Children of Dharma

Children of Dharma explores life— forever transforming, dissolving, and renewing— through three characters from the South Asian epic The Mahabharata. These myths reveal the power of ancient cultures to reaffirm humanity’s relationship with nature and the sacred, and provoke a visceral response to crises over the ages, from environmental devastation and oppression to unjust wars.

In the onstage world created by scenic and lighting designer Willy Cessa, temples dissolve into battlefields and the sacred meets the earthly. An original Carnatic score and Bharatanatyam choreography for seven dancers bring these stories to life, illuminating questions of conscience, transformation, and our shared responsibility to the world around us.

Children of Dharma is commissioned by Northrop at The University of Minnesota, the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center at Auburn University, and The Joyce Theater Foundation's Stephen and Cathy Weinroth Fund for New Work, with additional support by the National Endowment for the Arts, the MAP Fund, New Music USA’s Organization Fund (with support in part from Fifth House Ensemble and legacy contributions to the New Music USA endowment), the St. Paul and Minnesota Foundations, the City of St. Paul Cultural Sales Tax  Revitalization Program, the Bob and Kathie Goodale Legacy Foundation, The Dr. Dash Foundation, whose mission is to preserve and promote the rich heritage and culture of India, the Fredrikson & Byron Foundation, and the Ramaswamys' residential fellowships at the Bogliasco Foundation in Genoa, Italy and the Camargo Foundation in Cassis, France.

We also thank our Dharma Circle:

 Joan and Rick Ahmann, Marguerite Ahmann and Carey Jeremiason, Andrew and Peggy Baker, Brett Egan, The J.L. Enquist Family Fund, Fay and Steve Finn, Ram and Neena Gada, Thomas and Cindy Gerst, Jeanine and Zach Holden, Donna Kasbohm, Fred and Kay Lazaro, Jai and Jon Maier, Emily Maltz and Jean-Michel Artigaud, Bridget and Tom Mayer, Nithya and Veeresh Mathad, David McKay and Ranee Ramaswamy, María and Mark Nadel, Godan and Savithry Nambudiripad, Lisa Norton, Venkat and Carla Prakash, Louise Robinson and Neal Cuthbert, Beth and Matt Spohn, Irene Suddard, John and Blythe Riske, Martin Riske, Rakesh Satyal and John Maas, Shanti Shah and Stefan Peterson, Sheila and Sanjay Terakanambi, Rachel Traver, Gregory Vilmo, James Wilkinson and Karen Covington, Sara Daggett and Bryan Zeigler, and Anonymous.