Weeklong Nrityagram Residency To Bring Art Of Indian Dance To Milwaukee

Marcus Performing Arts Center (MPAC) is presenting a weeklong residency with Nrityagram, a renowned Indian dance company who is dedicated to bringing Odissi - one of the oldest dance styles in the world - to audiences worldwide. Led by Artistic Director Surupa Sen, their traditional practice is infused with a bright, contemporary spirit, which has captured the imagination of people around the globe.

The multi-day engagement focusing on the art of classical Indian dance will feature artists from Nrityagram leading community workshops, a lecture/demonstration, a student matinee performance for over 1,500 area youth, and a public performance with a post-show talkback.

One of the premier Indian dance ensembles performing today, the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble (pronounced NRI-thyuh-graam) has been teaching and performing for over 25 years. More than a dance company, Nrityagram was founded as a Gurukula (school) devoted to Indian dance. The all-female ensemble's daily life of intensive training and meditation brings to the stage compelling, captivating performances that are expressive and lyrical.

Nrityagram Residency schedule is as follows:

Monday, April 24
4:30-5:30pm - Odissi Intermediate Dance Class with youth dancers. Pre-registration required.
Participants will learn about the historical origin of Odissi and the language: body positions, basic movement technique, and the use of hand gestures and facial expressions for expressional dance.

Location: Baumgartner Center for Dance, 128 N. Jackson St., Milwaukee


Tuesday, April 25
9:30-10:30am - Lecture/Demonstration at Swanson Elementary.
The presentation will feature the history and evolution of Odissi and Kandyan dance as well as short dance sequences of both forms. The event will culminate in a Q&A session with the students.

Location: Swanson Elementary, 305 N. Calhoun Rd., Brookfield

4:30-5:30pm - Odissi Beginner Dance Class with youth dancers. Pre-registration required.
This introductory class is an opportunity to learn basic movement phrases and the body-training specific to Odissi, as evolved and practiced at Nrityagram.

Location: Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, 3270 Mitchell Park Dr., Brookfield


Thursday, April 27
10:00-11:00am - Nrityagram Student Matinee Performance for over 1,500 Milwaukee area youth.
Geared for young audiences, company members illustrate the breathtaking beauty of both Odissi and Kandyan dance forms, demonstrating how each reflects the culture of their homeland and the differences that set each apart. Accompanied by Nrityagram's live music ensemble and a Kandyan drummer, this show includes audience participation and a Q&A session.

Location: Marcus Performing Arts Center, Uihlein Hall, 929 N. Water St., Milwaukee


Friday, April 28
7:30pm - Nrityagram Public Performance of "Āhuti" with Chitrasena Dance Company. A post-show Q&A with the artists will follow the performance.

Āhuti (2019)
{Sanskrit: Invoking | Pali: Offering}
On the heels of the tour revival of their international hit Saṃhāra, Surupa Sen collaborated with the Chitrasena Dance Company (pronounced Chithruh-say-naa) from Sri Lanka for a new work in which Nrityagram dancers are joined by male and female guest dancers from this Kandyan dance troupe.

Tickets available at www.marcuscenter.org or by calling 414-273-7206.

Location: Marcus Performing Arts Center, Uihlein Hall, 929 N. Water St., Milwaukee


Tickets for the public performance of Nrityagram are on sale now and start at just $29.50. To purchase tickets, visit www.MarcusCenter.org, call 414-273-7206, or visit the Marcus Center Box Office at 929 North Water Street, Downtown Milwaukee. Groups of 10 or more can secure their seats by calling 414-273-7207.

To register for participation in the dance workshops, contact John Hassig, MPAC Director of Programming & Education, at jhassig@marcuscenter.org.

Nrityagram is part of the 2022/23 MPAC Presents Dance Series. The 2022/23 MPAC Presents Series is supported by Bader Philanthropies, Inc., Saint Kate - The Arts Hotel, Fields Auto Group, the Herzfeld Foundation, The Ambassador Hotel, Sazama's Fine Catering, and THINKLimo.

For more information about the show, visit www.nrityagram.org.

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