Interested in other cultures, specifically the many cultures belonging to the diverse and beautiful South Asia? If you are, then you probably already know about the Dakshina Festival. And even if you know about the festival, you probably have some questions going into it — maybe not “what is there to do?”, but “what can I do?” “A Guide To The South Asian Music And Dance At The Dakshina Festival – DCist.com” answers both of these and more in this informative guide.
Key Takeaways:
- Think of Daniel Phoenix Singh as the South Asian dance ambassador of D.C. In 2003, he founded the Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company, which fuses traditional Indian and modern western dance, and launched the Annual Fall Festival of South Asian Arts, bringing dancers and musicians from South Asia to perform in D.C.
- Singh takes frequent trips to India, where he goes to performances and invites his favorite dancers to the festival. This weekend’s performers hail from Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. Singh is particularly loo
- “Kathak is a traditional northern South Asian dance influenced by the Mughals,” Singh says. It has a strong Muslim influence and lots of rolling dervishes, but the facial and hand gestures are softer.
“Singh started the festival because there were few examples of classical Indian dance in town. Unless you’re already a part of the Indian-American community, he explains, traditional South Asian dance isn’t easy to come by.”
http://dcist.com/2016/10/dakshinas_13th_annual_fall_festival.php
