Renowned Bharathanatyam dancer Asha Adiga taking world stage with her innovations
Asha Adiga a danseuse par excellence, a versatile choreographer of repute and a venerated guru of Bharatanatyam, hails from India and has turned very much a phenomenon in the Indian Classical dance scenario over the past years in her career in India and USA.
Asha’s self-invented dance “Nrithya Yoga” – Dance yoga in Indian classical dance form is kind of original dance creation in which she balances 4 pots on her head, holding lamps in her both hands, dances Indian classical dance on the floor, on a plate and on top of a pot, making various different ‘yoga’ postures. The idea and visualization wise this dance is not only innovative but also needs lot of flexibility, concentration and balance to perform. She has been invited to perform this dance in more than 100 shows and each mesmerizing the crowd equally or better than the previous.
Asha believes in preserving and sharing the Indian culture amongst people through Indian classical art forms. Thus, with a vision to promote artistic and professional excellence, she founded the Acharya Performing Arts Academy Inc. Under her guidance, more than 200 students are currently learning and many have done successful “Ranga Pravesham” professional dance debut performance pursuing a dancing career. Asha has produced many types of innovative music, dance recitals and productions. Among these, one of her original opera style dance drama production is “Rama- Eshwara” which is story of an Indian household story Ramayana villain Ravana’s life, which was introduced in the present generation perspective where the talent can be used in god or bad ways, in fully classical form.
Asha’s one other rare and one of a kind dance drama production is “Satya Narayana Katha”. Satya Narayana Pooja is a famous religious ritual among Hindus. Asha is the 1st one to attempt this theme to be portrayed in dance style. In the dance drama 5 stories were enacted in opera style which is fully musical, where the puja’s true significance is told in a newer dimension relevant to the present generation yet to keep the authentic Indian Bharatanatyam dance style roots. This dance drama’s concept, visualization, direction, the choreography and many music compositions was done by Guru Asha Adiga. The productions were presented at Prairie Center for the Arts Schaumburg and Elgin community college IL and at St Louis MO. Asha’s work was very well appreciated and received from the audience, media and critics. Asha was honored with “Outstanding Young Indian” National Award instituted by Jaycees India, “Air India – Deccan herald Rank Award”, Karnataka state “Vidwath” (Proficiency Grade Examination) Rank , “Kala Isiri Award” state award” by “Champika Pathrike” (Press), 1st prize in Music and Dance at the National Level competition held at Agra, India awards and with her performance she dazzled the prestigious stages like Winter Garden at World Financial Center, New York City, New York, USA, Maison des Cultures du Monde (The World Cultures Institute) stage in Paris, France, ATA (American Telugu Association) National convention in presence of Sri. Venkaiah Naidu current honorable vice president of India at Chicago USA., Word Heritage Travelers shows, Asia Festival at The Morton Arboretum and many others.
