Ragamala Dance Company is an independent dance company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, at the Center for Performing Arts. It was founded in 1992 by Ranee Ramaswamy and David Whetstone. Ragamala collaborates with national and international artists of various disciplines. They perform locally in Minneapolis and on national tours around the United States, India, Europe, and other locations. Ragamala combines the extensive culture of India with the explorative, creative ethic of the United States.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

History

Ranee Ramaswamy was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, and was raised in the Hindu tradition there.[7] Bharatanatyam is a classical dance form that Hindus believe was given to them by the gods and has been around for 2,000 years. “Bharatanatyam is a stylized dance language,” Ranee stated, “with 28 single-handed and 24 double-handed gestures.”[8] Ragamala combines the ancient dance form of Bharatanatyam with contemporary aesthetics via collaboration.[9] Ranee Ramaswamy trained in the technique's of Bharatanatyam in her home city of Chennai from the ages of 7 to 17. As a young adult, she was able to further her practice within the teachings of Alarmél Valli, which emphasizes rhythm and expression.[1][10][8]

Ragamala's first production was at Great American History Theater with sitarist-composer David Whetstone in January 1994. The performance was structured around stated lines of poetry, and drumming of the tabla, to which Ranee Ramaswamy, Aparana Ramaswamy, and the other dancers performed "ragas" or units of movement related to those lines of poetry. Whetstone read the poetry and explained the dance in that initial performance.[11] Ranee Ramaswamy translated the pure Bharatanatyam dance into something western audiences could more easily appreciate by collaborating with other artists and other art forms, deftly sifting experimental approaches into that ancient dance discipline.[12]

The company assembles funding for specific collaborative works from a variety of sources, including commissions and grants with collaborative partners such as Walker Art Center, Theater Mu, the Miami University Performing Arts Series, Arts Midwest, National Endowment for the Arts, McKnight Foundation, Bush Foundation, General Mills Foundation, Land O'Lakes Foundation, and others.[3][13][10][5]

In 2011, Ragamala's participation in the Maximum India Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., was well-received. Accompanied by mridangam and nattuvangam, and violin, they performed "Yathra" ("Journey") and "Gangashtakam" concerning the flow and worship of the river Ganga.[14][15]

Works

Ranee Ramaswamy and her older daughter, Aparna Ramaswamy, are co-artistic directors and principal dancers of the company. The choreography of Ragamala is rooted in the south Indian classical dance style of Bharatanatyam. Ragamala's works include intercultural, collaborative pieces that incorporate other dance forms, including sign language, jazz, Taiko, and poetry. Ashwini Ramaswamy, Ranee's younger daughter, is a choreographic associate and Director of Communications. Other company members include Tamara Nadel, Dancer; Jessica Fiala, Dancer; Sri Guntipally, Apprentice; and Chaitra Chandrashekar, Apprentice.[16][2][13][4][8]

Sacred Earth, presented in India while on tour, explored the relationship between nature and humans and incorporated the philosophy and art of Kolam chalk drawings on stage. Sangam literature was also incorporated, including excerpts from Kuṟuntokai.[1]

Fires of Varanasi explores the crucial place occupied by the sacred rituals around the city of Varanasi (also known as Benaras) in Uttar Pradesh, India, the river Ganges, and reincarnation.[17]

Written in Water was created from Paramapadam, the original game that 'Snakes and Ladders' is based on. Interwoven with that is a 12th-century Sufi poem about enlightenment called The Conference of the Birds, which describes seven transitional states of being. Paramapadam means "ultimate feat" and can be understood as the ultimate place people want to go. The game involves mythological stories around the intention, action, and desire for ascension.[17][18][19][7]

Body, the Shrine was choreographed by Renee, Aparna, and Ashwini, in conjunction with Alarmel Valli. It incorporates aspects of Bhakti, a Sanskrit term meaning both 'devotion' and 'participation.' [note 1] It also revisited the Bhakti movement, which dates back to the 6th century in India.[6]

Pandemic impact

In March 2020, Ragamala was working on Fires of Varanasi and had just brought in classical musicians from India. Due to the lockdown, the musicians from India had to return, and in-person work was halted. The company managed the lockdown period by focusing inward and using the time for creative production.[8]

Fires of Varanasi was finally performed at the Kennedy Center in September 2021 and in Minneapolis starting in 2022. Fires of Varanasi includes 11 dancers – more than ever before. Seven are company dancers (increased from five), and two of the remaining four are men. Fires of Varanasi explores the specific rituals and traditions of Hindi beliefs, including an eternally recurring cycle of life to death back to life again. Aparna Ramaswamy explains, “… these are our stories and, hopefully, our stories are a way for everyone to think about their own stories and their own families and where they come from.”[8]

Notes

  1. ↑ The program included this quote: "If you dance and sign, then it is indeed Heaven," by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal, 19th century king and composer.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Pioustin, George (January 22, 2015). "Tribune to Mother Earth – Ragamala Dance Company's production blended dance and kolam designs on stage". The Hindu. Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. p. E3. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  2. 1 2 Preston, Rohan (September 22, 2006). "onstage – Moving Indoors: Ragamala's retelling of a grand Hindu epic has been to Bali and back". Star Tribune. p. F8.
  3. 1 2 Preston, Rohan (September 23, 2011). "onstage – 'Earth' dance: Ragamala Dance expands its repertoire with a world premiere based on Indian art and philosophy". Star Tribune. p. E7.
  4. 1 2 "Ragamala combines Indian dance, Japanese drumming". The Star Press. Muncie, Indiana. February 26, 2004. p. 7.
  5. 1 2 Preston, Rohan (June 2, 2002). "onstage – News & Notes: Delayed trip to Russia is back on for Ragamala". Star Tribune. p. F3.
  6. 1 2 3 Palmer, Caroline (April 28, 2018). "A Family Dances with Devotion – Review: Ramaswamy sisters bring nuance and mood to this Ragamala Dance Company Show". Star Tribune. p. E3.
  7. 1 2 Wren, Celia (November 1, 2018). "Theater & Dance- Dance company Ragamala elevates Snakes and Ladders to spiritual heights". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Steve, Marsh (March 15, 2022). "Mpls/St. Paul Magazine: "What Ragamala Dance Company's New Show Says About Life and Death" - Ranee Ramaswamy, along with her daughters, Aparna and Ashwini, are using Bharatanatyam, an ancient Hindu dance form, to help us understand modern life... and death". Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. MSP Communications. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  9. ↑ Mathur, Preeti (2019). From Seven Rivers to Ten Thousand Lakes – Minnesota’s Indian American Community. Minnesota Historical Society Press. p. 63.
  10. 1 2 "Life- Ragamala Dance to perform at Miami". The Journal News. Hamilton, Ohio. March 30, 2012. p. D3.
  11. ↑ Steele, Mike (January 11, 1994). "A beautiful oasis- Ragamala Dance Theater adds grace to poetry". Star Tribune. p. 3E.
  12. ↑ Steele, Mike (December 28, 1994). "Dance – New works cross many boundaries". Star Tribune. p. 1E, 6E.
  13. 1 2 Espeland, Pamela (May 13, 2014). "Indian Fusion – Ancient meets modern at the Walker this week, as our renowned Indian dance troupe Ragamala joins forces with a New York Jazz Star". Star Tribune. p. E1, E3.
  14. ↑ Macauley, Alastair (March 11, 2011). "Transcandence and Mystery in Tiny Gestures". The New York Times. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  15. ↑ Shapiro, Linda (July 1, 2012). "Ragamala Dance (and its wonder women) at 20". Dance Magazine. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  16. ↑ Burke, Siobhan (August 8, 2014). "Dance Review: Sacred Music and Movement With an Infectious Beat". The New York Times.
  17. 1 2 Datta, Tiasha (December 10, 2020). "Ragamala Dance Company transcends culture, time, and space in Meany on Screen performances". The Daily of the University of Washington. Seattle, Washington: University of Washington. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  18. ↑ Warnecke, Lauren (January 12, 2019). "In Harris Theater debut, Ragamala Dance shows the metaphor and mythology in a board game – and is pure fun to watch". The Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Best Dance Company – Ragamala Dance Company". City Pages. Minneapolis, Minnesota. 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
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