Ragamala brings traditional Indian dance to Carver
By Jasmina Wellinghoff – Special to the Express-News
11/11/2010
For years, mother and daughter Ranee and Aparna Ramaswamy traveled to India every winter to study with Alarmel Valli, probably the world’s leading practitioner of the Indian classical dance style Bharatanatyam.
Aparna, who was 8 when she started training with Valli, fell in love with the genre that’s more than 2,000 years old.
“I felt a strong connection to it,” said Aparna, who was born in India but grew up in the United States. “Mother and I were students together and partners in learning and understanding the nuances and intricacies of this complex ancient form. We are still dedicated students of Valli but we also work here to add our own voice to the tradition.”
“Here” is Minneapolis, where the two women are co-artistic directors of Ragamala Dance, which produces original choreographed works using its movement vocabulary.
San Antonians will have a chance to see their critically acclaimed artistry Saturday when Ragamala’s six dancers present the dance drama “Sthree” (“Women” in Sanskrit) at the Carver Community Cultural Center.
Conceived and choreographed by the Ramaswamys, the work is inspired by the first-century Tamil epic poem “The Anklet,” a story of “karma and justice.” At its center is a woman, Kannagi, who remains devoted to her husband, Kovalan, despite his infidelity.
When the repentant Kovalan is later unjustly accused of theft and executed, Kannagi turns into a vengeful fury whose curse brings about the destruction of the city where he was killed. Because of her extreme devotion, however, she is eventually elevated to the status of goddess.
The original 5,270-verse epic was adapted into an 18-page script by writer/director Zaraawar Mistry, who also provides English narration.
In the piece, only Madhavi, Kovalan’s lover, is portrayed throughout by the same performer (Aparna). The other characters are played by two or more dancers.
Set to a commissioned score by Indian violinist L. Subramaniam, the production also features co-composer and vocalist/lyricist Prema Ramamurthy, who specializes in the Southern Indian style called Carnatic music.
