Ananya Dance Theatre

ANANYA DANCE THEATER IS AN ENSEMBLE COMPANY OF BIPOC WOMEN AND FEMME PROFESSIONAL DANCE ARTISTS. WE CREATE ORIGINAL CONTEMPORARY DANCE THEATER AT THE INTERSECTION OF ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. WE WORK TO DISMANTLE HIERARCHIES AND BUILD LIBERATION, INSPIRED BY THE LIVES AND DREAMS OF BIPOC WOMEN AND FEMMES AROUND THE GLOBE. WE WILL CELEBRATE OUR 20TH SEASON IN 2025. OUR ARTISTRY UNFOLDS THROUGH YORCHHA, OUR DEVISED CONTEMPORARY FEMINIST DANCE FORM, WHICH EMBODIES OUR RESPONSE TO THE WESTERN/EURO-AMERICAN MOVEMENT PRACTICES THAT DOMINATE THE CONTEMPORARY DANCE WORLD. YORCHHA PROUDLY CLAIMS THE DESCRIPTORS "CONTEMPORARY- AND "INNOVATIVE" EVEN AS IT CELEBRATES ITS CREATION FROM AN INTENTIONAL DECONSTRUCTION AND REASSEMBLY OF TRADITIONAL ODISSI, VINYASA YOGA, AND THE MARTIAL ART CHHAU. WHILE YORCHHA IS ROOTED IN PRINCIPLES OF SOUTH ASIAN MOVEMENT FORMS, WE SHAPE ITS EXPRESSION TO MOVE BEYOND AN AFFILIATION WITH "INDIAN CULTURE" THAT OFFERS CONSTRICTIVE UNDERSTANDINGS OF "HINDU"

THE PRINCIPAL ACTIVITY OF ANANYA DANCE THEATRE FOR 2022 WAS THE CREATION AND STAGED PRESENTATION OF "NUN GHERAO," A 92-MINUTE WORK OF ORIGINAL DANCE THEATER WITH COMMISSIONED MUSIC, UTILIZING THE SERVICES OF 20 PERFORMERS, DIRECTORS, MUSICIANS, AND COMPOSERS. PRESENTED AT THE O'SHAUGHNESSY AT ST. CATHERINE UNIVERSITY, ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, AND ATTENDED BY 590 PEOPLE IN A CONTINUED, COVID-AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT.

ANANYA DANCE THEATRE MAINTAINED A MARKETING PRESENCE AT THE WESTERN ARTS ALLIANCE CONFERENCE (ONLINE), THE ARTS MIDWEST CONFERENCE (IN-PERSON), AND THE 2022 APAP CONFERENCE (ONLINE), HELD A BOOK PUBLICATION CELEBRATION FOR ITS NEW ANTHOLOGY (IN-PERSON AND ONLINE), CONDUCTED A CHOREOGRAPHY LABORATORY FOR EMERGING CREATIVE DANCE ARTISTS, CONDUCTED A WORKSHOP FOR THE NATIONAL PERFORMANCE NETWORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE, STORED COSTUMES AND SET PIECES FROM PAST PRODUCTIONS AT AN OFF-SITE FACILITY, AND MAINTAINED A PHYSICAL FACILITY BEYOND THE REQUIREMENTS OF SPECIFIC PROGRAM PROJECTS, MANAGEMENT, AND FUNDRAISING. TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 34 (IN-PERSON), 201+ (ONLINE).

ANANYA DANCE THEATRE LED AND PARTICIPATED IN MORE THAN 70 CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, AND LECTURES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS BETWEEN JANUARY 1 AND DECEMBER 31, 2022. THESE CLASSES OCCURRED LARGELY ONLINE FOR STUDENTS AT BATES COLLEGE, EAST SIDE ARTS COUNCIL, LUTHER COLLEGE, SKIRBALL CULTURAL CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS-AMHERST, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-RIVERSIDE, THE SHAWNGRAM INSTITUTE FOR PERFORMANCE & SOCIAL JUSTICE, AMONG OTHERS. TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 950+

ANANYA DANCE THEATRE PRESENTED PERFORMANCES OF "DASTAK: I WISH YOU ME" ON TOUR AT FOUR VENUES: BATES COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, SKIRBALL CULTURAL CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS-AMHERST. TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 1,617