Posts tagged The Intangible Experience
The Intangible Experience of Guidance
The Intangible Experience of Guidance

Dear friend,

Allowing yourself to be a true student - completely committed to a specific pursuit - is humbling, arduous , and incredibly rewarding. As lifelong students of Bharatanatyam, we are deeply committed to passing on what we have learned to the next generation.

For us, a central focus is providing guidance during this current reality. As Ragamala continues to virtually choreograph, rehearse, and engage with the community, we are also distance teaching our school of 65 students - working to maintain their progress, uphold their connection to their culture, and keep them motivated during an unprecedented time in their young lives.

Starting today until May 8, Ragamala is participating in a statewide campaign called #GiveAtHomeMN to provide the best experience for our students and continue the vital work of our teachers.

MORE ABOUT #GIVEATHOMEMN

We hope you enjoy this week's offerings; until next week, please stay safe and healthy,

Ranee, Aparna, Ashwini, and the Ragamala staff

EXPERIENCE / ENGAGE / EXPLORE

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The Intangible Experience of Preservation
The Intangible Experience of Preservation

Dear friend,

This year, Earth Day arrived at a time when the planet has urged us to take a pause - to truly reflect upon how we can preserve what we still have and generate new ideas for the future.

As practitioners of an ancient tradition that has evolved over thousands of years, we are well versed in maintaining this balance between preservation and generation. This week, we offer you preservation through poetry, practice, and... primates! We hope you are coping well and that you are able to move through the world as though every day is Earth Day.

Until next week, please stay safe and healthy,

Ranee, Aparna, Ashwini, and the Ragamala staff

EXPERIENCE / ENGAGE / EXPLORE

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Ragamala Dance CompanyThe Intangible Experience, Preservation, Tradition, Sacred EarthComment
The Intangible Experience of Awe
The Intangible Experience of Awe

Dear friend,

Through the experience of awe, we can find deep inspiration. Since 1983, the immeasurable awe we feel every time we see our guru, Smt. Alarmél Valli, perform and teach is what feeds our artistic purpose and imagination.

Feeling awe at what the world has to offer can be a positive way through a difficult situation - if we are able to appreciate the most beautiful aspects of nature, history, and art, we may be able to reflect upon the larger world and on our place within it.

We so enjoy the wonderful feedback you have been sending regarding this new weekly e-series, and we hope that it brings a bit of joy to your inbox. We will keep sharing stories, videos, and articles that you might find meaningful during this time.

Until next week, please stay safe and healthy,

Ranee, Aparna, Ashwini, and the Ragamala staff

EXPERIENCE / ENGAGE / EXPLORE

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Ragamala Dance CompanyThe Intangible Experience, Awe, School Comment
The Intangible Experience of Home
The Intangible Experience of Home

Dear friend,

The concept of home is both physical and metaphorical. As we continue to increase the amount of time we spend in our physical homes, we may also be contemplating the more spiritual or philosophical interpretations of the word.

For Ragamala's artistic team, home is two places, two identities, two north stars. Ranee was born and raised in India, and came to the United States as an adult; Aparna was born in India and after moving to the U.S. returned to India for many months each year; Ashwini was born in the United States, and those same trips to India were more about discovery than return. They each use Bharatanatyam to explore these facets of home and multicultural identity.

What does home mean to you? How are you adapting your home - both physically and emotionally - to prepare for the unknowable months ahead? We hope that you find this week's content both entertaining and thought-provoking, and we look forward to hearing your perspectives.

Until next week, please stay safe and healthy,

Ranee, Aparna, Ashwini, and the Ragamala staff

EXPERIENCE / ENGAGE / EXPLORE

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The Intangible Experience of Unity
The Intangible Experience of Unity

Dear friend,

We received great responses to last week's 'The Intangible Experience' content. Please keep writing to us - we love hearing from you!

This week, we are focusing on the joyful unity between artists and audiences. A central concept within the Indian performing arts is  Bhava-Rasa,  where both the viewer and the artist play an active role in the performance experience.  Bhava  is an emotion/state of mind, and the 'feeling' or 'taste' of  Rasa  creates the aesthetic enjoyment.

We hope that you find value in our creative and communal output - we certainly could not create, teach, or perform without you. We continue to share the things we find meaningful during this time, and thank you for being part of the family.

Until next week, please stay safe and healthy,

Ranee, Aparna, Ashwini, and the Ragamala staff

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The Intangible Experience of Connection
The Intangible Experience of Connection

Dear friend,

The arts provide an intangible sense of awe, a joyful means of communication during challenging times. For nearly 28 years, Ragamala has been unwavering in our commitment to creating moving experiences that form eternal connections between us - a commitment that has only heightened in recent weeks.

An audience comment from 2012 might capture it best:

"It was unreal. Moving. Inspiring. I’m going through an existential crisis right now…lots of changes and life decisions, etc. This helped me come back to what’s important."

Let’s stay connected during this time — through dance, poetry, food, and other creative motivations. We look forward to sharing these experiences with you in the coming weeks. 

Please stay safe and healthy,

Ranee, Aparna, Ashwini, and the Ragamala staff

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Ragamala Dance CompanyThe Intangible Experience, Connection Comment