Saturday, April 29 is World Dance Day. And fittingly, that holiday falls on day two of the ninth annual American Natya Festival. Organized by St. Louis-based Soorya Performing Arts, this weekend’s event will make history: it will be the first time an American festival has gathered together several classical Indian dance companies to perform a program made up exclusively of dance dramas.
“Dance dramas are designed to narrate a complete story using dance, music, song, and enactments,” Guru Prasanna Kasthuri, the festival’s director, says. “These are usually large and very involved presentations with heavy costumes and props, sometimes consisting of large troupes that can run into long hours.”
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Twelve groups representing major cities from coast to coast will present productions with themes spanning across mythology, history, and social issues. The dances will be different classic Indian styles such as Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi, and Mohiniattam.
The primary goal of the festival, Kasthuri adds, “is to focus on showcasing the rich culture of Indian dance forms by providing a platform for both budding and professional dancers.”
In addition to the performances of dance dramas, Soorya Performing Arts is hosting “Natya Idol,” a national-level dance competition for young Indian classical dancers. Competitors in three different age group categories will be performing for gurus to give feedback on their performances; they’ll select a winner based on many elements such as originality, rhythm, and expression.
On Saturday evening, two gurus will receive Lifetime Achievement Awards. According to Kasthuri, these seasoned dancers are being recognized for their lifelong dedication and relentless service towards developing, enriching, and popularizing efforts of Indian dance forms in America. Rathna Kumar has been promoting Indian classical dances since 1967, and Sudha Chandrashekar has been since 1974.
“These two people are the early Indian classical dance propagators in America—we are honoring their contribution of four decades,” Kasthuri says.
The 9th Annual Natya Festival happens April 28-30. All performances are at the Clayton High School Auditorium, 1 Mark Twain Circle. Tickets are $25 and $35. For more information about the festival, visit natya.org.
