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It was wonderful to have so many of you with us for our virtual production Maya: the Illusionist, produced with generous support from the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County. Through this program, our intention was to introduce viewers to an ancient South Asian perspective on the idea of worldly illusion, and to share both the traditional vocabulary and the contemporary narrative potential of the Odissi dance form. Starting with the idea of illusion, or Maya, as it…

Over the summer, Mayur students participated in the RagaLabs fellowship under IndianRaga. This piece is set to “Bojre Tomar Bansi” (or Flute in the Thunder), written by Rabindranath Tagore and rendered here by Swagatalakshmi Dasgupta; the piece was choreographed for this workshop by Mayur’s Artistic Director Sukanya Mukherji. Students worked hard to get this piece together in pandemic conditions, wearing masks and rehearsing outdoors in the summer heat. We’re very grateful to their families for…

We hope you all are doing well in quarantine. While it doesn’t look like we are going to go back to normal any time soon, I am happy to bring to you an informative article about two unique Odissi poses.  Darpan is a sculpturesque pose from the walls of ancient Orissa temples. Vaguely put, this pose shows a woman looking at her own reflection in a mirror (see picture on the left). With a modern…

I am pleased to bring to you a timely article regarding the current COVID-19 crisis and its effects on dance classes at Mayur. It has been over five weeks since Mayur’s dance classes shifted to be held over Zoom. While this is the best option as of now, teachers realize that it is a different learning experience, especially regarding space. They know that one’s surroundings play a big role in their ability to be productive.…

Mayur’s director is one of the founding members of Indian Dance Educators’ Association (IDEA); since 1995, this organization has helped establish Indian Classical dance as a serious art form in the Washington Metropolitan Area, and has offered organizational support to countless self-employed teachers and artists. Mayur dancers have chaired committees within the IDEA, served on the organization’s board, and regularly participate in IDEA productions. Indian Dancers Educators Association Since 1993, we have been grateful for…