The 6th St. Louis Dance Festival presented by
Soorya Performing Arts raised its curtain on 11th April 2014 at Clayton
High School Auditorium, #1 Mark Twain Circle, St. Louis, MO 63105, United
States. The festival is focused on promoting Indian classical and folk dances
and artists outside the nation. The three day dance festival showcases Bharatanatyam,
Mohiniyattam, Kathak, Kuchippudi and various folk forms of India like Bhangra,
Parai Dance, Kolata etc.
On 11 April, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Kathak by Anuradha
Naimpally, Dr Saraswathi Rajathesh and Shila Mehta were performed respectively.
Kittappa Pillai and Guru Narmada, the masters of Indian classical dance - Bharatanatyam,
were remembered on the first day.
The second day, 12 April 2014, will begin with the Sacred
Chants by students of Guru
Seema Kasthuri at 05.15pm. Students of Guru Prasanna Kasthuri will present the
inaugural dance. Maargam by Kaushi Subramanyam & Troupe from San Antonio,
TX; JIVA by Indique & Troupe,Dallas,
TX and Bahaar by Kathak Rhythms from Dallas, TX will follow. The great
Kuchipudi Guru, Vempati Chinna Sathyam will
be remembered on the day by Sujatha
Vinjamuri. Dr. Kamala Reddy (Pittsburgh), Shobha Natarajan (Chicago), Sasikala
Penumarthi(Atlanta) and Revathi Komanduri (Atlanta) will perform the dance
production ‘In memory of Master’ honouring Late Guru, Vempati Chinna Sathyam.
The third and final day of the festival commences at 01.30pm.
The introductory prayer, Sacred Chants Music, by Students of Seema Kasthuri
will be succeeded by Dances of Shiva (Students of Guru Prasanna Kasthuri, St.
Louis, MO) and Parabrahmam Shivam ( Janaki Nair & Group,Chicago, IL). Kalamandalam
Krishnan Nair, the Kathakali maestro and Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma, the
Mohiniyattam Guru will be remembered on this day, by Smitha Rajan and Senior
disciples of Kalyanikutty Amma (St. Louis, MO) by presenting Mohiniyattam. The
grand Finale in Bharathanatyam - Kathak-Mohiniattam-Kuchipudi, Sakshi will be
performed thereafter by Manisha Dongre, Radhika Acharya, Sandhya Sree Athmakuri
and Asha Subramanian (Detroit, MI).
Folk dances of India, Parai Dance by Tamil Sangham, Kolata
by Sangama Kannada Sangha, Ghoomar & Bhavai by Neelima Bhaavsara and
Friends, Bihu Dance by Janapada Folk Theater ,
Raas Garbha by St. Louis University Raas Garbha Team and Bhangra by Washington
University Bhangra Team, will also be presented on the concluding day, 13 April
2014.
Details & Courtesy: www.sooryadance.com