Storytelling Through Dance

Rajika Puri brings myth to life through movement

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Rajika Puri presents a lecture-demonstration at Asia Society's India Centre on the importance of myth in Indian culture on October 15, 2010. (Asia Society)

• Rajika Puri at Asia Society New York, Apr. 2009

MUMBAI, October 15, 2010 - Renowned dancer Rajika Puri presented a lecture-demonstration at the National Centre of Performing Arts (NCPA) on dance storytelling and the importance of myth in Indian culture. She was joined in conversation with Amriti Lahiri, Head of Dance Programmes at NCPA.

Drawing on her own journey as a performer, Puri reflected on the essence of stories told through traditional Indian dances and their importance today. Through a combination of discussion, live performance, and videos of her past performances, she demonstrated some of the different methods she has used to convey stories.

By witnessing Puri in a succession of different roles and through multiple media, the audience was able to experience the potency of her literal version of storytelling through dance, in which she narrates, sings, and chants as she performs.

By portraying Indian mythology through movement, Puri showed how different audiences can relate to and understand the same story in different ways, and how the exploration of this tradition could benefit people from all walks of life.

Rajika Puri is an internationally acclaimed soloist in Bharata Natyam and Odissi who has presented throughout the United States, South and Central America, Europe, and India. She holds an MA (New York University) in movement analysis from a cultural perspective.