Tales Old and New

Every year for more than three decades, Dances of India has presented a program of classical Indian dance inspired by tales of wonder and magic drawn from India's long history. This year's performance takes place at 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday (November 16 and 17) at the Skip Viragh Center for the Arts on the Chaminade campus (425 South Lindbergh Boulevard, Frontenac; 314-997-0911 or www.dancesofindiastlouis.org), and it features traditional and fusion dance inspired by stories both very old and very new. Secrets of the Indian Storybook is the elder tale, drawn from obscure stories found in the two Hindu epics, The Ramayana and The Mahabharata. Radha is the younger piece, but it also calls back through the long years of India's faith. Nartana Premachandra's short story is about two Indian women -- one living in luxury in Delhi, the other dwelling in a simple hut with her family -- who both venture out of bed every night to search for Krishna. At its heart, it's about the timeless qualities of true faith that connect people across social boundaries; it's about where the old and the new meet for solace. Tickets for this year's show are $15 to $20.
Sat., Nov. 16, 2013