TRANSGRESSING POWERS: Dance of Desire, Action and Wisdom

Renowned choreographer, dancer, and creator of the unique Shilpanatanam dance style, Dr. Maya Kulkarni, will present two of her works in collaboration with dancers, Bharathi Penneswaran and Ramya Shankaran, on Saturday, October 19, 2024, 6:30 to 8:00pm at the West Windsor Arts. 

Tickets for this event are $35 for non-members and $30 for WWA members – PURCHASE TICKETS HERE 
Tiered seating available on a come first basis.
For accessibility needs, please review our Accessibility Features. You can also reach out to Kay@westwindsorarts.org with questions regarding this event.

Transgressing Powers will dive deep into the connection between dance movement and Tantrik Philosophy, especially the Trika system of thought. Dr Kulkarni will explore how such movements reflect the ever-pulsating universe, or ‘Spunda’ – an idea that is central to all creation and the principle attribute of the Feminine Divine. The dances, first based on Yoga and second on the Spunda Shastra, will bring together the philosophy, movement and the meaning.

Created by Maya Kulkarni, Shilpanatanam, the dance style that structures the two dance presentations, spins off from the Indian classical dramaturgy to create a movement vocabulary better suited to the philosophical themes embedded in the Transgressing Powers.

Aligning breath and movement is one of the goals of Yoga and Wellness. Transgressing Powers is a rare opportunity for dance enthusiasts, of both Indian and Western forms, and yoga and wellness practitioners to understand how dance movement reaches into the heartbeat and breath control practices of yogis who recognize both as the eternal dance of life cycle.

Dr. Maya Kulkarni, a dancer, choreographer, teacher, and commentator, is a highly respected and well-known figure in the Indian dance world with an extensive repertoire deeply rooted in the classical dance genre.  Praised  for her flawless technique and story-telling abilities and hailed as the “Dancer’s Dancer”, Dr. Kulkarni has performed and composed several pieces presented extensively in the US, Europe, and India. More on Maya Kulkarni here.

 Bharathi Penneswaram is the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Aalokam. Penneswaran is an accomplished dancer and choreographer, based in New York City. She specializes in ShilpaNatanam and imbues traditional Indian dance with a boldly energetic perspective.  Aalokam productions meld traditional and contemporary themes to create a unique set of works that combine music, movement, acting, and storytelling. More on Bharathi here.

  Ramya Shankaran’s passion for dance extends into continually deepening her understanding of Bharatanatyam, Mohiniattam and Yoga. Acknowledged for her contributions to scholarly work in Bharatanatyam and as a dancer, Sankaran is the founder director of Adhyaathma LLC, in Plainsboro, NJ, nurturing young dancers in the forms of  Mohiniattam and Bharatanatyam. More on Ramya here.