February 9, 2016

Ananya Dance Theatre at Scripps College: Interventions and Resistance: Raced/ Gendered/ Classed Violence in the USA

Scripps Poster

 

In fall 2015, the Humanities Institute at Scripps College, Claremont, California, sought to address and confront some of the devastating effects of intersecting forms of violence committed against people of marginalized identities in contemporary United States.

In spring 2016, the Institute welcomed scholars and artists who use their skills, intellects, and talents to further discussions of systemic and overt oppressive violence, to further the work of dismantling systems of inequality and social injustice, and to provide pathways to how activism and social justice can better shape our world.

Ananya Dance Theatre was invited to participate in performance and residency activities, Feb. 5-8, 2016.

 

February 6
Garrison Theater, Scripps College Performing Arts Center

Roktim: Nurture Incarnadine

Garrison Theater, Scripps College

Garrison Theater, Scripps College

In a performance that celebrates the intersection of classical Indian and folk dance traditions, street theater, and social justice, and that places women artists of color at the center, Ananya Dance Theatre presented Roktim: Nurture Incarnadine at the Garrison Theater.

February 7
Richardson Dance Studio
Community Dialogue: Ananya Chatterjea

Contemporary Artistic/Cultural Production in an Era of Police States, Race Violence, and Corporate Globalization

Ananya Chatterjea, ADT’s artistic director, and the artists in the company identify as cultural activists who create “people powered dances of transformation™.” Ryan Hagan, writing for the San Bernardino Sun, related the discussion of 34 dancers with Chatterjea and her company about the role of dance, social justice, and activism.

February 8
Richardson Dance Studio
Choreographing Identity: Dancing Our Stories

In this workshop, co-sponsored by the Office of Dean of Students, participants worked through games and embodied exercises to create a sense of community and connection, and with improvised movement and text to create choreographies that shared the participants’ stories. This particular exploration was based on the theme of healing at a time of violence.

 

Back: Renée Copeland, Lela Pierce, Magnolia Yang Sao Yia. Front: Chitra Vairavan, Ananya Chatterjea, Kealoha Ferreira.

ADT Dancers. Back: Renée Copeland, Lela Pierce, Magnolia Yang Sao Yia. Front: Chitra Vairavan, Ananya Chatterjea, Kealoha Ferreira.

The  program of ADT activities was presented in partnership with the Alexa Fullerton Hampton ’42 Endowed Speaker Fund, Scripps College Humanities Institute, the Office of the President and Board of Trustees at Scripps College, Scripps Communities of Resources and Empowerment, President’s Advisory Committee of Diversity and Inclusion, Scripps College Anthropology Department, Scripps College Hispanic Studies Department, Core Curriculum in Interdisciplinary Humanities,s Asian American Student Union, Pacific Basin Institute (Pomona College), Asian Studies Program (Pomona College), Office of International Initiatives (Pomona College), and the 7 College Asian American Advisory Board.