Friday, March 29, 2024
March 29, 2024

Dance and activism explored in presentation

SUBMITTED BY ARTSPRING 

How does dance intersect with local and global politics?

Join us as we speak with interdisciplinary artist and educator Ahalya Satkunaratnam to learn about her new book, Dancing Bodies, Navigating Conflict: Practicing Bharata Natyam in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and her dance project called Usha/Agni/Vyvastha (Dawn/Fire/Order).  

This online event, which sees Satkunaratnam in conversation with dance outreach coordinator Aina Yasué, is co-presented by ArtSpring and Made in BC Dance on Tour and runs via Zoom on Wednesday, April 7 at 6:30 p.m.

 The presentation is about how activism, academics and art practice intersect, and will be followed by a Q&A open to the community. It will explore the significance of interdisciplinary approaches to making and understanding art, how one can bring a critical approach into the dance studio space, and how structural and systemic barriers shape arts making and arts analysis.

Ahalya Satkunaratnam is a professor of arts and humanities at Quest University Canada, with over 20 years of experience in anti-racism teaching. Her research examines dance practice in Colombo, Sri Lanka during the civil war (1983-2009), through historical analysis, methods of dance studies and dance ethnography. 

Her own practice as a dancer and choreographer has seen her work presented in Sri Lanka, the U.S. and Canada. Her current piece — Usha/Agni/Vyvastha (Dawn/Fire/Order) — reflects on human experiences of how we live with war through sound, movement and visual arts. Her unique style fuses her Bharata Natyam training and artistic commitment to storytelling that is intertwined in the everyday. 

Amidst the instability of this past year we are excited to speak and learn about how dance can be in conversation with the political and social movements that affect us all. We hope that academics, activists, dancers, artists, educators, authors and anyone else who wants to learn more about dance will join the discussion.

For a free Zoom link to the April 7 event, send an email to tickets@artspring.ca.

Sign up for our newsletter and stay informed

Receive news headlines every week with our free email newsletter.

Other stories you might like

Loneliness, isolation explored by Shay Kuebler dance event

By KIRSTEN BOLTON FOR ARTSPRING  In 2018, when dancer, choreographer and Radical System Art’s artistic director Shay Kuebler learned the U.K. had just appointed a Minister...

Road to arts centre opening recalled by panel

A gathering held in ArtSpring’s gallery on Saturday afternoon may not have been an “official part” of the arts centre’s 25th anniversary celebrations set...

‘Cavalcade’ show celebrates music of the ’60s

Four self-described “pretty fab guys” from Victoria are set to dazzle Salt Spring music lovers with a tribute to a pivotal decade in music...

Axis Theatre and Verdi on tap

BY KIRSTEN BOLTON For ArtSpring Vancouver-based Axis Theatre and its imaginative productions for children have become an island favourite with many appearances in ArtSpring’s programs...

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Weather

Salt Spring Island
overcast clouds
5 ° C
6.8 °
4.3 °
97 %
0kmh
100 %
Fri
7 °
Sat
8 °
Sun
9 °
Mon
10 °
Tue
10 °