Ananya Dance Theatre

THE ORGANIZATION'S MAIN PURPOSE IS TO PRESENT DANCE PERFORMANCES THAT CELEBRATE AND RAISE AWARENESS OF THE STRUGGLES OF WOMEN THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TO ASSERT THEIR FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS. THESE PERFORMANCES ARE CREATED BY MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATION'S CORE DANCE ENSEMBLE, WORKING TOGETHER WITH DANCERS FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. THE WORKS ARE CREATED USING CONTEMPORARY INDIAN DANCE TECHNIQUE AND AN AESTHETIC THAT INCORPORATES THE ODISSI DANCE FORM, A CLASSICAL TRADITION OF EAST INDIA, THE MARTIAL ART OF CHHAU, YOGA, AND TECHNIQUES OF STREET THEATER CREATED BY WOMEN'S GROUPS IN DIVERSE CULTURES.

THE PRINCIPAL ACTIVITY OF ANANYA DANCE THEATRE FOR 2021 WAS THE CREATION AND STAGED PRESENTATION OF "DASTAK: I WISH YOU ME" (EARTH, WATER, FIRE, AIR), A 74-MINUTE WORK OF ORIGINAL DANCE THEATER WITH COMMISSIONED MUSIC, UTILIZING THE SERVICES OF 20 PERFORMERS, DIRECTORS, MUSICIANS, AND COMPOSERS. THE WORK WAS PRESENTED AT THE O'SHAUGHNESSY AT ST. CATHERINE UNIVERSITY, ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, AND ATTENDED BY 502 PEOPLE.

ANANYA DANCE THEATRE PERSONNEL LED AND PARTICIPATED IN 133 CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, AND LECTURES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS BETWEEN JANUARY 1 AND DECEMBER 31, 2021. THESE CLASSES OCCURRED LARGELY ONLINE FOR STUDENTS AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, CARLETON COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, THE DANCE/USA ANNUAL CONFERENCE, MACALESTER COLLEGE, THE NATIONAL CHOREOGRAPHIC CENTER AT AKRON UNIVERSITY, VICTORIA THEATER, AND THE SHAWNGRAM INSTITUTE FOR PERFORMANCE & SOCIAL JUSTICE, AMONG OTHERS. TOTAL ATTENDANCE FOR ALL CLASSES WAS 752.

ANANYA DANCE THEATRE AUTHORED FILM, VIDEO, AND STAGED PERFORMANCES THAT WERE PRESENTED IN-PERSON AND ONLINE TO A VARIETY OF CONSTITUENTS. THESE INCLUDED: FOUR INTERVIEWS WITH OUTSIDE ARTISTS ABOUT THEIR ARTISTIC PROCESS AND PRODUCT UNDER THE RUBRIC "DOCUMENTS OF OUR TIMES-; FIVE FILMS PRODUCED BY ANANYA DANCE THEATRE FEATURED BY 20 DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALS ON THREE CONTINENTS; AND IN-PERSON PERFORMANCES AT THE MIDWAY PEACE PARK, SHAWNGRAM INSTITUTE FOR PERFORMANCE & SOCIAL JUSTICE, PALISADE WELCOME CENTER, AND SACRED SPACE IN BROOKLYN CENTER MINNESOTA. TOTAL IN- PERSON ATTENDANCE AT PERFORMANCES WAS 265; THE TOTAL IDENTIFIABLE ONLINE AUDIENCE WAS 875. WHILE UNKNOWN, ANANYA DANCE THEATRE BELIEVES THAT THE ONLINE AUDIENCES FOR ITS OFFERINGS IN FILM FESTIVALES WAS SEVERAL THOUSAND INDIVIDUALS.

ANANYA DANCE THEATRE MAINTAINED A MARKETING PRESENCE AT THE WESTERN ARTS ALLIANCE CONFERENCE (ONLINE), THE ARTS MIDWEST CONFERENCE (ONLINE), AND THE 2021 APAP CONFERENCE (ONLINE), STORED COSTUMES AND SET PIECES FROM PAST PRODUCTIONS AT AN OFF-SITE FACILITY, AND MAINTAINED A PHYSICAL FACILITY BEYOND THE REQUIREMENTS OF SPECIFIC PROGRAM PROJECTS, MANAGEMENT, AND FUNDRAISING.