DANCE

Shantala Shivalingappa's extraordinary talent has been acclaimed by the likes of the legendary Pina Bausch and she has previously captivated Pillow audiences with the vibrant, precise storytelling embodied in her interpretation of the traditional Kuchipudi.Originating in southeastern India and recognized as one of the eight forms of classical Indian dance, Kuchipudi movements are quick andlight, with a keen sense of musicality. Shivalingappa, called the "child of the east and west" for her birth in India and upbringing in Paris, is accompanied by four master musicians, in the U.S. premiere of Shiva Ganga, a work that explores the balance between the Hindu gods Shiva, who creates and sustains the universe through dance, and Ganga, who embodies grace and elegance. "Shantala's dance is like the dancing glow of a flame, which enlightens us." -VOGUE, Paris "Mainly, though, this was a beautiful example of Kuchipudi's range of moods, now coolly compelling in its alternation of curving sculptural positions, now brightly engaging in its use of the eyes and gestures to the audience, now rapidly precise in its stamping and skipping clusters of footwork." - The New York Times