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The Cleveland Cultural Alliance was inaugurated in 1991, with a performance by the world famous dancing couple, the Dhananjayans. Since then, each of our productions has been extremely well received. Here are some glimpses of our past productions....

Abhyaasa... the journey toward perfection (1999)

"Thank you, thank you and thank you again for Abhyaasa. The dancing was so emotionally evocative to understand the story... colors were just dazzling." Shirley and Bing , Montreal (Audience) "Abhyaasa - what a magical and exhilarating experience. Improvisations such as those seen on stage are so rare ..." Kavila , Montreal (Audience) "I enjoyed every minute of Abhyaasa ... the dancers were fantastic. What perfect body lines when they did the beginning adavus..." Kamakshi Mallikarjun, Sruti Ranjani, Philadelphia. (Audience)   Produced and presented by CCA, Abhyaasa recreates the Gurukulam, an ancient educational system of India Students lived with the Guru or teacher in his home and imbibed his practice of tradition, culture and art. A dance-theatre exposition, this production does not follow the standard format of a Bharatanatyam performance. The emphasis is on practice with interludes of instruction.With seasoned dancers like Bragha Bessel, G. Narendra, Sreelatha Vinod Kumar, Mahalakshmi and C.A. Joy, breaking into fascinating improvisation and supported by Carnatic singer, O.S. Arun, Abhyaasa transported audiences back to an environment in which one's senses and sensibilities were more engaged than one's intellect. It was choreographed by G.Narendra and also by Adyar K. Lakshman, who filled the role of the Guru. What the press said: "The world premier of Abhyaasa was exceptionally brilliant and successful, the choreography, dancers and vocalist all vying with one another to better each other." "Informality of style and modernity in conception and execution, yet not veering away from the conventional parameters of traditional dance were the striking features of the captivating dance drama, Abhyaasa." Savitri Menon, News Today, Chennai "It is very difficult, sometimes impossible to adequately portray the subject 'Gurukulavasam' in a single show ... (the artistes) attempted to present just a few important aspects of the master-pupil relationship. One must concede that the flavor of dance training schools of yore were adequately portrayed." K.S.Mahadevan, Indian Express, Chennai "Abhyaasa is an outstanding example of a flawless presentation of perfect synchronisation between dance and music that was further enhanced by the sublime effect of appropriate settings and lighting." Indo American News

Jungle Book - The Adventures Of Mowgli (1996)

"This ground-breaking premier collaboration has achieved an unforeseen level of interaction between two disciplines."- SRUTI magazine, Leela Venkataraman. "The score of Pandit Vijayaraghava Rao employed a kaleidoscopic variety of tonal colors and was effective in supporting and enhancing the story." - Valerie Thorson, Akron Beacon Journal Jointly commissioned by CCA, Cuyahoga Community College and Ohio Ballet , Jungle Book - The Adventures Of Mowgli was a production that brought the east and west together in a harmonious blend of form and content. Two distinctly classical styles , Bharatanatyam and Ballet, complemented each other in Rudyard Kipling's classic story of Mowgli. It was jointly choreographed by Heinz Poll, Director, Ohio Ballet, and V.P.Dhananjayan, Director, Bharata Kalanjali. The music was composed by Pandit Vijayaraghava Rao. Some of the key artists included Satyajit , Narendra, Luc Vanier, Padmarani Rasaiah, Sreelatha Vinod Kumar, Richard Dickinson, Amy Hayes and Xochitl Tejeda de Cerda. Given its blend of dance styles and evocative instrumental music, Jungle Book transcended all barriers of language, culture and context. Demonstrations and interaction on technique and objectives enhanced the communicative power of this production. What the press said: "Its better than Disney. Jungle Book is a wondrous, enchanting presentation... the dancers from both companies perform brilliantly... G.Narendra as the tiger Sher Khan was outstanding, the villain you love to hate... Satyajit perfectly characterized Mowgli..." Valerie Thompson, Akron Beacon Journal "Jungle Book is a pioneering and monumental collaboration……….sure to be a hit" Anton Zuicker, Northern Ohio Live Magazine "The work has a soul and that is what catches the attention of the viewer." Leela Venkatraman, The Hindu. "Timeless Jungle Book, movingly choreographed, wonderfully performed." The Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Jaya Jaya Devi (1994)

" I sat spell-bound as Jaya Jaya Devi moved from segment to segment... It was beautifully explained by a narrator percussionist, Ramakrishna.... The costuming was extraordinary. The musicians performed most professionally and each dancer was extraordinary" Marsha Wagner, The Scoop, Sanibel , Florida " ... extremely well-timed , well-executed dancing. The dancers performed faultlessly... The ballet radiated with skillful well-executed dancing coupled with a moving rhythmic score ... spectacular performance." The Lehigh News Star, Florida     This was CCA's first production. CCA commissioned Sri Lalgudi Jayaraman to compose the music and the lyrics, and Shrimathi Radha to choreograph the ballet. This dance drama celebrated the omnipotence of Devi, or the female aspect of the Divinity. Each aspect of Devi was represented by a different dancer, all of whom were carefully chosen by CCA. Notable among them were Mahalakshmi as Uma, Anita Ratnam as Durga and Sreelatha Rajamoney as the female aspect of Ardhanareeswara. G. Narendra played the role of Shiva, and P.C.Ramakrishna in the role of Nandi provided the narrative links between the sequences. CCA undertook the entire production of this lyrical ballet as well as its N.American tour of 25 cities where it played to sold out audiences. What the press said: "It was like stepping into a Mughal painting... Shiva ( danced by G.Narendra ) literally rocks the world with his dance of destruction." Chicago Tribune "I was overwhelmed by the beauty and creativity of the production." Hollander, The Battery Dance Company "A triumph for Lalgudi and the Cleveland Cultural Alliance, Jaya Jaya Devi is a tour de force….." "Jaya Jaya Devi made a brilliant impression in its world premiere... the vibrant music was ecstatically sung... the magnificent costumes filled the stage... by the end of the performance, the refrain Jaya Jaya Devi was ringing in the ears of the capacity crowd which responded with a spontaneous standing ovation." Wilma Salisbury, The Cleveland Plain Dealer

CCA's Presentations

Sita Rama Katha

Year: 1993 Producer: Bharata Kalanajali Choreographer: Sri VP Dhananjayan Music: Sri Sitarama Sharma Sponsor: CCA Primary dancers: Dhananjayan, G Narendra, Mahalakshmi, Preeti Vasudevan, Satyajit, Sreelatha Vinod. "the vivid epic......captures the essence of the story with simplicity and taste. The beautiful ballet was exquisitely performed...." Wilma Salisbury, The Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Sanghamitra

Year: 1993 Producer: Bharata Kalanajali Choreographer: Sri VP Dhananjayan Lyrics: Professor Subramanyam Sponsor: CCA Primary dancers: Sreelatha Vinod Kumar, Dhananjayan, Satyajit "Far beyond an interesting performance, Sanghamitra was a rare artistic experience to behold." The Maine Campus "By the end of its [Sanghamitra] performance ... the Dhananjayan company had transported its audience to another world." The Cleveland Plain Dealer

Krishnam Vande Jagathgurum

Year: 1992 Producer: International Dance Alliance N.American Sponsor: CCA Choreographer: Sudharani Raghupathy Music: Sri. Madurai N. Krishnan Primary dancers: Shobha Natrajan, Sreelatha Vinod Kumar, C.P.Satyajit, A. Lakshmanan, Revathi Ramachandran. "The dancers told poetic stories of Krishna with precise technique and communicative power. Their electrifying energy and dramatic projection seemed to flow from the pulsing rhythms and expressive melodies." The Cleveland Plain Dealer.

The Living Tree | Cast & Credits | About CCA | Back to Horizons © 2000 Cleveland Cultural Alliance #20, Kimberwick Ct., Chagrin Falls Ohio- 44022, United States of America Phone : 617-566-0924 Fax: 617-732-0512 Email: umaganesancca@aol.com