Shakti School of Bharata Natyam Annual Recital 2021
Saturday, Sep 4, 2021. 4:30pm
Torino Outdoor Plaza, Torrance, CA
co sponsored by Nupur Dance Academy, LA
“During the entire period March 2020 to Aug 2021 Shakti has been doing classes and performances on zoom …The Zoom- jhooming energy was wonderful, difficult, frustrating, eye straining, time lagging- exhilarating and exhausting -but nevertheless did it’s job – keeping students engaged in the practice of Bharata Natyam.
Performance is a major component in dance education, at Shakti we hosted numerous zoom performance events – Vijayadashmi 2020, Year end class recitals, Shivaratri performance 2021, Fundraising dance events, and the Shakti Decades Dance Project 2021 where Shakti raised almost $6,000 for the Downtown Women’s Center LA and Dancing from home-Shakti tribute to the frontline workers. It has been inspiring to observe how the Shakti dance community adapted with creativity and focus and though tremendously gratifying, the online zoom presence is no replacement for the magic of in person dancing!
And so, with those students who felt comfortable to come on board Shakti presented the Annual Recital 2021 on Sept 4th with costumes, jewelry, flowers in the hair, bells on the feet – the dances learned on zoom manifested live at the outdoor stage of the Torino plaza in Torrance, California. It was beautiful- the breeze, the ambience, the energy of the little ones dancing so well with masks, the vaccinated dancing fearlessly without masks and an audience of family seated in pods picnicking and enjoying the dance!
Here are some moments of our rehearsals and performance. “
– Viji aunty
2021 Shakti Annual Download Link:
Performance Photo Galleries
Photographer: Surendra Prakash
Shakti Moms Perform!
Rehearsals:
Students Say . . .
“Aunty you always have a way of bringing back everyone together which gives us and now our children a special community in which we all belong no matter what chapter of life. Thanks for making Covid anxious people like me feel safe through so much effort.”
“A big thank you to Viji Aunty for making this happen. You are such a dedicated and passionate teacher. I think when I was younger I liked coming to dance class just to see you…you always have such charm and enthusiasm. And, I am really grateful that my child gets to work with you and experience the same. Thank you so much for all the hard work you put into this and making this happen.”
“It was soul satisfying to dance with all of you again. Makes me realize that it really is a part of my DNA now – thank you thank you Aunty not just for reaching us dance but for being a Guru in every sense of the word And thank you ladies for doing this despite busy schedules and kids – which makes me realize I can do it too!”
“Felt so good to dance with you all! And on a stage, next to nice speakers , feelin the vibes and the dance love as a community! So good to see the kids dance, little and big, and the kick ass mathu and shubha – who deserved Taco Bell after all their dancing. Would have loved to watch the rest of you dance actually, but felt good to be WITH u. “
“Thank you mom for making this happen!”
