NEWS RELEASE

"Jothi Raghavan's performance was one of the most exceptional ever presented at the Champlain Valley Folk Festival" -- Mark Sustic, Founder, Past Director

"... elevated the audience to a realm of beauty and aesthetic bliss. This is no mean exaggeration, but true to the word ..." -- Financial Express, Bombay

Jothi Raghavan, a renowned dancer and choreographer in the South Indian bharata natyam tradition, will perform in her new work "Kanya" ("Woman"), a multi-media dance-drama, as the centerpiece of the UVM's India Festival, sponsored by the Friends of Indian Music and Dance and the Asian Studies Program. The performance will take place on Saturday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the Theatre of the Lyman C. Hunt Middle School (right off North Avenue, just north of the Ethan Allen Shopping Center). Tickets, which are $15 and $10; $7 for students and children, are on sale at the Flynn Theatre Box Office (802/863-5966) and the UVM Ticket Store (802/656-3085 ), or can be ordered by sending a check to FIMD, 405 Cook Bldg., UVM, Burlington, VT 05405. Advance purchase is strongly recommended. Group discounts are available.

"Kanya" ("Woman") first tells the compelling stories of women in the ancient Hindu epics in drama, dance, music and images. Then, this multi-media dance drama reevaluates the past through the work of a contemporary poet who proclaims "See me as I am, your equal and partner!" "Kanya" is the creation of renowned dancer and choreographer, Jothi Raghavan, who will perform in the leading role along with a remarkable cast and musical ensemble, mostly from Madras, India.

Jothi Raghavan's work is well known in Burlington through previous dance recitals at the Champlain Valley Folk Festival, the Friends of Indian Music & Dance series, and elsewhere. A renowned exponent of the South Indian dance tradition bharata natyam , she holds audiences spellbound with her control and expressiveness. She has danced all over India, the Far East, and in leading cultural centers through the US and Canada. She had the honor of being invited to dance for the President of India at his official residence, the Rashtrapathi Bhavan in New Delhi. Having won the enthusiastic praise of audiences and critics, she is regarded as one of the finest exponents of bharata natyam anywhere.

"Kanya" is Jothi Raghavan's largest work to date. It explores the depiction of woman by the Hindu epic poets and brings it into the present through the work of a contemporary Canadian Tamil poet, V. Subramaniam, who inspired Raghavan's dance-drama setting. "Kanya" is a celebration of this extraordinary panorama of ancient and modern. It both rivetingly demonstrates the power and appeal of these powerful female characters and then demands their reevaluation in the current age. Creative use of an actor and projected images introduce the audience effectively to the characters and dramatic situations which will be portrayed in dance. Premièring in Boston, "Kanya" was received enthusiastically by critics and audiences and has attracted a great deal of interest, both here and in India.

Jothi Raghavan's career began very young as a student and partner of her mother, Vimla Ramanujam, also one of the finest dancers of her time. Later, she became a disciple of the greatest living bharata natyam teacher, Guru Kalaimamani Rajarathnam. Trained in the famous Vazhuvoor style, known for its sculpturesque poses, grace and elegance, she is an exquisite performer and choreographer. Her previous full-length productions and thematic vignettes have brought her wide critical acclaim. Jothi is the recipient of grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the New England Foundation for the Arts for her innovative choreography. Based in Washington and Boston, she is the Artistic Director of Nrityanjali, one of the oldest and most respected bharata natyam schools in the US, and the Academy for Indian Performing Arts.

"Kanya" will also feature Surya Narayana Murthy, one of the leading male dancers in India today. Coming from a family of dancers, he is a disciple of the famed Madras company, the Dhananjayans. He has played many roles, danced all over the world, and is the recipient of many coveted titles. The actor/dancer will be Suresh Sridhar, also a long-standing disciple of the Dhananjayans and a teacher at the Bharatha Kalanjali, the foremost dance school in Madras. Rajni Chandrasekhar and M. P. Vijayalakshmi will lead the ensemble of Nrityanjali dancers.

Leading the musicians will be Sri V. A. Aravindakshan, vocal and nattuvangam (rhythmic dance "calling"), and Sri T. K. Ramakrishnan, mridangam (tunable South Indian drum), who have thrilled Burlington audiences on previous appearances. Sri Aravindakshan is the most sought-after accompanist of bharata natyam dancers today and has traveled all over the world with leading dancers; he is also a close disciple of the Dhananjayans. Sri Ramakrishnan has performed extensively around the world accompanying musicians of the highest caliber; he also played with Pandit Ravi Shankar in the sound track for Attenborough's film "Gandhi". Joining in vocals will be Sumathi Sarangan, who has accompanied many dancers on their tours in the US. M. S. Kannan will play violin; he specializes in dance accompaniment and has traveled widely with leading dance companies. H. S. Venugopal will play flute; a talented classical musician in the South Indian (Karnatic) tradition, he has an international reputation. K. Venkatesh has designed the lighting and is in great demand by Madras dance companies. The projected images are the work of Winnie Lambrecht. Costumes are by D. S. Ayyilu, the acclaimed Madrasi designer for more than two generations.

Additional co-sponsors are Burlington City Arts and the Burlington Women's Council.

Press photos, videos, and more information are available upon request. Jothi Raghavan can be reached for telephone interviews by arrangement. Please call 802/656-0051 or 656-3488 for assistance. Further information is also available via the internet at at http://www.uvm.edu/~fimd/.