The Cleveland Cultural Alliance, a non-profit organization, was established in 1991 by Uma Ganesan, to promote among American audiences, a deeper awareness and appreciation of India's classical arts. CCA chose Indian classical dance as the vehicle, since all audiences can readily develop an understanding of the universal language of dance. CCA is also established in India as Cleveland Cultural Alliance (India). The aim is to work for the benefit of art and artists in both countries and to bring them closer together through excellence in art. Our productions premiere in India and then travel to N.America. We are also beginning to perform in other centers in India.
CCA has adopted a three pronged approach to achieving its objective. The first is to bring to the United States, India's most accomplished dancers and dance companies. The second is to conduct workshops and lecture demonstrations on various styles of Indian classical dance with a primary focus on Bharata Natyam, the primus inter pares of the different styles. The third is to work closely with cultural and educational institutions in America in collaborative efforts aimed at promoting all cultural arts, regardless of origin.
In keeping with these objectives, CCA* has presented several dance productions and lecture demonstrations all over North America. CCA co-produced a multi cultural dance production, Jungle Book-The Adventures of Mowgli in collaboration with Ohio Ballet and Cuyahoga Community College. CCA also worked with them to showcase an India Fest in Cleveland that brought together over 120 institutions to participate in it. Another CCA production, The Living Tree, was inspired by American author Shel Silverstein's book, The Giving Tree - it dealt with the preservation of the environment and the oneness of man and nature. CCA is also established as a non-profit organization in India as Cleveland Cultural Alliance (India). CCA's last production was an historical dance drama set in the 2nd - 4th century AD of South India called Silappadhikaaram... a story of women of substance. It premiered in the spring of 2004 in India and had a highly acclaimed 27 city tour of North America in the fall of 2004.
The upcoming production for 2006 is called Ekaantha Seetha... a lonely furrow. It is a celebration of women who have demonstrated the courage to be independent thinkers, to face and overcome obstacles and challenges - women of strength- physical, of mind, intellect and will.
CCA - Past Productions: Silappadhikaaram.. a story of women of substance, Living Tree, Abhyaasa… the journey towards perfection , Jungle Book- The Adventures of Mowgli, Jaya Jay Devi
CCA Presentations: Sanghamitra & Sita Rama Katha (Bharata kalanjali), Krishnam Vande Jagathgurum (IDA)
Shrimathi Kamala, Sanjuktha Panigrahi and party, V.P. and Shantha Dhananjayan.
CCA is the 1996 winner of the Northern Ohio Live award of excellence in dance for its collaborative work, Jungle Book- The Adventures of Mowgli
CCA productions such as Living Tree have been performed to aid such worthy institutions as Spastics Society of Tamilnadu and the department of Rainwater harvesting of the Government of India .
CCA has presented Silappadhikaaram to benefit SIRUTHULI , an NGO in the city of Coimbatore, India that works on the preservation of water and cleaning of the waterways.
CCA presents a free performance of every new production, for the less fortunate, the differently abled, orphans and inmates of senior citizens homes and destitute women.
* Cleveland Cultural Alliance
