Kuchipudi Dance: A Showcase of Songs Composed by Muttu Swami Dikshitaar in the Indo-colonial Genre

Description

The South Indian composer Muthu Swami Dikshitaar (1775-1835) travelled extensively when the East India Company was expanding its holdings in India. Inspired by Western melodies, he composed songs with Sanskrit lyrics to Western tunes while still using a traditional Carnatic musical style. These songs will be presented in the traditional south Indian dance form named Kuchipudi by Artistic director Sarada Nori and ensemble. There will be a short break for Indian snacks followed by a Carnatic classical music demonstration. This segment will share a brief history of south Indian music followed by a performance. Sarada Nori is the founder and artistic director of Layavinyasa, an organization that propagates Kuchipudi dance and Carnatic classical music originating from south Indian. She has been a part of prestigious festivals such as the International Festival of Arts and Ideas at Yale, conducted workshops and demonstrations in and around New-England. She holds a Masters degree in Arts, specializing in Kuchipudi and explores creative learning methods to connect with students from diverse backgrounds. As an active member of the community, she engages in extensive community outreach by articulating these artforms at public libraries, educational institutions, corporate houses, non-profit organizations, religious institutions and organizations focused on Indian diaspora. Sarada’s work has been funded by New England Foundation for the Arts, Middletown Commission on Arts, Connecticut Historical Society and CT humanities. Sarada has been featured in ‘Coming Home- A Harford Collage’ performed by Cuatro Puntos Ensemble in partnership with the Greater Hartford Arts Council and the Autorino Center for the Arts. This is a free event, donations are appreciated to support TBT.