Welcome to "Natyanjali, Swaranjali - The Language of Indian Music and Dance" -
the second collaboration between the Berklee Indian Music Ensemble and the newly
formed Berklee Indian Dance Ensemble.

The words ‘natyanjali’, and swaranjali’ signify an “offering of dance and music”.
Tonight, 47 students from around the world have come together to celebrate and pay
tribute to the rich and colorful traditions of Indian art and culture.

We are delighted to have renowned Indian classical danseuse, Ms. Yogini Gandhi, as
our guest artist tonight. Ms. Gandhi is amongst the very few dancers who performs two
Indian classical dance styles - Kathak and Odissi - with equal dexterity and virtuosity. She
received guidance from India's legendary dance maestros Pt. Birju Maharaj and Guru
Kelucharan Mohapatra. Ms. Gandhi’s dance creatively infuses her individual artistic per-
ception with the knowledge she has received from her gurus. Her aesthetical approach
is reflected both, in the interplay of complex rhythmic technique, as also in the expres-
sive interpretation of emotive poetry. Endowed with a vivacious stage presence, Ms.
Gandhi’s total involvement in dance and joyous spontaneity brings a rare dignity and
intensity to her performance.

Besides the North-Indian classical Kathak style, tonight’s concert will also feature the
South-Indian classical Bharathanatyam dance form. Through original choreography, our
focus will be on nritta (footwork/movements) and nritya (facial expression) to narrate
the unique language of both these age-old dance traditions.

With lush vocal arrangements, the Berklee Indian Music Ensemble, will feature an eclec-
tic blend from Hindustani classical (North Indian), Carnatic classical (South Indian), folk
music, Indo-jazz compositions, and a Jugalbandi of Indian rhythmic solfege/vocal percus-
sion. We are also delighted to premier four student compositions; another step closer to
our vision of presenting concerts with repertoire entirely composed by students.

Berklee is in the process of creating an Indian Studies Track under the Music and Society
Minor to provide students a holistic approach to understanding the historical, philosoph-
ical, and cultural aspects that have shaped Indian music and art as we know it today.
With a host of classes offered under myriad departments at the college, we will explore
the traditions and evolution of India; an ancient surviving civilization with an extraordi-
narily rich intellectual tradition of music, dance, philosophy and visual art.

We are so grateful you could be here with us tonight. “Natyanjali, Swaranjali” has been
a labor of love put together by a multi-cultural family of artists. We thank you for your
support tonight, and look forward to sharing the evening with you.