She's Auspicious by Mythili Prakash

Thursday, September 26 at 7:30 p.m. (includes post-show discussion with the artists)

Friday, September 27 at 6:00 p.m. (includes pre-show reception with food and post-show dessert)

Friday, September 27 at 7:30 p.m.. (includes post-show dessert)

Tickets: Sept 26: General Public ($30), Elders & Non-Columbia College Chicago Students ($20) includes post-show discussion with the artists; Sept 27: VIP ($150) includes pre-show reception and post-show dessert with the artists, General Public ($50) includes post-show dessert with the artists. 

Presented in partnership with Kalapriya Chicago, this full-length dance and music work features an all-female cast and blurs the lines between Goddess and Woman to explore the intricate interplay between goddess worship and the treatment of women in society. The Goddess/Woman paradox allows the unraveling of socio-cultural myths, stories, and values that are beautiful and personal, but simultaneously deeply rooted in systemic power structures.

As the dancer, I inhabit the character of the Goddess Devi, who is created by male gods, generated with their energy and weapons, and programmed to kill an army of demons. In doing this, I seek to embody and linger in psychological states that challenge the ideals of “restraint” that characterize femininity in both classical dance and in society. This mythical narrative becomes a mirror to our present day reality, connected to questions of power and agency, reflecting my own lived and observed experiences as a woman. – Mythili Prakash

Dance/choreography: Mythili Prakash
Vocal/veena: Ananya Ashok
Vocal: Susha Rangarajan
Percussion: Aswini Srinivasan
Dance ensemble: Jahnavi Kalyan, Nikita Rao, Jessica Sitaramya, Malini Taneja
Recorded contributors: Sushma Soma (vocal), Aditya Prakash (vocal and percussion), Sumesh Narayanan (mridangam)
Sound Engineer: Julien Le 
Lighting: Venkatesh Krishnan
Production Manager: Matt Sanford 
Rehearsal Director: Uma Kadekodi
Mentor: Akram Khan