The Arthropologist
Dance takes high priority at Asia Society Texas Center in classical &contemporary forms
Mythili Prakash may be best known to American audiences from her appearances onNBC's Superstars of Dance.Photo by © 2012 Jorge Vismara
Dominic Walsh Dance Theater performs Uzume, featuring Taiko drummer KensakuSatou on Oct. 19-21.Photo by Nobuo Onishi
Kensaku SatouPhoto by Nobuo Onishi
Artist Hana Sakai will also be featured in the Dominic Walsh Dance Theaterproduciton of Uzume.Photo by Toshi Hirakawa
Mythili Prakash performs Sunday night at Asia Society Texas Center.Photo by © 2010 Jorge Vismara
Mythili Prakash advises anyone new to this form to view the performance as “art”rather than an “ethnic art form.”Photo by © 2010 Jorge Vismara
While all of you were gawking at the marvel of Yoshio Taniguchi’s new Asia Society Texas Center, I was wondering, "Will there be dance in this marvelous building?"
When director of programs Sabrina Motley came onboard, I asked her, "Are you interested in dance?"
The answer to both questions is a resounding "yes."
Jonah Bokaer's response to Lee Ufan's sculpture On Vanishing christened the Asia Society last May as a place to see outstanding dance, and more is coming. Once I sat down with Motley for a serious dance chat, I was put at ease. She puts dance front and center in her plans, and is extremely knowledgeable on many forms of dance.
Motley hopes to highlight forms of dance rarely seen in Houston. "I would love to bring some Balinese dance here," she adds.
"Dance is a high priority," Motley says. "I'm looking for artists who are deeply committed to their art forms and have something to say."
Motley hopes to highlight forms of dance rarely seen in Houston. "I would love to bring some Balinese dance here," she adds.
She's equally interested in contemporary work, which fits into Asia Society's scope, with Bokaer's piece being a great example. The fall lineup includes both classical and contemporary forms.
Mythili Prakash
Mythili Prakash, a next generation Bharata Natyam dancer, comes to the Brown Foundation Performing Arts Theater on Sunday night to perform a work especially designed for the Asia Society audience. Whether you know a lot or a little about Bharata Natyam, prepare to be entertained and enlightened. Prakash may be best known to American audiences from her appearances on NBC's Superstars of Dance. But in classical Indian dance circles, she's known as one of the key performers bringing the tradition forward.
The evening will include a variety of pieces.
"The advantage of this structure is that it brings to the fore all of the aspects of the form in their fullest potentials," Prakash says. "The pieces themselves, however, are original music and dance compositions. The inspiration that serves as thread through the work is the idea of light, which in sanskrit is 'Vibha.' "
"Because I have been training intensely since the age of eight, I have modified my daily regime to incorporate hatha yoga, pilates and cardio training such as spinning and aerobics."
Prakash describes the piece. "The work begins with an invocation to the Sun (Surya), and ends with a Sufi piece, that celebrates the eternal light within us. The music is a partner to the dance, a complement at every step of the way, creating the ambiance and bringing to life the emotions, ideas, and concepts."
She advises anyone new to this form to view the performance as “art” rather than an “ethnic art form.”
"I say this because the costume and jewelry are very ornate and beautiful, so much so that sometimes attention focused on this takes away from the focus on artistic content, which is actually very universal and accessible," she says. "I'm a firm believer in the dynamism and contemporary relevance of the form, and do my best to maintain accessibility in choreography and presentation."
Each performance is designed to be an experience for both the performer and the viewer.
"When there is is deep involvement on the part of both, the result is “Rasa” – moments of transcendence reached by all involved in the experience," Prakash says. "This is a highly evolved art form that is inherently Yogic, yet simultaneously delightfully entertaning. What a combination, right?"
The past and future of Bharata Natyam come together in her performances.
"As a modern Indo-American woman, I have both embraced and challenged my cultural traditions every step of the way. Luckily, my learning atmosphere (with my mom as my teacher!) was one that welcomed the questioning and challenging of assumptions, unlike the traditional learning environment in India, where the student was expected to unflinchingly believe and accept everything taught by the teacher."
The stamina required to carry off a full evening solo performance is intense.
"Bharata Natyam is high impact, particularly on the knees. The consistent position is one of plie, with the feet striking the ground. The result over time can be quite damaging to the knees, if proper care is not taken in warming up, cooling down, and strengthening the muscles around the knee," Prakash says. "Because I have been training intensely since the age of eight, I have modified my daily regime to incorporate hatha yoga, pilates and cardio training such as spinning and aerobics."
Prakash's work is infused with a drive for excellence, a respect for her lineage and the desire to create a meaningful performance for every viewer.
"Everything I now dance is heavily invested with conviction and immediacy," she says. "Every moment is alive, not because I once learned it that way or because it expresses my cultural background, but because I live it, here, today, now."
Dominic Walsh Dance Theater with Hana Sakai and Kensaku Satou
Dominic Walsh Dance Theater performs Uzume, a work specially created for Hana Sakai and Taiko drummer Kensaku Satou on Oct. 19-21, at the Brown Performing Arts Theater. Walsh has been traveling to Japan since 2003. In his many trips, he has developed an interest in the culture, design and people of Japan.
Walsh has been working with his principal female muse, Sakai, who transformed herself into the sculptor Camille Claudel last season, for many years now. "Hana is simply light and energy; there is mystery in her physicality," says Walsh. "I look forward to creating a work that is so steeped in her culture."
"Hana is simply light and energy; there is mystery in her physicality," says Walsh. "I look forward to creating a work that is so steeped in her culture."
He will also be collaborating with Satou for the first time, although Satou and Sakai had worked together in Japan. The renown drummer traveled to Houston to see DWDT last February to get a taste of Walsh's fluid style.
"Satou brings a very dynamic kind of percussive virtuosity that will motivate a whole new vocabulary of movement for me as a choreographer, by merging very unique styles of classical ballet and taiko drumming, woven within this contemporary ballet/dance theater genre," says Walsh.
DWDT's leading male dancer, Domenico Luciano, will also be dancing. Walsh describes the piece as a union between all of the dancers' gifts, weaving together his affection for the culture in a creative format. Walsh adds, "Many of the charming Japanese myths and fables will also have a presence in the work."
Mythili Prakash gives us glimpse into the world of Bharata Natyam
