Odissi Dance Performance
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Odissi is a form of Indian Temple Dance characterized by the ecstatic expression of grace and power. The Dance unifies feminine and masculine energies through fluid movement and rhythmic footwork. Odissi’s distinctive Tribhangi position, where the body is bent at three places: Knees, waist, and neck, gives this form a rounded softer movement then other Classical Indian Dance forms.
The dancer is adorned with vibrant silk costume, great amount of silver ornamentation, Goddess-like Make up, and an elaborate hair-do and head-piece. Ankle Bells are worn to accompany the musical rhythm. The music is soft and lilting, yet rhythmic and poses a trance quality. The essential instruments are the Pakhawaj drum, small cymbal, harmonium, flute, vocals, and usually a violin or a sitar or both.
Although dancing to live music is preferred, often times a dancer will dance with recorded music.
The traditional format for presenting Odissi dance resembles the construct of a Temple: commencing with an initiation dance, offering prayers to the earth, the divine, one’s teachers, and the audience; similarly to entering through the gateways of a temple. The first dance is also introducing and announcing the dancer arrival. The dance items gradually progress in intensity and expression – moving through the outer hallways towards the depth of the inner Temple.
A performance always concludes with a Mokshya Dance, literally translates as salvation, alluding to the ecstasy of spiritual communion to be experienced in the heart of a Temple. A solo performance is usually between 30 minutes to an hour and will include short background information, and a description of the various dances performed.
During an Odissi performance, the dancer and audience enter an entranced state where divine beauty and vibrant aliveness capture the heart.
Performances & Teaching Highlights
Oct 6, 2012 – Mudras of India workshop, Breathe Los Gatos, CA
Sept. 15, 2012 – Odissi dance workshop, TWDDC, Santa Cruz, CA
Sept. 8, 2012 – “Devotion”, A Shakti Bhakti Ensemble production, Solo & group performances, PCC, Santa Cruz, CA
August 29, 2012 – Mudras of India Webinar, Friends Health Connection, Online
August 11, 2012 – Shakti Bhakti Ensemble, Group & solo performance, Mt. Hermon retreat center, CA
May 25-28, 2012 – Odissi dance workshops, North. CA NCWHS
May 18-20, 2012 – Solo Odissi performance and workshops, Pyramid Lake, Nevada, Symbiosis Events
May 5th, 2012 – Shakti Bhakti Ensemble performance, Purple Lotus event, Union City, CA
April 7-8, 2012 – Odissi solo and group performance with Guru Shradha, Samsmaranam, bay area, CA
Dec 23, 20111 – Odissi solo performance, private event, Los Angeles, CA
Oct 30 – Nov 6, 2011 – Costa Rica Odissi dance intensive, Anamaya Resort, Costa Rica
Oct 14-16, 2011 – Odissi solo performance and workshops, Temple Dance Festival, San Francisco, CA
Oct 8, 2011 – Odissi group performance with Guru Shradha and Sujata Moahaptra, Santa Cruz, CA
Sept 5-9, 2011 – Yoga retreat teaching, Esalen, Bigsur, CA
Sept 2-4, 2011 – Odi
ssi dance workshops, NCWHS, North CA
July 31, 2011 – Odissi peromance, Shakti Bhakti Ensemble, Bells of India, Saratoga, CA
July 9, 2011 - Odissi peromance, Shakti Bhakti Ensemble, PCC Santa Cruz, CA
July 3, 2011 – Odissi group performance, Guru Shradha, Ratha Yatra, Fremont Temple, CA
June 29, 2011 – Odissi solo performance, Goddess Collective event, Oakland, CA
June 21, 2011 – Odissi solo performance, private event, Oregon
May 7, 2011 – Odissi group performance with Guru shradha, Santa Cruz, CA
May 6, 2011 – Odissi solo performance, 418 project, Santa Cruz, CA
April 16, 2011 – Odissi group performance, Yuva Bharati production, bay area, CA
January 16, 2011 – Odissi workshop, Santa Cruz, CA
December 18, 2010 – Yoga for dancers at the International Odissi dance festival, Bhubaneswar, Orissa
November 25-28, 2011 – Odissi performance and workshops, Harbin Hot Springs, CA
October 16, 2010 – Group Odissi Performance with Guru Shradha, Kelucharan Keerti Sampradaya 2010, Woodsise, CA
September 25, 2010 – Odissi Solo at Santa Cruz Ethnic Dance Festival, Santa Cruz, CA
September 11, 2010 – Odissi Solo as part of Raices Flamencas, 418 Project, Santa Cruz, CA
August 16, 2010 – Odissi Summer intensive Course, PPFDC, Santa Cruz, CA
August 6, 2010 – Odissi Performance and Workshop, Yoga Pura, Phoenix, AZ
July 30, 2010 – Odissi Performance and Workshop, Harbin Hot Springs, CA
June 26, 2010 – Odissi Workshop at Pleasure Point FDC, Santa Cruz, CADownload Flyer
May 24-27, 2010 – Anchorage, Alaska. ODISSI DANCE INTENSIVE Download Flyer
May 20 – 31, 2010 – Performance and Workshops, Anchorage, Alaska. touchoftao.com
May 8, 2010 - Pleasure Point Dance & Fitness, Santa Cruz, CA janelledance.com DownloadFlyer
April 17, 2010 – Odissi and Yoga workshops, Yoga Bhoga, Portland, Oregon. YogaBhoga.com Download Flyer
November 6, 2009 – Solo Odissi performance at the Bali Yatra Festival in Cuttack, Orissa, India
October 14-16, 2009 – Solo Odissi performance at the 4th National Devadasi Festival, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India
Sept. 24, 2009 – Odissi performance, Center for Indian Culture, Jerusalem, Israel. Event Flyer
October 1, 2009 – Odissi performance at the Body Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
September 13, 2009 – Odissi performance at Om Shan Tea, San Francisco, CA. OmShanTea.com
August 13, 2009 – Odissi performance at the Krishna Fest 09, Tuscon, AZ. govindasoftuscon.com
August 7-9, 2009 – Flagstaff Yoga Festival, Flagstaff, AZ:
Opening and closing ceremony performance, and Yoga of Indian Dance workshop flagstaffyogafestival.com
July 31 & August 1, 2009, Odissi performance & workshop at Yoga Pura, Phoenix, AZ YogaPura
June 19 2009, Odissi solo performance at the Raven, Prescott, AZ tsunamionthesquare.org
May 16-17 2009, Odissi and Yoga workshops in Inner Vision Yoga, Chandler, AZ InnerVisionYoga.com
April 17 – 26, 2009 – Odissi performances and Yoga workshops, Anchorage, Alaska OrientalHealingArtCenter
Rhythm and Flow Fundamentals – Sat Apr 18 – Inner Dance Yoga Studio
Subtle Movement Fundamentals – Sat Apr 18 – Inner Dance Yoga Studio & Sat Apr 25 – OHAC
Mudras: Powerful Hand Gestures – Sun Apr 19; 1-3 pm – Inner Dance Yoga & Sun Apr 26- OHAC
Shakti Yoga Fusion – Roots & Branches – Sun Apr 19 – Yoga Inner Dance Studio
Shakti Yoga Fusion – Waves & Spirals – Sun Apr 26- Oriental Healing Arts Center
Odissi: Indian Temple Dance – Essentials & Mudras – Sat Apr 18 – Oriental Healing Arts Center
Odissi: Indian Temple Dance – Spins, Phrases, Expressions – Sun Apr 19 – Oriental Healing Arts Center
Odissi: Indian Temple Dance – Neck & Facial Expressions – Sat Apr 25 – Oriental Healing Arts Center.
March 14 – 17, 2009 – Odissi performance and workshops, Harbin Hot Springs, CA Harbin
Hot Springs
February 13-16, 2009 – Dance & Yoga workshops at the 5th Annual Bisbee Yoga Expo, Bisbee, AZ BisbeeYogaExpo.com
October 24 – 26, 2008 – Odissi performance and workshops at the Ojai Yoga Crib, Ojai, CA.Ojai Yoga Crib
October 17 – 19, 2008 – Odissi performance & Shakti Dance workshop at the Daka Dakini Conference, Virginia Beach, VA
October 5, 2008 – Odissi Workshop at Yoga Day USA, Desert Song Yoga, Phoenix, AZ
September 12-14, 2008 – Odissi performance and workshops at Raw Spirit, Sedona, AZ RawSpiritFest.com
August 17, 2008 – Odissi performance with live Tabla, ‘Music for Wonder’ ’08 – Annual Benefit Show at the Elks Theater, Prescott, AZ
July 26, 2008 – Odissi Dance, Master Workshop – APA, Prescott, AZ APAPrescott.com
June 14, 2008 – Odissi duet performance, Tsunami on The Square ’08 – World Art Festival, Prescott, AZ TsunamiOnTheSquare.org
May 23, 2008 – Odissi solo performance, MOS Benefit Event at The Cross Roads, Prescott, AZ
February 15-18, 2008 – Odissi performance and workshops, The 4th Annual Bisbee Yoga Expo, Bisbee, AZ BisbeeYogaExpo.com
December 7, 2007 – Odissi solo performance, Annual Acker Musical Showcase, Prescott AZ AckerShowCase.com
October 11-13,2007 – Odissi workshops, The 15th Sagol – Festival of Love and Meditation, Israel Sagol.org
Sept., 2007 – Odissi and Yoga workshops, WEB (Women Empowerment Breakthrough) Conference, Prescott, AZ WeBaz.com
June 16, 2007 – Odissi duet performance, Tsunami on The Square ’07 – World Art Festival, Prescott, AZ TsunamiOntheSquare.org
June 2, 2007 – Odissi solo performance, Wedding Celebration, Chino Valley, AZ
April 21, 2007 – Odissi solo performance, Health Expo, Gateway Mall, Prescott, AZ
April 20, 2007 – Odissi solo performance, Elks Opera House, Prescott, AZ
Dec 27, 2006 – Odissi solo performance, International Odissi Dance Festival, Bhubaneshwar, Orissa, India Odissi.us
Dec 8, 2006 – Odissi solo performance, Annual Acker Musical Showcase, Prescott, AZ AckerShowCase.com
July, 2006 – Odissi solo performance, The Raven Cafe, Prescott, AZ RavenCafe.com
June, 2006 – Odissi performance, Harmony Festival, Santa Rosa, CA HarmonyFestival.com
June, 2006 – Odissi performance, Shakti Festival at Harbin Hot Springs, CA Harbin.org
May, 2006 – Odissi solo performance, Golden Lotus Academy, Prescott, AZ GoldenLotusAcademy.com
March, 2006 – Odissi performance opening for Sacred Chants Concert at Yoga Shala, 
Prescott, AZ YogaShalaArizona.com
October, 2005 – Odissi performance opening for Wah! concert, Prescott, AZ WahMusic.com
October, 2005 – Odissi performance, OctoberFest, Santa Cruz, CA
October, 2005 – Odissi performance, Dancing for Hope, Los Gatos, CA
October, 2005 – Odissi solo performance, Harbin Hot Springs, CA Harbin.org
September, 2005 – Odissi solo performance, Yoga Shala, Prescott, AZ YogaShalaArizona.com
September, 2005 – Odissi solo performance, Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant, Prescott, AZ
August, 2005 – Odissi solo performance, Juniper Well Ranch, Prescott, AZ JuniperWellRanch.com
June, 2005 – Odissi performance, Harmony Festival, Santa Rosa, CA HarmonyFestival.com
May, 2005 – Odissi solo performance, Los Gatos, CA
April, 2005 – Odissi performance, Pacific Cultural Center, Santa Cruz, CA PacificCultural.org
March, 2005 – Mancha Prabesh, Konark Natya Mandap – Odissi School, Orissa, India