Theatre Weekly: Edinburgh Interview: Aparna Ramaswamy on Ananta, The Eternal at Assembly @ Dance Base

By Greg Stewart
July 15, 2024

Aparna Ramaswamy, the conceiver and choreographer, brings Ananta, The Eternal to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

This captivating performance explores the relationship between the deity and devotee through the classical South Indian dance form Bharatanatyam. The show combines original South Indian classical music, costumes, and distinctive movements to create a unique storytelling experience. Performed by Aparna and Ashwini Ramaswamy, Ananta, The Eternal is a spiritual and emotional journey that has become an integral part of India’s cultural heritage.

The Ramaswamy family, who helm Ragamala Dance Company, are known for their dedication to Bharatanatyam and their exploration of intercultural and immigrant narratives. Ananta, The Eternal runs from August 13th to 25th (excluding the 19th) at Assembly @ Dance Base, with performances at 13:00. Tickets are available now.

You’re bringing Ananta, The Eternal to Assembly @ Dance Base at Edinburgh Fringe. What can you tell us about the show?

For three decades I have been advancing a complex, contemporary understanding of South Indian embodied ritual and its resonance in the diaspora. My vision honours our cultural roots and reflects the richness and complexity of humankind. In Sanskrit, Ananta is a concept that embodies the infinite, the endless, and the limitless expanding into infinity. Ananta, The Eternal (60 mins in length) is a suite of four original Bharatanatyam-inspired solos and duets that weave together threads of body, memory, desire, and devotion. The pieces, which were created to be performed in small, intimate settings, uplift the eternal relationship between the deity and the devotee.  Ananta is embodied in the experience of beholding the image of the divine with one’s own eyes. A central act of worship, it is charged with meaning. It is reciprocal and electric. The sacred is present in this auspicious moment.

Ananta, The Eternal explores the relationship between the deity and devotee through Bharatanatyam. How did you develop this concept, and what inspired you to focus on this theme?

With this piece, I am interested in finding the relevance and universality of ancient forms that weave together multiple artistic ideas (literature, movement, and music, etc) to express the underpinnings of society. How do we feel part of a community? What is our relationship with the sacred? How do we find justice in how we all work together? In Ananta, I have woven together four sections that are essentially about the relationship between the seeker and the sacred. This idea of expanding into infinity really touches on the principles of the sacred manifesting as an extension of nature, and as part of the cycle of creation, existence, destruction, and regeneration.

Bharatanatyam is a highly spiritual and emotional dance form. Can you share how you and your sister Ashwini incorporate these elements into your performance?

The choreography in Ananta often draws from particular mythological stories that exemplify this incredible process and cycle of life that we are all part of, and how the sacred can provide us with a sense of hope for transcendence. In these pieces, there are descriptions of various Hindu deities and what they represent; how they have created the universe, what makes the natural world sacred, and also what is our responsibility towards these relationships. And as you mentioned, in this work, I am performing with my sister Ashwini, and so this piece is also a love letter to my family, who I’ve worked with my entire life. She is an accomplished dancer in her own right, and the two of us are very comfortable on stage together. I’m excited to see our synergy grow and evolve over the course of these many performances.

Ragamala Dance Company has been a family endeavour for over 30 years. How has working with your mother and sister influenced your creative process and the development of this show?

For me, dance and family are inextricably linked. For the last three decades, I have worked in a collaborative partnership with my mother, Ranee Ramaswamy. It began in 1984, when we both started training with my guru—the legendary dancer/choreographer Alarmél Valli, in Chennai, India. When I first saw her perform, I was forever changed. I never knew that one person could embody a myriad of emotions with such grace and brilliance.

Bharatanatyam was my outlet to focus my energy and express my emotions. Ranee and I—although from different generations—underwent intensive training side by side, living and breathing this timeless, poetic art form. We practiced together, challenging and supporting one another. Today, when we create a new work, our conversations are rapid-fire, fluid and undisguised. My younger sister, Ashwini, is a beautiful dancer and a key member of my company. I feel so proud that the three of us have now create work together.

Your performances often explore intercultural and immigrant narratives. How does Ananta, The Eternal reflect these themes, and what do you hope the audience takes away from it?

My ongoing transnational artistic exchange brings Bharatanatyan and all of its cultural scaffolding into a globalised present. The work of transmitting and upholding tradition in a new place, and the building of diasporic identities, is an active, ongoing, and creative process. At a time of historic global migration—as people around the world increasingly claim multiple, hybrid identities—I remain committed to helping to construct a society that centres multiple experiences and perspectives, using the strength of our diasporic narratives to build something bigger than ourselves.

It is becoming more important than ever to share our immigrant experiences – not just to build understanding between cultures, but also to help strengthen and guide burgeoning communities. By offering a vital perspective on our polyphonic global community, my work is dedicated to creating meaningful transformation during times of discord; its message of cultural affirmation, social evolution, and societal healing is both enduring and acutely of the moment.

What would you say to anyone thinking of booking to see Ananta, The Eternal?

Mainstream audiences/presenters who encounter Bharatanatyam often assume it to be a reproduction of a tradition carried across oceans by immigrants. Of course, there is no such thing as a fixed tradition anywhere; traditions are always evolving. Nowhere is this more evident than in our vision of Bharatanatyam. My Bharatanatyam is both a classical language and a contemporary vision, richly shaped by the ancient, medieval, modern, and individual.

While Western dance culture tends to prioritize ensemble performances, this form of Bharatanatyam is rooted primarily in intimate performances which allow the beauty and power of the form to clearly come through, making a direct connection with the audience.

Starting at a time when no one in the U.S. dance field looked like us or shared our experience, my mother Ranee and I worked tirelessly to forge relationships with curators, commissioners, funders, press, and audiences, educating them about our art form and our vision, and insisting that our work be seen, recognised, and valued—not only on the ‘ethnic’ margins, but in a prominent place on the U.S. dance landscape. I see it as my honour and responsibility to continue to build on this work, deepening the artistic excellence of my practice while sharing my work with an even larger, international audience.