Saturday May 10 at 8 pm and Sunday May 11 at 7 pm: Dakshina will perform at Dance Place for the third season in a row. Highlights include Bell Song (Nominated for the Dance Metro DC Awards in 2008 and selected to perform at the Lincoln Center in NYC), and several company premieres of Anna Sokolow's works. In addition, our company will perform several Bharata Natyam dances by choreographers from India. Join Dakshina for a pre-performance reception and peruse archival materials on Anna Sokolow. Dance Place, 3225 8th Street NE. Catholic University/Brookland Metro Station. Buy tickets here. Read Full Press Release.

Dakshina is acquiring three new works by Anna Sokolow: September Sonnet, Lament for the Death of a Bullfighter, and Ballad in a Popular Style.  Jennifer Dunning of the New York Times writes that Ms. Sokolow’s gift for summing up loss and loneliness is captured in Kaddish with a searing simplicity and intensity”  In contrast, Larry Warren describes Ballad in a Popular Style as a wistful, lyrical excursion into jazz, at once subtle and exuberant, pure dance with no reason for being other than its rhythm and beauty of motion.   Lorry May, a former principal dancer with Sokolow will be restaging the works during the residency.

How long does it take for a dream to come true?

For Dakshina's upcoming show, it took over 10 years. This weekend's performance is a result of very old roots I have to Dance Place. Over 10 years ago, I saw Risa Steinberg perform Anna Sokolow's Kaddish at Dance Place. I was immediately struck by the power of the dance to speak across so many decades. I promised myself that when I had my own company, we would perform the Sokolow masterpieces. It has taken all these years for the dream to come true. Lorry May, a former lead soloist with the Sokolow company and a legend in her own right, has been in residence with Dakshina and has painstakingly staged several Sokolow masterpieces on our company.

Lorry has been an amazing gift for our company and has given freely of the deep wisdom, knowledge and love she has for dance--Dakshina dancers and I are truly humbled for the wonderful opportunity Lorry has given us. Dakshina is performing: September Sonnet, Lament for the Death of a Bullfighter, Ballad in a Popular Style and Kaddish. Jennifer Dunning of the New York Times writes that Ms. Sokolow’s gift for summing up loss and loneliness is captured in Kaddish with a searing simplicity and intensity. In contrast, Larry Warren describes Ballad in a Popular Style as a wistful, lyrical excursion into jazz, at once subtle and exuberant, pure dance with no reason for being other than its rhythm and beauty of motion.

Are you wondering what the connection between a Jewish American Modern Dance Icon and Asian Pacific Islander Heritage month is? It's the power of movement to transcend cultures, time and language and it is about rediscovering and recreating our roots. Around the same time Sokolow was creating her trail blazing works in the US, Indian dance was undergoing a memorphosis. India finally gained freedom from the british in 1947 and Bharata Natyam was rediscovering its sensual, polemic roots and was redefining the role of dance in Indian culture. During the same time period, Sokolow was searching for a deeper meaning and rediscovering her connections to her Jewish heritage in the context of the larger American Culture. So this weekend's concert is about rediscovering our roots and celebrating our collective heritage--My roots to Dance Place, which has served as an anchor and a safe place for me and countless dancers--Sokolow's roots to her Jewish heritage and the times she was living in--and a celebration of Bharata Natyam as it re-emerged after the Indian independence. Dakshina means offering in Sanskrit, and we're very proud to be able to offer you a glimpse of what the Sokolow and May legacy is this weekend. Please join us for our show at Dance Place this weekend.

Sincerely,
Daniel Singh

Saturday May 17 at 8 pm: Dakshina is one of the featured companies for the Asian Dance Festival at Atlas Theater. The company will perform Bell Song (Nominated for two of the Dance Metro DC Awards in 2008 and selected to perform at the Lincoln Center in NYC),1333 H Street, NE. Buy tickets here.