Events

One of the foremost classical Indian dance companies returns to The Soraya with the world premiere production of Fires of Varanasi: Dance of the Eternal Pilgrim co-commissioned by The Soraya and The Kennedy Center. Rooted in the expansive South Indian dance form of Bharatanatyam, Ragamala Dance Company manifests a kindred relationship between the ancient and the contemporary. In this evening-length performance, eleven dancers conjure a realm where time is suspended and humans merge with the divine. Award-winning creators Ranee Ramaswamy and Aparna Ramaswamy imagine a metaphorical bridge to a ritualistic world of immortality, evoking the Hindu belief of birth-death-rebirth continuum to honor immigrant experiences of life and death in the diaspora. Fires of Varanasi: Dance of the Eternal Pilgrim features an original, recorded score and scenic/lighting design by Willy Cessa.