Ananda Arts
Ananda Arts' Odissi Dance Performance
Sunday 9 June 2024 2:30pm
As part of the closing ceremony for Sophie Gresswell's exhibition, Wings of a Wire Bird, Ananda Arts will be performing tradional Odissi dance which reflects their responses to The Higgins Bedford collections.
2.30pm - public begin to arrive (please ask people to gather in the foyer space)
2.30pm - 2.45pm - Introductions by Sophie and open mic sign up info
2.45pm - 3.15pm - Odissi dancers performance
3.15pm - 3.30pm - Break
3.30pm - 4.30pm - open mic poetry.
Ananda Arts is an arts organisation focused on creating a centre of artistic excellence and development in Odissi Dance in the South East of England, with the hope of developing the art form and bringing the rich tradition and heritage of Oriya dance and music to the local community and surrounding areas.
As well as holding performances, artist development opportunities and weekly dance classes, the organisation engages with Odissi dance artists and emerging artists on a wider international level, inviting practitioners from all over the world to attend our Odissi Festivals.
The Ananda Ensemble performs pieces from the traditional Odissi repertoire, Oriya folk dance and an innovation choreographic piece titled "Kalinga" based on an object displayed in the Higgins, selected by the dance students, based on Ashoka’s Kalinga War. The Kalinga War prompted Ashoka, already a non-engaged Buddhist, to devote the rest of his life to ahimsa (non-violence) and to dharma-Vijaya (victory through dharma).
