ADT’s “Shyamali” at Painted Bride Art Center

“Shyamali: Sprouting Words” explores how dissent fuels life force and growth, recognizes the courage of women who speak up and talk back to sustain communities against injustice, and celebrates women who refuse to be broken.

Ananya Dance Theatre is comprised primarily of women artists of color who are cultural activists: working through artistic processes to engage audiences, build community, and move toward justice and beauty. They celebrate proactive dissent as fuel for the life force and growth, recognizing the courage of women who speak up and talk back to sustain communities against injustice.

With dance as a choreographic response to social issues, the company is part of a social justice movement: inspiring audiences through visual and emotional engagement.

“Shyamali: Sprouting Words” is a National Performance Network/Visual Artists Network (NPN/VAN) Creation and Development Fund Project co-commissioned by the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, Pittsburgh, PA, in partnership with the Asian Arts Initiative, Philadelphia, PA, the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, Kahului, HI, the Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles, CA, The O’Shaughnessy at St. Catherine University, St. Paul, MN, and NPN. The Creation and Development Fund is supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency). For more information: www.npnweb.org.

“Shyamali: Sprouting Words” was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Production residency funded by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, with funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

“Shyamali: Sprouting Words” is supported by an Art Works grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Imagine Fund, and The O’Shaughnessy. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

General Operating support was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project with funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.