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Over the past several years, there has been an explosion of local dance companies specializing in South Asian dance. Organizations like SAPAN, Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh, Natyam, Dhoonya, and others are not only presenting the gamut of Indian dance, from the popular Bollywood to traditional forms, but are also looking to break new ground by fusing the classical styles of South Asia and the West. The Tehreema Mitha Dance Company is one such ensemble and is presenting its latest effort to cross boundaries with South Asian American Dance, a show currently running at The Capital Fringe Festival.
Tehreema Mitha (pictured), a Pakistani native who came to the U.S. in 1998, received years of formal training in Bharatanatyam, the classical dance of South India. Purists may object to her goal, which is to combine the classic with the contemporary, but such risk-taking is necessary for artistic innovation. Last night's sparsely attended 50-minute show featured one piece from each genre of classical, contemporary, and a fusion of both. The dancers were expressive, skilled, and well-rehearsed, and though each of the three items had its merits, the classical and classical/contemporary pieces stood out.
The highlight of the evening was the concluding piece, "Face the Day (Uttho jago)," a dance which exemplifies Mitha's genre blending approach. The beginning of the performance is absolutely charming. Using traditional bharatanatyam movement, company members Radha Gholkar and Deepa Ponnappan enact the struggle many of us face to simply get out of bed in the morning. While the music might be a bit cheesy outside of this context, it tried to fuse traditional sounds with a pop-rock groove, and it worked in this setting. Once Mitha enters the stage, the story takes a darker turn, but wisely leaves questions unresolved, forcing the audience to contemplate what it has just seen.
Another strong point was the show's opening performance, which was done entirely in the classical Bharatanatyam style. Set to a complex 21-beat rhythmic cycle, "Igniting (Atish Angaiz)" depicted Fire, one of the four ancient elements. With costumes inspired by sculptures found in the grand temples of South India, the dancers showcased the essence of this particular style, though the piece also challenged convention by setting the South Indian dance to North Indian classical music.
Less successful, however, was Mitha's solo contemporary piece, titled "Running Out of Empty (Khala)." Telling what seemed to be the story of a woman's struggle through life, it culminated with the character committing suicide. While this is a topic certainly worthy of artistic expression, it was difficult to follow and failed to achieve the emotional resonance that such a heavy topic requires. The routine seemed out of context with the other two pieces, though it did provide a showcase for Mitha's athleticism and artistry as a dancer. In another setting, it may be very effective.
South Asian American Dance had only one glaring weak point, one common to many Fringe productions, and that is an inattention to presentation. Between each piece were lengthy moments of silence where technicians set up the stage for the next number. Perhaps some music or other distraction would be appropriate, because these interruptions totally deflated the preceding performance and left no sense of anticipation for the subsequent piece. Despite this, the show has enough strong points that it is worth seeing, especially for those who are interested in dance and, in particular, South Asian dance.
South Asian American Dance is running at The Forum in the Shakespeare Theater, 610 F Street, NW, with performances tonight at 8:30 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday at 5 p.m. Tickets are $15.
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I've always appreciated the posts about South Indian dance. But f.y.i. re: 'Bharatanatyam, the classical dance of South India'. It is not the only classical dance form from that area. Kuchipudi is from another state in South India, Andhra Pradesh. My suggestion would have been changing 'the' to 'a'. I know, I know, minor point but it's annoying when South Indians are just lumped together as one.