Scholarship Request/Exchange for Odissi Classical Indian Dance Class w/ Kalidasi

ODISSI CLASSICAL INDIAN DANCE with Kalidasi

What is Odissi? Tracing its origin back over a millennia, Odissi is the oldest surviving dance form in India. Since Vedic times, great importance has been placed on dance, which was to be used as a vehicle of worship. Dance was once considered the highest offering one can offer the Lord (because it transports both the dancer and the spectator into a higher spiritual and esthetic space).
And so for ages, women who lived a life in service of the Lord as ‘devotional dancers’ passed on Indian temple dance tradition. These women (called devadasi), lived disciplined lives and danced daily with in temple ritual. Today the dance has been revived as one of India’s 7 classical dance styles, and is best know for its expressive, devotional and feminine qualities. The technique exhibits great attention to detail in the complex blending of mudras eye movement with fast footwork and refined movement of the upper body.

About the Shakti School of Dance:
Kali has been accepted to the Odissi Intensive Training Program at the Shakti School School of Dance in the holy Hindu village of Pushkar, Rajasthan (India). Upon completion of her training, she has been inviting to perform at the Annual Pushkar Temple Dance Festival at the foot of the Ranginath Temple. The Shakti School of Dance, held within the Old Rangi Temple complex, is one of the only temple dance schools in India located in an actual temple. The dance school specializes in offering international students an in-depth understanding and complete immersion in Indian culture and art. Students not only spend hours each day learning the complexities of Odissi dance technique through an Odissi Guru, strength training and musicality, but also an introduction to Vedic spiritual philosophies and temple dance history.

THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SUPPORT A MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY LEARN SKILLS AFAR AND BRING THEM BACK TO US. PLEASE REGISTER FOR A FUTURE CLASS, PERSONAL INSTRUCTION FOR YOURSELF OR AS A GIFT FOR A FRIEND, OR CONSIDER A DONATION.

Sliding Scale: $30-$111
One class $30, Two classes $60, Personal Instruction $70, All three $111
Schedule to be announced between the listed dates above.

Bio:
Choreographer and dancer for over 15 years, Kalidasi performs in a style she refers to as "Mythological Bellydance", calling forth mythological story and archetypal energy to drive her physical movements. Kali draws deep from the earthy, serpentine energy of tribal bellydance and the devotional aspect of classical Indian dances Bharatanatayam and Odissi to create her own unique style. Kalidasi is a principal member of Vadalna Tribal Dance Company from Boston, MA. She teaches a weekly class on American Tribal Style and is co-director of Vadalna's Student Troupe Cirque Damara. She offers her dance at the Lotus Feet of Amma. Jai Ma!

To see a vid. of a typical day at the Odissi school... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0ygxnxIpsw