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RAGAMALA DANCE COMPANY Tuesday, March 5, 2019 Welcome Home! Join us for the 2018-19 Season as we explore the themes of home, belonging RAGAMALA DANCE and finding connections to one another through the arts. As we journey through COMPANY this season of educational programming, Tuesday, March 5, 2019 take a moment to discover what home means to you. 12:30 p.m. From lesson ideas and professional development workshops to backstage Welcome | 3 tours, allow us to partner with you to provide students with exciting Standards | 4 educational opportunities! About | 5 Lesson Plans | 6 For questions contact the education sales department (920) 730-3726 or In the Spotlight | 9 [email protected]. What’s Next | 12 My Journal | 13 Student Showcase | 15 Resource Room | 16 Community Partner Grant Support Marise Evadne Gustafson Fund within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, Inc. A note from our education series partner—Bemis Company “The series provides a rich learning experience to thousands of students each year. We hope that it enriches the growth of our young people and our community by broadening our perspectives and increasing our passion for the arts.” -Tim Fliss, SVP and Chief Human Resources Officer, Bemis Company When entering the Fox Cities Performing Arts Be prepared to arrive early – You should plan on arriving to the Center, remember to show respect for others by Center 30 minutes before the show. Allow for travel time, waiting your turn and speaking quietly. parking and trips to the restroom. Remember that during the performance the live Security – All bags entering the building are subject to search performers can see and hear you. Even the and prohibited items will not be allowed. Teachers and smallest sounds can be heard throughout the chaperones are discouraged from bringing bags, however, theater, so it is best to remain quiet so everyone necessary backpacks, or bags may be searched and tagged can enjoy the performance. before being allowed in the theater. We ask that students leave their backpacks at school for Bemis Company Education Applause is the best way to express how much Series performances, however if students do bring them, they you enjoyed the performance! are subject to search and will need to be checked at the registration table in the lobby upon entry. Important things to remember: • Gum, beverages (including water bottles) Know your needs – To best serve the needs of you and your and food are not allowed in the theater for students, please indicate in advance if you have individuals who Bemis Company Education Series require special services or seating needs upon making your performances. reservation. • Cell phones should be turned off and stowed. Seating – Seating is based on a number of factors including • Note that recording or taking photos in the when the reservation is made, size of group, students’ ages and theater is strictly prohibited; however, photos any special seating needs. may be taken in the lobby. It’s a long way down – please do not drop • This study guide was created for you by the Education Team items off balconies. as a part of The Boldt Company Beyond the Stage Education program. To download copies of this study guide or to find additional resources for this performance or view past study guides please visit: www.foxcitiespac.com. Questions about your show reservation? Contact our education sales team at [email protected] or call (920) 730-3726. ENJOY THE SHOW! 3 To assist you in your planning, the key themes and the Wisconsin Academic Standards that are most likely to connect with this performance are listed below. KEY THEMES • Culture • Folk dance • India • World music WISCONSIN ACADEMIC STANDARDS ART AND DESIGN EDUCATION • A.8.6: Students will identify ways in which art is basic to thinking and communicating about the world. • B.8.1: Students will explore how artists and cultures throughout history have used art to communicated ideas and to develop functions, structures and designs • B.8.2: Recognize ways in which form, function, meaning and expressive qualities of art and design change from culture to culture and artist to artist. DANCE • CRITICAL THINKING: Students will develop critical and creative thinking through their dance experience. • COMMUNICATION AND EXPRESSION: Students will understand the expressive power of dance as a means of communication and understand that it is subject to multiple interpretations. • APPRECIATION: Students will reflect upon and appreciate dance as an art form past and present. MUSIC • CONNECT: Students will relate prior knowledge and personal experience with music to cultural and historical context. • RESPOND: Students will critically interpret intent and meaning in order to evaluate artistic work. SOCIAL STUDIES • SS.BH3: Students assess the role that human behavior and cultures play in the development of social endeavors. • SS.Geog5: Students will evaluate the relationship between humans and the environment. THEATER • A.4.1: Attend a live theater performance and discuss the experience: explain what happened in the play; identify and describe the characters; say what they liked and didn’t like; describe the scenery, lighting, and/or costumes. 4 Founded in 1992 and acclaimed as one of the Indian diaspora’s leading dance ensembles, Ragamala Dance Company seamlessly carries the South Indian classical dance form of Bharatanatyam into the 21st century. Informed by the echoing past and the fleeting present, Artistic Directors Ranee and Aparna Ramaswamy’s evocative choreography defies chronology. Ranee and Aparna—mother and daughter— are proteges of the legendary dancer and choreographer Alarmel Valli, known as one of India’s greatest living masters. They embrace the philosophy, spirituality, myth and mysticism of their heritage to create not works of worlds—visceral, universal experiences that use Indian art forms to express their contemporary point of view. They see the classical form as a dynamic, living tradition with vast potential to convey timeless themes and present-day ideas. Ragamala Dance Company has toured extensively, highlighted by performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., American Dance Festival in Durham, NC, Music Center in Los Angeles, CA, Getty Center in Los Angeles, CA, Krannert Center in Urbana, IL, Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, Bali Arts Festival in Indonesia and National Centre for Performing Arts in Mumbai, India. Sacred Earth explores the interconnectedness between human emotions and the environments that shape them. Performed with live music, dancers create a sacred space to honor the divinity in the natural world and the sustenance we derive from it. Inspired by the philosophies behind the ephemeral arts of kolam and Warli painting and the Tamil Sangam literature of India, Sacred Earth is a vision of the beautiful, fragile relationship between nature and man. 5 DANCE AROUND THE WORLD OBJECTIVES • To understand how dance is used to express culture and history • To understand how dance is used to communicate stories, moods and feelings • Work together to research the anthropology of a particular folk dance and to create a presentation about it MATERIALS • Internet access • Library access or books about dance from different cultures and time periods • CD/tape player (optional) • Audio/visual equipment (optional) • Materials to create props/scenery/costumes for presentations PREPARATION • Generate a list of various folk dances from different cultures and time periods. You should have one folk dance for each small group of students. Write or print the name of each dance on a small slip of paper for students to draw. Examples include: • Bhangra • Polka • El Jarabe Tapatio • Contra dance • Cotton-Eyed Joe • Salp’uri • Ribbon dance • Adzohu • Irish jig • Troika • Generate a “Folk Dance Research Guide.” Include the following questions for students to answer about their folk dance: 1. What does this dance look like? (include movements and costume) 2. What music traditionally accompanies this dance? 3. What culture and people traditionally perform this dance? Why? 4. When was this dance developed? 5. What was occurring in this place and culture during that time period? 6. Does this dance tell a story? If so, what? 7. What else about the history and/or culture does this dance express? ACTIVITY Students will be split into groups and each group will present on a different dance. • During their presentation, students can perform the dance, show the dance on a video, play the music that accompanies the dance or draw or act out what was happening in history that may have inspired the dance. • All presentations should provide the historical and cultural context for the dance and answer the questions in the Folk Dance Research Guide. • Each student should have a role in the final presentation. 6 EVALUATION • Student participation and engagement • An increased understanding and appreciation of different cultures • An increased understanding of how dance expresses history, tells a story and expresses moods and feelings • Students’ working together to research and prepare presentations CLOSING DISCUSSION • Have students watching the presentations have a piece of paper out in front of them. They should write down one thing they learned from the presentation and one question they still have regarding the dance/culture/etc. • Encourage students to ask the group their question when the presentation is completed. Source: www.sedl.org/afterschool/lessonplans/index.cgi?show_record=37 KOLAM AND WARLI PAINTING KOLAM This Hindu belief, geometric designs created out of rice flour, is placed in the entrance of houses in order to invite Goddess Lakshmi into the household and drives away unwanted evil spirits. Different kolams are attributed to various deities. Kolams are applied daily to the houses sometimes applied with rice paste (rice flour and water) so the design doesn’t rub off as easily. Rice flour is used for these designs because it provides food for ants and other small insects. WARLI PAINTING This is an Indian art form dating back to 3000 B.C.
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