Last night I saw a performance by the incredible Nritygram Dance Ensemble at the Joyce Theatre. I was totally blown away by the virtuosity of the dancers and musicians, and by the joyful expressiveness of the entire performance. This ensemble is actually the repertory company of the Nrityagram dance village, located outside Bangalore, India. The village was founded by the Odissi dancer Protima Gauri Bedi on ten acres of farmland, and is similar to an ancient ashram where gurus imparted technique and philosophy to their disciples. The musicians, dancers, and choreographers live together developing their art and also studying yoga, martial arts, Sanskrit and classical literature. The sense of "wholeness" of the performance reflected the close working relationship of the artists. The dance and music were joined in a way that created something really magical.
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