Three Aksha to Present NATYASHASTRA: THE OLDEST SURVIVING STAGECRAFT IN THE WORLD 10/30

Known for their innovative approach to presenting the tradition and heritage of Indian culture and art, Three Aksha brings the beautiful intricacies of Indian dance and music to public audiences in "Natyashastra: the Oldest Surviving Stagecraft in the World." A rehearsal and workshop phase, open to the community, will culminate in a public performance at the JCC Auditorium of the KleinLife Center on October 30, 2016 at 6 PM.

Open to ALL, these workshops are focused on increasing appreciation and audience attendance for traditional Indian art in Philadelphia and on enabling second generation Indians to connect to their roots in a new place and time.

"There is absolute scarcity of resources and knowledge with regards to south Indian classical dance or music," explains Viji Rao. "In my role as a practitioner and educator in the community, I see the need and necessity to have a workshop/lecture demonstration about the intricate rhythm and pattern that goes into creating a beautiful art form of Bharatanatyam."

The workshops, and ultimately the performance, will be interpreting and learning from Natyashastra. Natyashastra is the oldest surviving text on dance and music in the world. Prior to 200 BCE, artists would pass on their theatrical talent orally from generation to generation. A wise sage known as Bharata collected and documented the best practices in art-- from music to dance, drama to costumes and fine art. In doing so, Bharata laid the cornerstone of theatrical arts in India. With its kaleidoscopic approach, Natyashastra has offered a remarkable dimension to growth and development of music, dance, drama, and art in India and the rest of the world.

A project on Natyashastra is a first of its kind to the community in Philadelphia. Over the course of ten days, participants will receive an overview of all 36 chapters of the Natyashastra, as well as an introduction on theory of facial expression, a major component of Classical Indian Dance Bharatanatyam. The workshop comprises all of the important aspects of the 36 chapters on Natyashastra and will culminate in an evening presentation on October 30. The first half of the evening will be a music concert by Chakrafonics led by Praveen D Rao; followed by the dance performance of "Natyashastra."

A sincere thank you to the National Endowment for the Arts, the Knight Foundation, the Leeway Foundation and Three Aksha for making this performance possible.

About Three Aksha: Three Aksha was founded in Philadelphia in 2003 by Artistic Director Viji Rao. Three Aksha seeks to preserve and promote Indian culture and heritage through classical Indian Bharatanatyam dance choreography in the Philadelphia area and in other ethnically diverse regions of the world. Three Aksha has performed in major cities across the US, the UK, Europe, and India.

Three Aksha has been recognized for its development of new choreography within the realm of classical Indian tradition, and for its work in the Kalakshetra style of Bharatanatyam, which is renowned for its focus on the body. The company's dancers have trained in Kalakshetra Bharatanatyam under Viji for a minimum of six years, and have also studied under teachers in India.

In addition to its active performance and touring schedule, Three Aksha shares its expertise in Indian dance in workshops and lecture-demonstrations throughout the Delaware Valley. As a complement to the socially conscious themes that frequently play into the company's performance work, Three Aksha engages with social issues by working with youth and with fundraising programs.

For more info please visit: http://threeaksha.org/

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