Anaya Dance Theatre: Daak: Call to Action

The subject of land rights is emotionally charged, steeped in history defined by conquest, corruption, and colonialism. In this second work of a three-year-long trilogy exploring environmental destruction and community resistance, Ananya Dance Theatre, led by choreographer Ananya Chatterjea, explores the potent communal and personal trauma associated with the loss of home and culture. Daak means "call" in Bengali, and Ananya draws upon the experiences of the people in her home state of Bengal, India, as a starting point, but her view is ultimately global, fueled by the ongoing struggles in Mexico as well as the Truth and Reconciliation Project led by women representing Leech Lake and the Lower Sioux. Among the key collaborators are director Dora Arreola, activists Cecilia Martinez and Shalini Gupta, and the amazing members of Ananya Dance Theatre, a dedicated and diverse group of women who could generate enough power to run their own stage lights thanks to a rigorous discipline defined by the study of street theater, Odissi dance, yoga, and martial arts forms. This is fierce, committed, and uncompromising political art combined with a top-notch performance ethic.
June 12-14, 8 p.m.; Sun., June 15, 7 p.m., 2008