URVASI aT EVERGREEN

Orissi Dance of the Yogini: Press Release

On November 9 and 10, at 8 p.m., the Evergreen Performing and Media Arts presents the Urvasi Dance Company in "Orissi: Dance of the Yogini," in the Recital Hall, Communications Building.

Orissi dance at Evergreen has gained international fame, featured in the Doordarshan TV news, "Good Morning India," broadcast nationally from New Delhi, India, on June 3, 2000, and in several newspapers: the New Indian Express, Orissa, India, the Asian Age, the Indian Express (both national newspapers in India), India West (US), and the Vancouver Sun, Canada. Dancers have been invited to perform at the International Odissi Dance Festival, "Sraddhanjali," at the Habitat Center in New Delhi, December 17-19, 2001.

The upcoming performance includes new solos by the company’s artistic director, Dr. Ratna Roy, and dances by the prestigious Indo-Shastri award winner and featured young Orissi dancer from North America, Gargy Banerjee, two young upcoming dancers, Scheherazaad Cooper and Sitara Thobani, as well as Evergreen students and alumni, Frank Casey and Jamie Lynn Colley.

The second half of the performance will also feature Evergreen’s own Indian music ensemble: John Merrell on mardala, John Abrahams on tabla, Forest Stone on sitar, Jamie Lynn Colley and C. J. Hanekamp as vocalists, and Ana Aguinaga on manjira.

New choreography include "Manjushri," the Bodhisatva of Wisdom, "Ahe Nila Saila," an expressional dance to a song by Orissa’s own Muslim poet, Salabega, Kali tandava, and two new pure pallavi dances. The Panchakanya item in this performance will be "Tara," from the epic, Ramayana.

Tickets, $8 general, and $5, students, are available at the TESC Bookstore, Rainy Day Records, Orca Books, and at the door. For more information, please contact the artistic director, Ratna Roy, at (360) 867-6469 or C. J. Hanekamp at (360) 866-4811.


ORISSI: DANCE OF THE YOGINI: November 9-10, Recital Hall, Communications Building: 8 p.m.

Orissa, the home of Lord Jagannatha, the target of the English Empire’s Victorian morality, was the birthplace of Mahayana and Tantric Buddhism, Bhakti cult in Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Goddess worship (Tantrism). Lord Jagannatha, the black God, is himself a tribal deity. His temple is casteless, and everyday the worship is conducted by priests of tribal origin as well as by a Vaishnavite, Shaivite, and Tantric priest. Every morning when the "dasavatara" song is sung in the temple, Lord Jagannatha is hailed as the Buddha, recognizing Buddhism and embracing it. During the famous cart-festival that brought the term "juggernaut" into the English dictionary, Lord Jagannatha’s chariot rests at the Muslim cemetery for the night to pay respect to Salabega, the Muslim poet who will be featured in one of the dance numbers. At this time of religious isolationism, we decided to present this performance that respects all religions and embraces all faiths, all peoples, celebrates each of our uniqueness.

The performance this year includes dancers from the Indian community as well as students and alumni. The new dances include: Manjushri, the dance of the Bodhisatva of Wisdom, who came from China and founded Nepal; "Ahe Nila Saila," an expressional dance to the song written by a Muslim poet, Salabega; Kali tandava, celebrating the power of Kali, as representing life, death, and rebirth, the one who is beautiful because She is powerful; Tara, the wife of Bali in the Ramayana who challenged Rama, the God-King (a story that is reflected in our present crisis, that tells of the plight of women during war); and a new pallavi. "Batu," our signature dance, will include live music this year, with 6 musicians and 4 dancers.

Tickets, $8 general, and $5, students, are available at the TESC Bookstore, Rainy Day Records, Orca Books, and at the door. For more information, please contact the artistic director, Ratna Roy, at (360) 867-6469 or C. J. Hanekamp at (360) 866-4811.

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For more information send e-mail inquiries to
david@urvasidance.com