held around the body, the way the dancer moves, and what facial expressions are used with it.
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ON
S TAG E
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O n Stag e
S acr ed
Earth
Sacred Earth explores the interconnectedness
between human emotions and the environment that
shapes them. Performed with live music, the dancers
create a sacred space to honor the divinity in the
natural world and the sustenance we derive from it.
Inspired by the philosophies behind the ephemeral
arts of kolam and Warli painting and the Tamil
Sangam literature of India, Sacred Earth is Ranee and
Aparna Ramaswamy’s singular vision of the beautiful,
fragile relationship between nature and man.
Each morning, women in southeastern India perform
the silent ritual of kolam, making rice flour designs on
the ground as conscious offerings to Mother Earth.
This daily ritual creates a sacred space and becomes
a link between the intimate home and the vastness of
the outside world.
The indigenous Warli people of western India
revere the land and live in perfect coexistence with
nature. Using their everyday lives as inspiration,
their dynamic wall paintings find the spiritual in the
everyday. For the Tamil Sangam poets of South
India (300 BCE-300 CE), the Earth was sacred.
Recognizing that human activities are interwoven
with all of creation, they drew parallels between inner
and outer landscape and used the natural world
as a metaphor to examine the intricacies of human
emotion.
Currently India, like much of the global community,
is struggling against the poor condition of the
environment, for instance, due to pollution, overpopulation, deforestation, illegal wildlife trade, and
generally a deficit of natural resources.
Many Indian artists have responded to this crisis
through artistic expression, and Ragamala Dance is
doing the same, though it is based in Minneapolis,
Minn., because its roots are deeply vested in Indian
traditions and culture. Sacred Earth has been a
powerful opportunity for the company to beautifully
express the respect we as inhabitants Earth must
show to planet. Before every performance, each
dancer performs the Tatthi Kumudu, essentially
a salute to Mother Earth, God, their Guru, and
the audience. As Sacred Earth builds from silent,
meditative beginnings, the performers create a sacred
space to honor the divinity in the natural world
and the sustenance we derive from it. Reverence
and respect for Mother Earth is a tenant held in the
fundamentals of the Bharatnatyam dance style.
See this t r ailer fo r
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Rag a m ala Dance :
Sacr ed Ea rth
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HvxpPvRCdqk#!
O n Stag e
Visual
ARt
KOLAMS
The Kolam is the Tamil name for the ritual of geometric pattern decoration. Women in southeastern
India are usually the ones who are the most active in the process of creating and maintaining the
kolams, which are created on the front porches of homes as a method to purify the house and its
Draw A KOLAM
http://www.ikolam.com/video-beginners
This kolam art project offers simple and creative ways
for students to express themselves and create geometric
shapes. All you’ll need is some pavement or flat surface,
rice flower, and imagination.
inhabitants, connect the inhabitants to the world outside the house, or signify major events occurring
in the home such as giving birth or coming of age. Kolams can also be a sign of hospitality to travelers
conveying that the doors of the given home are open to those who seek a place to stay or rest.
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(Hospitality is an Indian virtue.)
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A geometrical pattern, the Kolam is constructed often with rice flour by creating series of potta or dots
and then drawing designs around them in teardrop shapes that interconnect. Skilled designers can
actually make intricate flowers that look like hibiscus gardens.
O n Stag e
Visual
Art
Photo Credit
Saritha Rao Rayachoti
Warli Wall Painting
The Warli or warla people used wall paintings to depict daily life. An ancient
tradition that has been kept alive, the images are distinct from other
architectural and artistic endeavors in the Indian subcontinent, because they
do not deal with Hindu mythology, but rather the life of the people in their
tribe. These paintings are still being created today by members of the Warli
tribe and though an ancient art form, can incorporate modern images like
trains and cars.
When created on the inside of huts, the home’s walls are prepared with a
fortified combination of cow dung and red mud. The paint used is made from
rice paste with twigs and rice stalks. Typically, the art is created by women –
like the kolams – and the painting usually spans the entire wall.
The Warli wall paintings, though simplistic in design, actually have a lot to offer
in understanding the Warli people and their own mythology. Their reverence
for the Earth is a theme in many of the wall paintings, and through the
depictions of daily interactions, the wall paintings show the history of how they
have treated the Earth – both the good and bad.
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Bibliog r aph y
www.ums.org
BIBLI O GRAP H Y
“May We Have This CyberDance? Ragamala Dance | New Art, Ancient Vocabulary.”
American Dance Festival. Web. 22 Feb. 2013.
Ragamala Dance Company:
http://www.ragamala.net/the_company
“Best Dance Company 2012: Ragamala Dance.” CityPages.
www.citypages.com/bestof/2012/award/best-dance-company-2455252/
“Raga Mala : Definition of Raga Mala and Synonyms of Raga Mala (English).“
N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2013.
www.dictionary.sensagent.com/raga+mala/en-en/
“President Obama Nominates Ranee Ramaswamy to National Council on the Arts.”
Minnesota Public Radio News. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2013.
www.minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/state-of-the-arts/
archive/2012/07/president-obama-nominates-ranee-ramaswamy-to-national-council-onthe-arts.shtml
“Environmental Problems in India.”
WWF. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2013.
wwf.panda.org/who_we_are/wwf_offices/india/india_environmental_problems/
Kirshan Chatanya. “History of Indian Painting: The Modern Period”
“Bharatanatyam History and Form”
ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation, n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2013.
www.library.thinkquest.org/04oct/01260/history1.html
“Description of Bharatanatyam.”
Dances of India. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2013.
www.rangashree.org/bharatanatyam-description.html#dist
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BE
PRESENT
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B e Pr es en t
ABOU T
UMS
One of the oldest performing arts presenters in the country, UMS is committed to connecting audiences with
performing artists from around the world in uncommon and engaging experiences. With a program steeped in
music, dance, and theater, UMS contributes to a vibrant cultural community by presenting approximately 60-75
performances and over 100 free educational activities each season. UMS also commissions new work, sponsors
artist residencies, and organizes collaborative projects with local, national, and international partners.
Learning is core to UMS’s mission, and it is our joy to provide creative learning experiences for our entire
community. Every season, we offer a spectrum of Education and Community Engagement activities focusing on
K-12 students, teachers, teens, university students, families, adults, and cultural and ethnic communities. We
exist to create a spark in each person, young and old alike, exposing them to things they haven’t before seen,
and leaving them with an ongoing and lifelong passion for creativity and the performing arts.
UMS Education and Community Engagement Department
Mailing Address
Staff
100 Burton Memorial Tower
Ken Fischer
881 North University Ave
UMS President
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1011
Director
Emily Barkakati
Mary Roeder
Indira Bhattacharjee
Associate Manager of Community Engagement
Sigal Hemy
Omari Rush
Charlie Reischl
Education Manager
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Interns
Jim Leija
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B e Pr es en t
T HANK
YOU!
Thank you for your interest in learning
about or attending one of our UMS School
Day Performances.
These performances are made possible through the generous support of individuals, corporations, and
foundations, including the following UMS Education and Community Engagement Supporters:
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Bernard and Raquel Agranoff
Barbara A. Anderson and John H. Romani
Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation
Anonymous
Arts at Michigan
Arts Midwest Touring Fund
Association of Performing Arts Presenters
John and Linda Axe
Bank of Ann Arbor
Rachel Bendit and Mark Bernstein
Kathy Benton and Robert Brown
Richard S. Berger
Mary Ellen Brademas
David and Valerie Canter
Center for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Charles Reinhart Company, Realtors,
Nancy Bishop, Associate Broker
Clark Hill PLC
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
Confucius Institute at the University of Michigan
Dallas and Sharon Dort
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Endowment Fund
DTE Energy Foundation
Kenneth and Frances Eisenberg
David and Jo-Anna Featherman
Maxine and Stuart Frankel Foundation
Anne and Paul Glendon
Fred and Barbara Goldberg
Kathy and Tom Goldberg
Drs. Patricia and Stephen Green
Robert and Ann Greenstone
Debbie and Norman Herbert
David and Phyllis Herzig Endowment Fund
Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP
Hooper Hathaway, P.C., Charles W. Borgsdorf
& William Stapleton, attorneys
University of Michigan
JazzNet Endowment
Mark and Janice Kielb
Jean and Arnold Kluge
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Leo and Kathy Legatski
Mardi Gras Fund
Masco Corporation Foundation
Ernest and Adele McCarus
Merrill Lynch
Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs
Michigan Humanities Council
Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C.
THE MOSAIC FOUNDATION [of R. & P. Heydon]
National Endowment for the Arts
NEA Jazz Masters Live
Quincy and Rob Northrup
Lisa A. Payne
PNC Foundation
The Power Foundation
Prudence and Amnon Rosenthal K-12 Education
Endowment Fund
Ren and Susan Snyder
John W. and Gail Ferguson Stout
Stout Systems
Karen and David Stutz
Robert S. and Julia Reyes Taubman
Toyota
UMS Advisory Committee
University of Michigan (U-M) Center for Chinese Studies
U-M Credit Union
U-M Health System
U-M Office of the Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
U-M Office of the Vice President for Research
Wallace Endowment Fund
Max Wicha and Sheila Crowley
R es earc h e d and wri tten by
Edi ted by
Indira Bhattacharjee
Omari Rush
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This Teacher Resource Guide is the product of the UMS Youth Education Program.
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