Northrop Presents
Student Matinee:
Ragamala Dance Company
Children of Dharma
Thu, Oct 31, 10:30 am CT
In-Person / Livestream
On-demand through Nov 8
Recommended for Grades 5-12
In Children of Dharma, a Northrop Centennial Commission, Ragamala Dance Company creates a series of mesmerizing vignettes illustrated with poetic movement, lush visual imagery, and truthful emotion, transporting viewers into a mythic world of warfare, magic, and beauty. The show explores the concept of dharma, or “right action,” embodied through dance. This multidisciplinary experience incorporates a literary epic, South Asian cultural history, contemporary original music, and Bharatanatyam dance.
Children of Dharma is commissioned by Northrop at the University of Minnesota, the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center at Auburn University, and The Joyce Theater Foundation's Stephen and Cathy Weinroth Fund for New Work.
Know Before You Go
Event Information
- Theater Doors Open: 9:45 am
- Event Begins: 10:30 am
- Run Time: 60 minutes
- This event will be captioned, with other accessibility services available upon request.
- Advisory: This performance includes loud music and flashing lights.
- Detailed Event Information and Streaming Access: Education contacts, check your email for detailed information the week prior to the event.
If you have questions, contact matinees@umn.edu. If you need assistance with your tickets, please call the box office at 612-624-2345.
This slideshow is intentionally without sound.
Pre-event Slideshow for the In-person Audience
This slideshow is intentionally without sound.
Pre-event Slideshow for the On-demand audience
Student Matinee Program Information
- Students will see selections of Ragamala Dance Company’s world premiere of Children of Dharma, a Northrop Centennial Commission.
- Creators Aparna, Ranee, and Ashwini Ramaswamy take inspiration for this performance from Keerthik Sashidharan’s novel The Dharma Forest—a re-envisioning of the Indian/global epic The Mahabharata.
Suggested Learning Target
- Students will identify characteristics of the South Indian dance form of Bharatanatyam (BAH-rah-tah-NAT-yam) and interpret these elements in a live performance by Ragamala Dance Company.
Pre-Show Questions:
- What can we learn about other cultures through their dances and other artistic expressions?
- Ragamala Dance Company was founded by a mother and her daughters. What do you think the advantages and challenges of creating art with family members might be?
Post Show Questions:
- How would you describe the performance to someone who has never seen a Ragamala Dance Company production?
- If you were to adapt a popular story, (novel, poem, fairytale, etc) like The Mahabharata, which story would you choose? What do you imagine are the opportunities and challenges of adapting a well-known story?
Watch (All grades)
- Meet Ragamala Dance Company (7-minute video introducing the company.)
- Bringing Bharatanatyam to America - Ranee Ramaswamy of Ragamala Dance Company, by Voice of America (4-minute video of company founder Ranee Ramaswamy)
- Ragamala Dance Company: Children of Dharma trailer (90-second trailer previewing dance clips and images from Children of Dharma)
Do
- Ragamala Dance Company - Basics of Bharatanatyam with Ranee Ramaswamy: A 3-part video series of Ranee Ramaswamy leading dancers through the basics of Bharatanatyam dance. (Grades 5-12)
- MN State Create & Perform Standards
- Part 1 (10-minute video. Ramaswamy leads the dancers through some of the beginning ‘Adavus’ and foot positions )
- Part 2 (11-minute video. Ramaswamy leads the dancers through adding arm movements to the foot positions explained in part 1.)
- Part 3 (15-minute video. Ramaswamy leads the dancers through the first dance piece a Bharatanatyam student learns, 'Alarippu,' plus an overview of the narrative aspect of Bharatanatyam, called 'Abhinaya.')
Read
- Ragamala Dance: Learn about traditional Bharatanatyam dance, The Kennedy Center (Grades 5-12. Article with two video clips and guided prompts for students.)
- MN State Connect & Respond Standards
- Britannica.com : The Mahabharata (Article with information about the Mahabharata.)
Listen
- Music of India : An exploration of Indian music, The Kennedy Center (Grades 8-12. Guided learning series podcast episodes exploring Indian musicians and musical instruments. Comprehension, Critical Thinking, and Reflection prompts for students.)
- MN State Connect & Respond Standards
Related Event
Learn More About Northrop's K-12 Programs
In-person and on-demand to fit any schedule
Acknowledgment
Children of Dharma is commissioned by Northrop at the University of Minnesota, the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center at Auburn University, and The Joyce Theater Foundation's Stephen and Cathy Weinroth Fund for New Work.
