The Taproom will still continue to book the room themselves for Friday and Saturday nights. They want us to do this so that they don't get inundated with calls from the many different music and dance groups that we represent. Let's take advantage of this momentous event to get a great room with a wooden floor at a bargain price and support the Taproom, an institution that has been supporting dancers and musicians in St. Louis for years. Call us to book or with any questions. The abstract gestures render the beloved stories alive, so that facial expressions are imperative, unlike in most other forms of dance.
Intricate costumes are also essential to the dance.
It is said the dance is nearly 2000 years old, and originated in the heavens when Brahma, the Hindu god of creation, taught Sage Bharata, a celestial ascetic, the sacred art form. The dances were originally performed in temples, but are now regularly performed in auditoriums and theatres around the world. In spite of their religious origins, the dances prove surprisingly flexible, willing to soften the rigors of tradition to accommodate modern sensibilities. Thus the dance remains very much a living force instead of being hidden away in history. Indian dance was introduced to the St. Louis area by Mrs. Asha Premachandra, who specializes in Bharata Natyam, but also teaches Kuchipudi, another form of classical dance, as well as a variety of folk dances.