Festival of Solos

The Rangoli Dance Company presents
Festival of Solos
Three evenings of Bharatanatyam Dances including time honored classics and premieres
June 22, July 12 - 13, 2008

The Rangoli Dance Company presents 'Festival of Solos', a showcase of Bharatanatyam dances in intimate settings this summer. The festival will feature dancers from Rangoli Dance Company and guest artists from India. The concerts showcase the exciting elegance of Shaheen Sheik, Lakshmi Iyengar, Hema Iyer, & Karisma Nagarkatti. Directed, & conducted by Malathi Iyengar, many of the solo performances are accompanied by musicians from India. In addition to presenting choreographic works of their mentor Malathi Iyengar, the soloists have contributed their creative energies to choreograph their opening dances.

Performances on July 12 and July 13 are at, newly opened, The Edye Second Space at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center in Santa Monica. The June 22 concert is at the Rangoli Space in Sherman Oaks.

Concerts also include choreographic works by renowned artist Bragha Bessel (India). Rangoli Festival of Solos will conclude its summer series with a performance by the talented guest artist Navia Natarajan, who has also choreographed the dances. 'Sonorous Strings of Sarod', a classical music performance will also be featured by Shaheen Sheik and her guru David Trasoff as a part of the festival.

Bharatnatyam, classical dance of India has evolved and gone through many transformations in its 2,000 year history. Bharatanatyam, one of the most profound dance forms takes its roots in the performing arts treatise called the Natya Shastra. Written in Sanskrit, this 2nd century BC work by sage Bharatha is the fundamental source for Indian drama and aesthetics. The classical Indian dance has two distinct components: nritta, or pure dance technique, and nritya, or dramatic interpretive dance. The dancer focuses on a mastery of abstract movements and employs a complex system of hand gestures and body language to depict emotional expressions of episodes from Hindu myths and legends. Furthermore, each Bharatnatyam dance is classified into a corresponding mood, melody, and rhythm.

Rangoli Foundation was established in 1985 by artistic director, Malathi Iyengar to realize a creative vision of presenting visual and performing arts of India. Iyengar has imparted the craft and technique of Bharatanatyam dance to several students since its inception. Rangoli Dance Company, a highly recognized group of exquisite artists was formed by Malathi Iyengar in 1992. The consistency of having a stable group is particularly relevant to 'Bharatanatyam', which is traditionally a solo form of dance, with the audience recognizing and following dancers as solo artists. Consisting of high caliber core and guest artists, the company has given invigorating performances throughout the United States, Canada, and India.

For more information, visit www.rangoli.org

The Facts

What - Rangoli Festival of Solos, an evening of Indian classical dances

Who - Presented by Rangoli Foundation
Artistic Director - Malathi Iyengar
Dancers - Lakshmi Iyengar, Hema Iyer, Karisma Nagarkatti, & Shaheen Sheik
Guest Dancer - Navia Natarajan
Musicians from India - Nandakumar U. - Vocal, Gurumurthy G. - Percussion, Flute - Vivek V.
Guest Musician - David Trasoff
Lighting (July 13th) - Eileen Cooley

When & Where

June 22, 2008. Sunday. @ 4 pm. Double Bill!
Featured Dancer: Shaheen Sheik
Evening concludes with 'Sonorous Strings of Sarod', classical music by Shaheen Sheik and her guru David Trasoff.
Rangoli Space
14802 Huston St, Sherman Oaks, Ca
Tickets & Reservation: shaheen@shaheensheik.com / 310 600 4743
Admission: $15 / Limited Seating

July 12, 2008. Saturday @ 7:00 pm - Double Bill!
Featured Dancers: Hema Iyer & Karisma Nagarkatti.
Malathi Iyengar - Dance Conductor
Musicians from India: Nandakumar U. - Vocal, Gurumurthy G. - Percussion, and Vivek V. - Flute.
The Edye Second Space
Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310, 11th Street Santa Monica, CA.
Phone: (310) 434-3414 / www.smc.edu/madison
Tickets & Reservation:
hemaiyer@sbcglobal.net / 818 577 8434
nagarkatti@hotmail.com / 805 493 0540
Admission: $15

July 13, 2008. Sunday @ 6:00 pm - Double Bill!
Featured Dancer: Lakshmi Iyengar
Malathi Iyengar - Dance Conductor
Musician from India: Nandakumar U. - Vocal, Gurumurthy G. - Percussion, and Vivek V. - Flute.
Guest Dancer: Navia Natarajan
The Edye Second Space
Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310, 11th Street, Santa Monica, CA,
Phone: (310) 434-3414 / www.smc.edu/madison
Tickets & Reservation: lakshmiyengar@gmail.com, malathisiyengar@gmail.com / 818 788 6860
Admission: $15

'Rangoli Festival of Solos' is not affiliated with Madison Project and the performance events do not constitute an endorsement by Santa Monica College or the Performing Arts Center.
A Presentation of Rangoli Foundation for Art & Culture
www.rangoli.org

Artistic Director
Malathi Iyengar, originally from Bangalore, India is a Los Angeles based choreographer, dancer, writer, and visual artist. Malathi holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Choreography and Performance from University of California, Los Angeles. Malathi studied Bharatanatyam dance from guru Narmada of Bangalore and choreography and improvisation under the mentorship of Marion Scott. Iyengar, a recipient of several awards is recognized as a Master Artist of Bharatanatyam dance by the Alliance for California Traditional Artists. Some of her other distinctions include Rainbow Award (LAWTF), Durfee Foundation Award, Brody Fellowship for Performing Arts, Alma Hawkins Award for Excellence in Choreography, John Lennon Performing Arts Award, Glorya Kaufman Award, and the National Endowment of the Arts. Iyengar is the author of 'Dance & Devotion' published by Rangoli Foundation. Iyengar's creations reflect a wide range of artistic expressions ranging from traditional works to inter-cultural collaborations with artists of diverse cultures. Her critically acclaimed works include 'Patanjali', 'Kodhai's Dream', 'Punyakoti', 'Sacred Geometry', 'Love Lyrics', 'Ramayana', & 'Mustard Seeds'. Malathi Iyengar & Rangoli Dance Company has performed extensively in USA, Canada, & India. Iyengar regularly teaches Bharatanatyam, production and presentation seminars, and intercultural dance theater. Iyengar is known for speaking from her unique experiences with passion & conviction about leadership in arts. Her speaking engagement series, 'Dreams & Visions' has attracted many academic institutions and cultural organizations. She was engaged to be the technical advisor for selected episodes of the popular television drama series 'Heroes'. Iyengar has specialized in creating the floor designs called 'Sand Mandalas' and 'Rangoli Art', and has exhibited her works in India and United States. She has served as the advisor for the National Geographic Kids Magazine on the visual art of India 'Rangoli'. Malathi Iyengar is the artistic director of the Rangoli Foundation for Art & Culture, a non-profit organization, which was founded in 1985. rangoli.org.

Rangoli Dancers
Lakshmi Iyengar, a Bharatanatyam dancer is the disciple of Malathi Iyengar, guru Narmada, & Bragha Bessell. Lakshmi has also trained in Odissi from Nandita Behera. Lakshmi has performed extensively all over the USA, Canada, and India, including the December music and dance festival season in Chennai and Bangalore. As a lead dancer for the Rangoli Dance Company, she has performed in all choreographic works of Iyengar. Lakshmi, a recipient of the Alliance for California Traditional Artists 2004 Award, has received multiple Lester Horton dance award nominations for outstanding achievement in Performance. With two decades of dance experience and training in film and video production, Lakshmi has been a production designer for Rangoli productions since 2001. Lakshmi has studied Italian literature and theater at the Universita' di Bologna, Italy and worked for the Cineteca di Bologna. Lakshmi has a B.A. in Theater (Production Design) and Italian from the University of California, Los Angeles. Lakshmi is currently pursuing a degree in Masters in Entertainment Industry Management at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh.
The Los Angeles Times wrote "...Iyengar brought technical skill and emotional involvement to the solo, adroitly matching steps to the rhythms of the accompaniment in some moments but elsewhere managing to float free of the music, her concentration taking her deeply into a world of gods, demons and miraculous transcendence." lakshmiyengar.com

Hema Iyer is a disciple of Malathi Iyengar of Rangoli Foundation and guru Shri Mani of Kalasadan Institute in Mumbai, India. Since her Arangetram in 2004, she has been a senior dancer of the Rangoli Dance Company and has performed in many of Iyengar's choreographic works in the USA and India. Hema has also attended Abhinaya (art of expression) workshops offered by Bragha Bessell (India). In 2005, Hema was the recipient of the Elaine Weissman LA Treasures Award for Traditional artists, presented by the California Traditional Music Society and the LA department of cultural affairs. She was a part of an ensemble of dancers nominated for the Lester Horton Award for her performance in 'Ragamalika Varnam'. Hema is also proficient in Carnatic music - a classical Indian music form. She holds a BS degree in Microbiology and an advanced degree in Medical Lab Technology.
The Los Angeles Times wrote "Iyengar's voice-over narrations were expanded upon in lyrical solos featuring Hema Iyer and Mary Khetani as more mature, delicately sensual embodiments of the saint cum goddess, Kodhai."

Karisma Nagarkatti, an aspiring young Bharanatyam dancer is the disciple of Malathi Iyengar. Karisma performed her solo dance debut to a packed audience in 2007 and has since continued to train vigorously. Karisma's initial exposure to Ballet helped facilitate her introduction to the arts and her appreciation for dance. She enjoys Bharatanatyam and credits her achievement to her revered teacher Malathi Iyengar, who through her patience and dedication has instilled in Karisma a sense of fervor and fascination for the art form. Her credits include performing in Iyengar's 'Patanjali: Legends of Yoga and Dance at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Hollywood and Scherr Forum Theatre in Thousand Oaks and 'Punyakoti' at the Walt Disney Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. Karisma is a 7th grade student at the Los Cerritos Middle School in Thousand Oaks. She is an accomplished 'black belt' in Tae Kwon Do, a Korean Martial Art and her hobbies include swimming and playing the flute in her school band.

Shaheen Sheik began studying Bharatanatyam at age 7. For over a decade, Shaheen has practiced the vintage Pandanallur / Tanjore style under her guru Malathi Iyengar and has been a senior dancer with the Rangoli Dance Company. Shaheen has also further explored Abhinaya (art of expression) with workshops offered by Bragha Bessell (India). In 2005 and 2006, Shaheen was honored with Lestor Horton Dance Award nominations for her performances in 'Ragamalika Varnam' and 'Kodhai's Dream.' The Los Angeles Times described Shaheen's portrayal of Krishna in 'Kodhai's Dream' as "commanding" and her duet with fellow company dancer, Lakshmi Iyengar, as "a breathtaking finale showcasing their dexterity in accelerating cycles of intricate footwork, swift turns and sweeping arm gestures." When not dancing, Shaheen is a professional musician and singer/songwriter, having released 3 albums to date. Among her instruments, Shaheen plays guitar and sarode, a North Indian classical instrument, which she studies under her guru David Trasoff. Her latest album, rEvolution, is self-produced and slated for release in April 2008. shaheensheik.com.

Guest Dancer, Navia Natarajan
Navia Natarajan is a student of Guru Padmini Ramachandran, Bangalore and Guru A.Lakshmanan, Chennai. .She is taking advanced lessons in Abhinaya from guru Bragha Bessel of Chennai. She is a recipient of numerous scholarships and awards, such as CCRT and HRD, New Delhi. She is a top grade auditioned artist of Broadcasting Corporation of India, and also an empanelled artist of Indian Council for Cultural Relations. Her elaborate and elite performances have won all round appreciation and accolades from the press and public alike. Some of her performances include Natyanjali Dance Festival, Dance festival by Sangeet Natak Academy, Soorya Festival,Trivandrum, Bangalore Habba, NCPA Mumbai, Thalam Festival,Trichur, Goa Kala Academy, Kinkini, Bangalore, Nehru Center, London , Performance for the "Youth Festival" Organized by Soorya, stage and film society at eleven countries, Performance at the December Dance and Music, Chennai to name a few. She teaches Bharathanatyam to aspiring students in Fremont, CA under the banner of Navia Academy of Indian classical dance. Navia has indeed blossomed into an accomplished dancer, performing all over India, USA, Europe and the Middle East. She holds a Masters Degree in Microbiology but has decided to go with the passion that is so strongly rooted in her heart-Bharathanatyam. The Hindu wrote "Navia combines the poise and flowing grace of the Vazhuvoor bani with a youthful exuberance of her own. A solid grounding in the basics helps her to maintain clarity of footwork at high speeds, not to mention unflagging stamina."