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Ragamala Dance Company

Sacred Earth explores the interconnectedness between human emotions and the environments that shape them.  Inspired by the philosophies behind the visual arts of Kolam and Warli painting and the Tamil Sangam literature of India, Sacred Earth is co-Artistic Director’s Ranee and Aparna Ramaswany’s singular vision of the beautiful, fragile relationship between nature and man. 

Headwaters Music and Arts is excited to welcome Ragamala Dance Company to the Bemidji area!  There are three opportunities to experience this talented group. 

7 pm Monday, April 17 Lecture & Demonstration with Reception Headwaters School of Music and the Arts, 519 Minnesota Ave NW, Bemidji.                                                                                                     Ragamala Dance Company introduces participants to Bharatanatyam, providing an overview of the technique, evolution, and development of this South Indian classical dance form and how Ragamala’s Artistic Directors—Ranee Ramaswamy and Aparna Ramaswamy—use it to express their own contemporary points of view. Examining issues of cultural hybridity and the intersection of history and personal voice, Ragamala sparks discussion about the place of culturally rooted art forms in the 21st century.  No charge to attend.

11 am Tuesday, April 18 Dance Demonstration at Cass Lake High School Gymnasium.                                                                                                 Through the vibrant and expressive dance form of Bharatanatyam, Ragamala Dance Company celebrates the natural world and the interconnectedness between humans emotions and the environments that surround us.  Choreographed by Ranee and Aparna Ramaswamy, Sacred Earth embodies their vision of the beautiful, fragile relationship between nature and humanity. 

This performance for young audiences features excerpts from Sacred Earth, accompanied by narration in which the performers provide explanations of the dance form of Bharatanatyam, the traditions and ideas that inspired Sacred Earth, and their relevance to the modern world.Open to the public, no charge to attend.

7:30 pm Wednesday, April 19 Dance Performance                                     BSU Bangsberg Hall Main Stage $5 per adult, free for children (5-18) and College students  with Student ID.  Tickets may be purchased in advance at Headwaters Music and Arts, 218-444-5606 or 519 Minnesota Ave NW, Bemidji.  Unless the performance is sold out, tickets will be available at the door.  

This visit to the Bemidji area is made possible in part by a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board through an appropriation of the Minnesota State Legislature and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.  And it is also made possible by the voters of Minnesota, through a grant from the Region 2 Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund