Dakshina at Artisphere
Showcasing dances by Eric Hampton, Ludovic Jolivet and Daniel Phoenix Singh
Artisphere (Rosslyn Metro)
1101 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22209
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Artisphere presents award-winning fusion Indian dance works by the acclaimed Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company (Dakshina) followed by Bhangra dance parties with the U.S. Department of Bhangra’s DJ Beta-G on December 9 and 10 at 8pm with a special Sunday matinee at 3pm for families. Tickets to the 8pm dance performance followed by the Bhangra dance party are $25, or come at 9pm Friday and Saturday exclusively for Bhangra dancing for $15. Tickets to the Sunday 3pm matinee for families (which includes both the dance performance and Bhangra dance party) are $12 for adults and $8 for children. There will be a free open dress rehearsal of the Dakshina dance performance on Thursday, December 8 at 7:30pm.
The Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company offers artists and communities the unique opportunity to experience dance as a movement that links the arts, cultures and social causes. Examining the connections between Indian, social, and modern dance forms, Dakshina has repeatedly brought dance out of the auditorium, pushing the boundaries of form through the use of film, interviews, popular music and theater. The Company is committed to making dance a central part of the performing arts and often facilitates international cultural dialogues with visiting dancers and choreographers from around the world. Dakshina’s fusion works were recently showcased in India and Bangladesh to critical acclaim in both countries. These unique and cultural dance works use a syncretic blend of Bharata Natyam and modern dance forms to explore contemporary versions of Indian myths. This tour of Dakshina is made possible by a grant from Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
For the Artisphere engagement, the Company warms up with Singh’s signature fusion work “Vasanth”, which depicts the Indian myth of how spring comes to earth–the work premiered to critical acclaim at Kennedy Center’s Maximum India Festival. “Since You’ve Asked” is a tender duet for two men drawing on Singh’s gestural, lyrical work. Other highlights include Eric Hampton’s “By the Light…”, a gem of a dance depicting Hampton’s struggle with Lou Gehrig’s disease. Interestingly, Hampton chose the Moonlight Sonata for the score, which historians now agree was written during Beethoven’s middle period when he had already begun losing his hearing. Whether by choice or by luck, the poignancy of a choreographer losing his ability to move and a musician losing his ability to hear are brought together in this gem of a dance. The evening will close with Ludovic Jolivet’s whimsical and poignant work “Voy Y Vengo.” Jolivet is an Arlington based artist who creates works that connect modern dance and mime. In “Voy Y Vengo”, the dancers use office chairs as their props to explore the cycles of life.
Join in the dancing after each performance with the U.S. Department of Bhangra’s DJ Beta-G as he spins the greatest in Bhangra dance music. DJ Beta-G throws parties in and around DC for those wanting to dance the night away to the pungent rhythms of Punjabi dance music, a type of Bhangra music.
Tickets to attend the dance performance and Bhangra dance party on Friday and Saturday at 8pm are $25 and $12 adults + $8 kids for the Sunday 3pm matinee. Tickets to attend just the Bhangra dance party on Friday and Saturday at 9pm are $15. The open dress rehearsal for the Dakshina dance performance on Thursday, December 8 at 7:30pm is free.
For more information visit www.artisphere.com.