Ananta, The Eternal

“Aparna Ramaswamy is rapturous and profound … an enchantingly beautiful dancer.” — The New York Times

“ [Aparna] Ramaswamy preserves ancient dance forms with stunning virtuosity and expressivity to create a living tradition that is resonant for modern times.” —The Boston Globe

“Ashwini Ramaswamy weaves together, both fearfully and joyfully, the human and the divine.”  — The New York Times

Guggenheim Fellow and Doris Duke Award recipient Aparna Ramaswamy’s newest work—Ananta, The Eternal—weaves together threads of body, memory, desire, and devotion. Sisters and acclaimed Bharatanatyam dancers/choreographers Aparna Ramaswamy and Ashwini Ramaswamy come together for their first duet evening.

 Ananta describes the eternal relationship between the deity and the devotee. The experience of beholding the image of a deity with one’s own eyes is a central act of worship and charged with meaning—it is reciprocal and electric. The sacred is present in this auspicious moment; through the meeting of the eyes, one gains the grace of the divine.

 Aparna and Ashwini are accompanied by extraordinary musicians from Chennai, India, extending dialogues of improvisation and abstraction in dance.

Ananta, The Eternal is created with special commissioning funds from The Mayer Family.