Sacred Earth is Piece of Heaven
September 25, 2011
by Caroline Palmer
The Cowles Center’s inaugural season opened Friday night with Ragamala Dance’s “Sacred Earth,” a work that taps into the infinite pulse of life. While the world premiere showcases the troupe’s total commitment to the Indian dance form Bharatanatyam, it’s also a fine example of what magic can happen when movement, visual artistry and music exist in close harmony with one another on stage.
Choreographed by co-artistic directors Ranee Ramaswamy and Aparna Ramaswamy, “Sacred Earth” draws upon mythology describing the relationship between nature and the divine. Poetry from India’s ancient Sangam era adds themes that underscore the connections among the world’s sweeping wonders and the more intimate adventures of love. Projections of indigenous Warli images created by Anil Chaitya Vangad portray the simple beauty of everything from leaves of grass to a rolling river, flocks of birds and a bustling village scene. From beginning to end, the work generates bonds that tie humanity to something far more powerful and eternal than itself — the universe.
Dancers Bria Borcherding, Amanda Dlouhy, Jessica Fiala, Tamara Nadel and Ashwini Ramaswamy launch the evening with a ritual. As they walk slowly, white rice flour drifts from their hands, referencing floor designs (kolams) drawn each morning to designate sacred space. They move with the deliberateness of devotees who spare no thought for the confines of schedules. Eventually they emerge from the near darkness into a brighter and more kinetic place courtesy of lighting designer Jeff Bartlett’s cinematic touch.
Ranee Ramaswamy appears as a powerful yet benign goddess. Small yet authoritative actions suggest her role as a celestial architect charged with bringing heaven and Earth into alignment. Aparna Ramaswamy, on the other hand, is expansive in her embodiment of the lover whose journeys between the realms are fueled by impossibly fast movements encompassing every aspect of her physical being, especially her expressive eyes. Her dancing crackles and explodes like a fireworks display.
Soaring vocals from Lalit Subramanian combined with Rajna Swaminathan’s fiery drumming and Anjna Swaminathan’s lilting violin propel “Sacred Earth” on its emotionally stirring journey from contemplation to celebration. And as the work draws to a close (with the image of a tree of life) there is a sense of vastness, but also a certainty that we all have a place within it.
