Daniel Phoenix Singh

Every year the Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company mounts its Fall Festival of Indian Arts, a month long multi-disciplinary event which combines the ancient and contemporary by presenting traditional Indian art forms in a modern context. The highlight of the event is a weekend of dance held at the venerable Lincoln Theatre. This year, the performances will take place this coming Saturday and Sunday.

Indian-born festival director Daniel Phoenix Singh received formal training in various modern dance styles and in Bharatanatyam, a classical form originating in South India. He designed the weekend’s performances to follow a specific structure, with Dakshina performing the first half of the program and guest artists from India performing the the second half.

“Each of the guest artists we bring, we bring for a reason,” Singh told DCist. “They have the depth, voice, aesthetic, and culture that they’ve built.”

Singh was also quick to note that a goal of the festival is to broaden the perception of Indian dance through contemporary pieces. His ensemble will premiere a modern dance piece and will also perform a commissioned piece by choreographer Aniruddhan Vasudevan, a frequent collaborator based out of Chennai, India. The song and accompanying dance, done in traditional Bharatanatyam style, contemplate a world free of war and oppression. This open minded approach is a major reason why the company won Metro D.C. Dance Awards for Emerging Group and Excellence in Costume Design.