Bass Concert Hall (
Ragamala Dance Company
Written In Water
Conceived and choreographed by Ranee Ramaswamy and Aparna Ramaswamy
Featuring original musical compositions by Amir ElSaffar and Prema Ramamurthy
Presented in partnership with The University of Texas South Asia Institute and KUT-FM
This performance is made possible by a generous grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Discussion with Anuradha Naimpally
Thu, Oct 18
7 pm
Bass Concert Hall, Level 4
Open to Performance Ticket Holders
Meet & Greet with Company Members
Thu, Oct 18
Following the Performance
Bass Concert Hall, Level 6 (The Loft)
Open to Performance Ticket Holders
Minneapolis-based Ragamala Dance Company “is providing some of the most transcendent experiences that dance has to offer,” (The New York Times) and have created a genre of performance that brings together a contemporary Western aesthetic with an Indian ethos. Sharing the South Indian classical dance form of Bharatanatyam with audiences for over 25 years, Ragamala brings their multidisciplinary work Written in Water to the Bass Concert Hall stage.
Inspired by the second century Indian board game, Paramapadham (the precursor to Snakes and Ladders) and the 12th century Sufi poem, “A Conference of Birds,” Written in Water explores parallels between ecstasy and longing in Hindu and Sufi thought. With original artwork and a score by composer Amir ElSaffar, Written in Water brings together internationally celebrated artists and features a live music ensemble with a unique alchemy of Iraqi, jazz, and Carnatic instruments.
Dance Lecture/Demonstration
Tue, Oct 16
7–8:30 pm
Shepherd of the Hills Christian Church
6909 W Courtyard Dr
Austin, TX 78730
For General Public
Limited space; Call 512.471.6376 for reservations. Hosted by Anuradha Naimpally, Artistic Director and Founder, Austin Dance India
The work’s power and the company’s artistry created a lexicon of sound, vision and movement that allowed each audience member to project their own story onto the stage.
– Tallahassee Democrat
Written in Water Trailer from Ragamala Dance Company on YouTube.
Fun Facts:
- The company is currently under the direction of its co-founder Ranee Ramaswamy and her daughter Aparna, who is a first-generation Indian-American artist.
- In 2017, the company’s 25th year, long-time Ragamala soloist Ashwini Ramaswamy joined her mother and sister in their partnership. The trifecta allows for multigenerational perspectives on the immigrant experience and artistic expression.
- Ranee serves on the National Council on the Arts, appointed by President Barack Obama.
- Ranee and Aparna are protégés of the legendary dancer and choreographer Alarmel Valli, known as one of India’s greatest living masters.
- Considered by Rumi to be “the master” of Sufi mystic poetry, Farid ud-Din Attar is best known for his epic poem The Conference of the Birds, a magnificent allegorical tale about the soul’s search for meaning.
