Community Outreach:
Snakes & Ladders Interactive Game-Playing

In conjunction with performances of Written in Water

Ragamala artists lead attendees in playing the 2nd century Indian board game of Paramapadam (precursor to Snakes & Ladders), which is a central inspiration for Written in Water. This hands-on experience—along with accompanying discussion with the artists—invites audiences to delve deeply into the moral and psychological implications of the game, providing them with access to the abstract, conceptual nature of Written in Water and an entrée into the way Ragamala creates complex, multidisciplinary, and culturally hybridic dance works.

 Activities can be tailored to engage specific audiences via multiple points of access to Written in Water, including: the poetry, music, and visual components of the work; the spiritual and moral significance of the game in Indian culture; the use of Hindu mythology to create the work; the tradition of playing the game during times of all-night fasting; and the current interest in gaming in American culture.

Game-playing can occur in a variety of settings, presented as a stand-alone activity or along with other programs, in partnership with diverse community partners. Examples of past activities include:

• A workshop for docents from a consortium of Minneapolis museums (Weisman Art Museum, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, etc.) focusing on interdisciplinary practice in audience engagement

• A lecture by Dr. Vasudha Narayanan (University of Florida) on the poetry of the South Indian Alwars, which serves as a textual underpinning for Written in Water

• A game-playing meetup event hosted by Dreamers Vault Games

• An artist’s talk at the Indian art gallery Khazana

• A dinner event featuring James Beard Award-winning Indian chef Raghavan Iyer in which he, along with Ranee and Aparna, discussed the intersection of food, art, and ritual in India, focusing on the fasting traditions associated with Paramapadam

• Game-playing in the lobby of the theater before each performance