Apsaras Dance Company

Sharing a few photos from “FLOWERS OF DEVOTION” - Manipuri dance performance by Basu Sinam and Monica Devi for IPAC - Indian Performing Arts Convention 2024 presented by Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay in collaboration with Apsaras Dance Company. Photo credit Lijesh Karunakaran

SAMVET - Kathak performance by Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company in collaboration with Apsaras Dance Company for IPAC 2024 Showcade performances at the . Choreographed by:
Performed by: Dheerendra Tiwari, Anindita Acharjee (Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company) and Shivangi Dake Robert ( )
Produced by: Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company and The Drishtikon Dance Foundation Photo Credit Lijesh Karunakaran

IPAC 2024 Dance Showcase - DWITA by and - Sharing a few photos from the performance at presented in collaboration with

Apsaras Dance Company is honoured to present the Life Time Achievement Award - NATYA AACHARYA RATHNA to Smt Radha Gopal Shetty, Smt Vatsala Sivadas, and Smt Thavamalar Gunaratnam, pioneer dance gurus and directors of Temple of Fine Arts International. We are grateful for their dedication and their contributions to nurturing generations of dancers, dance teachers, and dance students in our region.

The award will be presented at IPAC - Indian Performing Arts Convention 2024 Awards on 29th September 2024.

Temple Of Fine Arts Singapore The Temple of Fine Arts Kuala Lumpur Temple Of Fine Arts,Malacca Temple of Fine Arts,Chennai

Our condolences to the family of Smt Vasantha Kasinathan, who has passed away peacefully. One of Singapore's pioneering Bharatanatyam Guru, and her passing is a great loss to the dance fraternity of Singapore.

Smt Vasantha Kasinath started learning Bharatanatyam at an early age in India under the tutelage of P R Vishwanatha Iyer, who was the disciple of the famous dance couple Guru Gopinath and Thangamani. After completing her Arangetram, she learnt under Smt Mylapore Gowri Ammal, Tanjore Venkattas Nattuvanar,
Sri Pathakudi Ramaswamy and Sri Dhandayuthapani Pillai. She was part of the internationally acclaimed Sri Uday Shankar Troupe and performed in more than 60 cities including Europe, Canada and the International World Fair in Seattle, USA. She has been closely associated with the classical arts from as early as the 1950s in Singapore. She was popularly known as Miss Vasantha Mani. Her long association with the People’s Association since 1983 has garnered her the Long Service Award for conducting dance classes in community centres. She has trained many schools for the Singapore Youth Festival dance competitions which has achieved numerous Gold and Gold with Honours awards. Many of her students have completed their arangetram under her tutelage. She was awarded with the Nrithya Jyothi title in 2010. Radha’s Quest and Andal Kaaniro are
successful productions presented by her. She inspired the young and old in Singapore, in both the Indian and other communities with her innovative teaching and dance choreography.

Apsaras Dance Company had the honour of awarding the title of NATYA AACHARYAMANI on her in recognition of her contributions to nurturing Indian Classical Dance in Singapore. The award was presented to her at the annual IPAC - Indian Performing Arts Convention in 2013.

May she rest in eternal peace.

Congratulations Shivangi Dake Robert!

Apsaras Dance Company is proud to present the "Bharata Kala Mani" award to Kathak exponent and teacher Shivangi Dake Robert at this year's IPAC - Indian Performing Arts Convention 2024 Awards. Shivangi is known for her elegant style of performing with grace and virtuosity. She has been training students in Singapore for a decade, while regularly performing in Singapore and at international venues.

This year for IPAC 2024 Showcase Shivangi will be performing for "SAMVET" with the dancers from Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company, choreographed by Aditi Mangaldas.

Please find details of the performance via:

https://www.esplanade.com/whats-on/festivals-and-series/series/raga/ipac-2024-samvet

CONGRATULATIONS Shivangi!

Join us on Saturday 21st September at 11:30am Singapore / 9:00am Singapore for FaceBook live conversation with Sinam Singh sharing insights on his upcoming Manipuri dance performance at the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay for IPAC - Indian Performing Arts Convention 2024.

Join us today at 8:00pm (Singapore) for a conversation with Aditi Mangaldas on her choreography of "SAMVET" which will be performed by ADITI MANGALDAS COMPANY in collaboration with Apsaras Dance Company for IPAC - Indian Performing Arts Convention at the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay.

For more details, please visit
https://www.esplanade.com/whats-on/festivals-and-series/series/raga/ipac-2024-samvet

Sharing a few clicks from IPAC 2024 Lecture Demonstration - Abhinaya in Mohiniattam by Dr Neena Prasad at

Lighting Design by
Photography by

Not to be missed. At IPAC - Indian Performing Arts Convention 2024 on Sunday 15th 2024

For the first time at IPAC - Indian Performing Arts Convention in Singapore, we are pleased present Dr Neena Prasad, in a Lecture Demonstration - "Abhinaya in Mohiniattam".

Date: Sunday 15th September 2024
Time: 4-5pm
Venue: AVAI at Apsaras Arts at Goodman Arts Centre

Please visit the following url to register.
https://ticketer.sg/Event/EventDetail/ec1bBC6A/IPACSG2024lecdems

An opportunity not to be missed!.

Intrigued to know what RAMA VAIDYANATHAN is planning for IPAC - Indian Performing Arts Convention 2024 ?. Join for the Facebook LIVE - IPAC Artist Conversation on Sunday 8th at 11:30 am (Singapore) / 9:00 am (India).

Please tune in on this page https://www.facebook.com/ApsarasDanceCompany

IPAC ARTIST CONVERSATIONS

Join us tomorrow Wednesday 4th September 2024 at 9pm (Singapore) and 6:30pm (India) for a live conversation with Prince Rama Varma, for insights on his Master Class and Concert for IPAC - Indian Performing Arts Convention 2024.

Gokulashtami greetings from Apsaras Dance Comoany.

Sharing a choreography in celebration of the blue god Krishna - two beautiful songs popularised by M.S Subhalakshmi performed by company dancers Nikita Menon, Maanasa Sri Ganesh, Kshirja Govind and Ashmitha Jayaprakash. Choreographed by Mohanapriyan Thavarajah music arrangement by Dr Rajkumar Bharathi and sung by Savita Narasimhan. Filmed by IndianRaga Singapore.

Link to watch
https://youtu.be/2BryE4JEQss?si=p4FUIrLB_f62B_Lu

THE HEROINES OF RAJA RAVI VARMA by Apsaras Dance Company

Artistic Director’s Notes
The Bharatanatyam Indian classical dance shares a lot of synergy with Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings. Do the dancers pose like the heroines in the paintings, or are the painted heroines frozen in time while striking a Bharatanatyam pose? Working on a dance production inspired by paintings had been in my mind for a very long time, and creating a production based on Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings was a dream come true for me.

Ravi Varma was the first visual artist to create Indian calendar art. Before him, the representation of Hindu gods and goddesses in temples and homes was often limited to either stone sculptures or metal icons. It was Ravi Varma who made images of the Hindu deities accessible to the masses: many homes started framing his ‘calendar art’ for display on home altars. In my home, too, we had the calendar art paintings of the goddesses Saraswathi and Lakshmi framed, and as a child I was fascinated to see them in human form.

The Heroines of Raja Ravi Varma was a challenging journey due to its multidimensional nature. We had to ensure that Ravi Varma’s interpretation of the epic heroines was effectively communicated through the choreography, accompanied by music and lyrics that could flesh out the nuances and sentiments. Costumes also had to be designed according to what was depicted in the paintings.
Working with guest choreographer Parvathi Ravi Ghantasala was inspirational for the team, while Apsaras Arts founder Neila Sathyalingam’s recreation of the costumes in the paintings was key in bringing to life the painted heroines. This was another immensely fulfilling journey.
- Aravinth Kumarasamy, Artistic Director, Apsaras Dance Company.

Apsaras Dance Company in collaboration with Indian Heritage Centre presents the dance performance The Heroines of Raja Ravi Varma on Sunday 1st September at the The Arts House at The Old Parliament.

For more details and to book your tickets please visit
https://www.apsarasarts.com/whats-on/ravivarma/

UPCOMING PERFORMANCE by Apsaras Dance Company in collaboration with Indian Heritage Centre

The Heroines of Raja Ravi Varma brings to life a selection of painted heroines through Bharatanatyam.

"Filled with drama, romance, love, and sorrow, the personification of these heroines was complete as the performers danced their way through the protagonists’ lives. The Singapore-based dance company’s portrayal of Varma’s heroines did not delineate from Varma’s perspective of these women. The intricate story behind each of the women was constructed, keeping in mind Ravi Varma’s vision of them.”
- JANANE VENKATRAMAN, The New Indian Express

For more details and to book your tickets please visit
https://www.apsarasarts.com/whats-on/ravivarma/