Photo by Don Perrault_LR

Encounter,

by Aparna Sindhoor, Anil Natyaveda, and S M Raju.

Dany Margolies, ArtsInLA

The wisdom of the adage “Show, don’t tell” quickly becomes apparent in this dance-theater piece. And symbolic “showing” can be even more evocative than realism, which may explain why the storytelling here leaves the viewer shattered. In a universal tale about shortsighted despotism and evilly wielded power, only the production’s beautiful theatricality comes out the winner.  Read more…

Mayank Keshaviah – LA Weekly

Often the more specific something is, the more universal it feels. As such, this dance drama by Navarasa Dance Theatre, about Indian farmworker-turned-freedom fighter Dopdi Mejhen (Aparna Sindhoor), could just as easily have taken place in Rwanda, El Salvador or China. Mejhen, husband Dulna Majhi (Anil Natyaveda) and their fellow adivasis (indigenous tribals) are victims of the Indian military, who orchestrate “encounters” to kill or torture so-called enemies of the state. Interestingly, both groups are played by the same actors/dancers.  Read more…