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with narration using the language of hand
gestures, the hastas-mudras of Bharatanatyam.
I have also enjoyed Ranee’s choreography
of The Transposed Heads with Deaf actress
Nicole Zapko, which combined Bharatanatyam
with American Sign Language; and Return of
the Rainseed, a modern folktale of India that
combined theater, dance, and music. Through
works like these, Ranee reveals the universal
power of communication.
Whether the music is opera or the
thundering Taiko drums of Japan, whether the
dance springs from modern-dance movements
or from Bharatanatyam, Ranee reaches
out to diverse audiences the world
over, displaying the vitality of the
respective arts her works
encompass. Her dedication, vision, and
desire to explore diverse forms while retaining
the essential core of classical Bharatanatyam
have contributed to the formidable reputation
(and the vast repertoire) she has built over the
years. I have followed her career as part of my
studies of the contribution of Indian-diaspora
dancers in the United States, and during my
illustrated talks on dance in India and abroad
I invariably include excerpts of her diverse
choreographic works to emphasize how Ranee—
with her innumerable outreach programs and
through consistently excellent performances by
her, her daughter Aparna, and members of her
company—has set very high standards.
In March 2011, I saw Ragamala’s
performance at the Maximum India festival at
the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.,
which won them high praise not only from
American audiences but also from the members
of the Indian diaspora who flocked to the
festival. This was no mean achievement. No
wonder Ranee Ramaswamy has been given
such a prestigious award. One looks forward to
seeing her scaling even greater artistic heights.
Dr. Sunil Kothari is a dance historian, scholar, and critic
who has written numerous books about Indian dance
and has held positions that include membership on the
executive committee of the International Dance Council of
UNESCO. He lives in New Delhi.
Ranee Ramaswamy 2011 mcknight distinguished artist 24