Although their grand opening is not until Sept. 7, a group of dancers and several local women trekked out to the studios of OC Music and Dance (OCMD) in Irvine early last Saturday for a Kathak (one of nine classical dance forms of India) and Tabla (Indian Drums) workshop hosted by OCMD.
Since the dawn of man, long before cell phones tracked our every move, peoples and civilizations have found ways to pass customs, secrets, and traditions to succeeding generations.
In India, for centuries secrets hidden in the steps and language of the nine classical South Asian dances have passed on myths and stories long held true by people in the northern reaches of the country.
Cypress resident Malini Nagpal, Ph.D. and Bhairavi Kumar, Ph.D., of Walnut, announced that they have formed LA Dance Synergy, (LADS), a nonprofit organization that plans to offer lessons in South Asian dances like Kathak.
Nagpal and Kumar brought several students, instructors, and women who wanted to learn to the dance studios of OCMD in Irvine, another nonprofit that has offered the local startup free professional dance studio space until it becomes self-sustaining.
“LADS is a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and education of dance as a powerful medium for cultural expression, community wellness, and personal growth,” said Nagpal.
“Our mission aligns with the broader goals of fostering inclusive and innovative arts communities that serve diverse populations,” she added.
“Moreover, we are exclusively positioned to develop and implement educational program, innovative performances, and outreach programs that engage in global cultural exchange and simultaneously promote healing, unity, and community wellness,” said Nagpal.
She said LADS has elite access to world-class artists in South Asia through our alliance with several strategic partners, including the Kathak Kandra (the National Institute of Kathak Dance), Nritvodaya Kathak Academy (NKA), National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA), and others.
Kumar, a longtime teacher of Kathak, said body movements, including very strict feet cadences, reveal much about life and history.
“Like a fingerprint, a person’s body movement is as unique as the person conducting them,” said Nagpal .
“Keeping the overall physical, emotional, and psychological safety in mind, there is no wrong or right way to express the self in dance,” she said. LADS is deeply aware that dance is an expressive medium with a uniquely effective way to convey meaning, emotion, and cultural values of people.”
Nonetheless, there exists a perception that dance is “hard to do.” She said there is a general “fear” that many people experience, but at the same time they are in awe of people who are dancing.
“This dichotomy is fascinating, and LADS maintains that this “fear” and “hesitation,” but also the fascination with dance is due to the lack of access to dance performances, education, and community engagement,” said Kumar.
“I think it’s harder in the sense that you really have to focus and concentrate,” said Nagpal, “but it feels good to focus and concentrate,” she added.
Kesar Patel, an instructor and senior dancer of Kumar’s, confirmed that Kathak is a means of “preserving a lot of the epics and myths from northern Indian culture that were told in Hindu mythology.
“So the main purpose was for us to be able to tell our stories an preserve the inheritance of our ancestors we get to pass on to our students through dance.”
By engaging in innovative choreography, performances, outreach programs, global cultural exchanges, collaborative projects, and educational initiatives, LADS will promote a broader appreciation and understanding of South Asian aesthetics and arts among all, said Nagpal.
Wendy Block, of Rossmoor, was one of the women waiting to get a quick dance lesson last Saturday as the group rehearsed for its grand opening.
“Malini once took me to a dance performance in Diamond Bar,” said Block. “The dance was so beautiful that I asked her about taking lessons,” she said. Block said Nagpal told her she was in the process of organizing a nonprofit to teach South Asian dances “so I wanted to be among the first.
“This is such a beautiful form of dance,” she added.
Debbie Jolyn, another area resident who said she would enroll in the Kathak classes, said, “I think we’re both kind of interested in having a fuller experience of life.”
“I think it is great, she said, “and I would love to do more of this thing.”