Flying Feet

It was a text from a voice from the past. Sujatha (my namesake in Cleveland), an amazing artist and human, sent me a text letting me know of an upcoming program in Houston with her daughter's dance company. It also happened to be my son's birthday, so plans were made for me to celebrate both on Saturday, September 21st.

Dr. Shriya Srinivasan is an accomplished artist and an intellectual at a young age. She, along with her co-director Joshua George (another amazing artist), put together a program called Explorations where they explored the relationship between emotions and our experience. They played with the audience's emotions and took us on an emotional rollercoaster, ultimately leading us to joy and leaving us hopeful for the future. Though young, they have an ageless understanding of philosophical concepts and how they tie to our behavior and experiences.

The concept, though at times esoteric, was woven together seamlessly with dances and music spanning a wide spectrum of styles. The minimalist stage design allowed the audience to fully immerse themselves in the journey with the dancers. There were only a couple of scenes where props were used, but they were quite effective. The dancers provided the background and foreground for all other scenes. Kudos to the team on this innovative concept.

If I had any constructive criticism, it would be that there was a lot to absorb, making it challenging to fully understand the movement tied to the music and join the dancers in their emotional journey. A shorter, more focused main piece (such as the "Fear" segment) that delved deeper could have been more effective. This may be because I'm more accustomed to traditional dance pieces. It seemed the work was tailored for Millennial and Gen-Z audiences by Millennial and Gen-Z dancers.

The program began with a piece on Joy, choreographed with the fast-paced, athletic footwork of Bharatanatyam. The dancers covered the entire stage, each contributing their individual movements in sync.

The troupe itself was impressive - only two of the five dancers came from the same dance school, yet they were incredibly synchronized. There was perhaps one brief moment where a dancer showed different steps, but it was barely noticeable.

The humorous segment, reminiscent of Jerome Robbins' ballet spoofs, was expertly executed by Shriya, who skillfully threw off the other dancers' steps with precise timing. There was a particularly amusing moment when the dancers conspired to hide her, only for her to peek out from the sides to the audience's delight.

The main "Fear" piece took the audience through various fear-inducing scenarios and our reactions to them. Standout moments included the dream/nightmare sequence, the portrayal of the storm (evoking both Jesus and Hanuman in different scenes), and the sequence exploring jealousy, which was beautifully portrayed.

The transition to the "Love" piece was seamless, despite the costume change. While the inner reflection and submission to a divine entity were expertly portrayed, the audience member (myself) was slightly bewildered by the apparent jump in the narrative.

The final piece showcased the dancers' athletic prowess with fast-paced footwork, leaving the audience in awe of their talent and passion, especially considering the lack of props.

My plea to Houstonians is to better support these cultural dance programs, which require immense work and dedication to produce. This city is rich in culture, but the simultaneous scheduling of multiple programs diluted the audience. Let's do better at attending and appreciating these remarkable performances.

Thank you for reading.