The “Sport of Thrones” theme track performed within the background because the viewers watched a toddler bride named Bulbul study a demon witch who enjoys killing males on stage. Dancers moved in a synchronous circle to depict the witch’s killing ways.
Greater than 200 college students and oldsters gathered within the August Wilson African American Cultural Heart’s theater Saturday night — together with one other 1,900 viewers by way of Youtube livestream — to observe Dhirana’s eleventh annual competitors. Dhirana is Pitt’s premier collegiate classical Indian dance competitors, and a nonprofit group based in 2012 to foster classical dance curiosity within the Pittsburgh group.
Hailing all the best way from Texas, TAMU Sahithya received first place with their dance depicting female rage and the horrors of kid marriage and home violence. JHU Shakti and Purdue Aharya received second and third place, respectively. Dancers wearing conventional Bharatanatyam costumes in a wide range of coloration combos corresponding to blue and pink, crimson and inexperienced and purple and orange.
Yamini Yepuri, Dhirana’s co-director and a junior psychology main, mentioned Dhirana’s purpose is to understand classical dance.
“One of the crucial unbelievable issues for us this weekend was that we had one of many groups come as much as us and say that that they had such an incredible expertise right here and it makes them wish to begin their very own competitors,” Yepuri mentioned. “In order that’s actually the principle purpose of all of this, to encourage individuals to only take it upon themselves to maintain this stunning artwork type going.”
(Romita Das | Senior Employees Photographer )
Pitt’s Indian classical music group, Pitt Sangeet, carried out earlier than the competitors started.
Tufts Pulse received the Dr. Parvathi Perisetti Gutti Memorial Award, administered by Srinivasa Prasad Worldwide Basis for the Performing Arts, the lead sponsor for the competitors and nonprofit devoted to selling the humanities by means of cultural festivals. RPI Rudras additionally received Finest Combine for seamless musical transitions, and OSU Anayat received Finest Lead for his or her portrayal of Rukmini from the sacred e-book Rukmini Swayamvar.
Somya Thakur, the opposite co-director and a junior enterprise info techniques and advertising main, mentioned Dhirana offers her the chance to merge her two passions collectively — dance and serving to the group — which she is grateful for.
Thakur mentioned all proceeds that Dhirana make go towards Birmingham Free Clinic of Pittsburgh, which gives free medical take care of Pittsburgh’s underserved inhabitants. Dhirana has raised greater than $105,000 for the group because it started.
“The Birmingham Free Clinic is the group to which we donate yearly and it was actually, actually eye-opening to see the loopy quantity of labor they’ve put into the group,” Thakur mentioned. “They had been flourishing even throughout the pandemic, and so they simply give again a lot to the group that it makes it so significant that I can merge my passions of the classical arts and simply assist a corporation that’s so all for giving again to the group.”
After the competitors, different teams carried out as exhibition acts, together with performances by First Class Bhangra, Mastana, Metal Metropolis Raas and the host crew Nrityamala to showcase different features of Indian tradition.
Yepuri mentioned her good friend’s response to the performances made her really feel pleased with the showcase.
“The photographer for the occasion is certainly one of my associates, and he’s by no means seen or photographed any classical arts or something like that earlier than,” Yepuri mentioned. “After the competitors, he got here as much as me and he mentioned it was one of many coolest experiences ever. This artwork type is stuffed to the brim with a lot tradition, and he was awestruck by the performances and the tales and the efforts that went into all of those items.”
Dharma Ayer, RPI Rudras public relations chair and a junior biology main at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, mentioned the group was “glad” to win the perfect combine award. She added that taking part in classical dance retains her linked to her tradition.
“I’ve been doing Bharatanatyam for 15 years now, and it’s simply the easiest way for me to attach with my tradition whereas concurrently having a tremendous group of individuals to bop and spend time with,” Ayer mentioned. “I like that I’ve a built-in outlet each week the place I can work with these round me to create one thing significant to all of us.”
Ellen Fabian, a senior advertising and provide chain administration main, mentioned she’s grateful to witness the dances and tales instructed by means of each.
“I’m grateful that I used to be in a position to expertise the fantastic thing about Indian classical dance as a result of I haven’t been that uncovered to it,” Fabian mentioned. “My favourite half although was seeing the tales come to life on stage, as a result of I wouldn’t have anticipated them to seize matters like gender equality and abuse.”
Thakur mentioned the competitors wouldn’t be doable with out help from Dhirana’s members who had been prepared to assist in any capability.
“Genuinely, our govt board and committees are the one motive the present ran as a result of they had been all so devoted, and prepared to adapt with us,” Thakur mentioned. “These college students took the initiative to get these items carried out, and it’s so spectacular that faculty college students are in a position to placed on one thing that’s this scale.”
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