What’s pretty adorable about this particular touring performance is that students at Wescott School in Northbrook dressed up for the occasion (see first picture below).
But every show with Kalapriya Dance Company is an incredible opportunity, because each of their shows offers a vibrant combination of traditional Indian dance and costume, plus a cross-cultural education experience. During their enchanting dance performance (duly titled “Enchanting Tales and Rhythms of India”), performers take breaks to talk with students about Indian culture and mythology, and how symbolism plays a role in Indian dance (using examples such as hand animals, which they teach the students – see third photo below). This show at Wescott was a tribute to Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, arts, music, and science.
Miss Cuccio’s class even wrote about the performance on their blog!
“What I liked about the Indian dancers is their movements because it told a story. Like baby Krishna. They danced beautifully while telling a story. The Indian dancers taught us some hand animals and took some kids on stage to do a dance. It was cool!”
“I danced at the assembly in the audience. We were not in India. We were in Illinois. It was fun!”
“I thought the Indian dancers were as graceful as swans.”
-Wescott Students
Wescott students dressed up for the show.
Kalapriya dancers taught students hand animals that they use in their dances.
Check out more photos from this show, generously shared by Northbrook/Glenview School District’s Publicity Coordinator, Beth Preis (thank you!):