Hand gestures as language

Odissi style of Indian classical dance concert Jan. 10

January, 2012

Exploring the idea of language expressed through mudra or hand gestures in the Odissi style of Indian classical dance, Sreyashi Dey, with Ishika and Kritika Rajan and Debnita Talapatra, will present an innovative dance performance as part of the LSA Language theme semester.

The concert is 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10 at Keene Theater inside the Residential College at the University of Michigan.

Focusing on the connection among language, communication, gesture and and culture, the performance aims to uncover the layers of meaning and symbolism inherent in the dance, while drawing the audience into the process of dance making.

With its elaborate and intricate gestural language, Indian classical dance has a complex and stylized vocabulary that is not always fully accessible to the audience. This performance is unusual in taking the viewer through the creative process – a journey through the building blocks of the language of dance to the rich tapestry of the final presentation, as traditionally seen on the stage.

SPONSORS: The Department of Linguistics, together with faculty from Afroamerican and African Studies, American Culture, Anthropology, Asian Languages & Cultures, Classical Studies, Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, English, the English Language Institute, Germanic Languages & Literatures, Philosophy, Psychology, the Residential College and Romance Languages & Literatures.