Dance is also called the hidden language of the soul because we use it to express ourselves when words aren’t able to.
The joy that dance brings sometimes helps us overcome our worries and adversities. It is simply a translator for our hearts.
Dance is the art of precise, expressive, and graceful human movement, traditionally, but not necessarily, performed with musical accompaniment. The dance developed into a natural expression of united feeling and action.
For many, dance is just an art. In reality, dance is much more. It’s an art, a sport, a way of expressing yourself, a way of training, and a way of expressing feelings.
People have always used different types of dance to express themselves. Dancing is one of the most physically and cognitively demanding sports. Dance is an ancient human practise, yet the oldest records of human dance remain a mystery.
In this sense, The Ramayana is a classic tale from Hindu mythology, telling the story of Rama and his conflict with the villain Ravana, the king of Lanka, who kidnapped Rama’s consort Sita and held her captive in a forest.
With this epic as a backdrop, dancer and choreographer Rathna Kumar has put together a dance programme entitled Transcending Borders: The Ramayana Project, which includes styles of music and dance from India, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia. The premiere will take place on Saturday, August 5, at 7 p.m. at the Asia Society in Austin, Texas.
Kumar discusses how these styles complement each other and why these ancient stories have stayed with us for centuries.
