BOSTON–This year’s Vision-Aid annual dance show, which has now become a New England tradition of its own, comes to audiences virtually on August 2nd, 2020, while still preserving the creative, dazzling flavor which have set these shows apart in a category of their own.
While COVID-19 is still swirling around, posing many challenges in the creation of a dance choreography, the innovative team leading this year’s effort is finding creative ways to make the show as memorable and vibrant as ever.
The event also aspires to raise much-needed funds for the visually impaired in India – a community which has been especially hard hit by the pandemic, at all levels.
For more details of the show, to buy tickets, or to become a sponsor, please visit www.VisionAid.org
Following in the footsteps of 12 brilliant sold-out performances, Vision-Aid is delighted to present Guru Madurai R. Muralidaran’s “Shakthi – The Essence of Empowered Women” – another stellar, mega production, bringing to life a vibrant choreography with a powerful message of empowerment for one and all!
This dazzling show, will be brought to you virtually, is produced by renowned choreographer Guru Madurai R. Muralidaran, ably assisted by Artistic Directors Jeyanthi Ghatraju, Sujatha Meyyappan, Sripriya Natarajan Moorthy, Marishakthi Muthuswamy, Thenu Raajan and Hema Iyengar, pulling together sixty of the brightest dance talent in the New England area. The Artistic Directors are also supported by dance teachers like Dhanashree Karmakar and senior dance students like Anjanadevi Govindaraj, Shilpa Narayanan, Neha Pillai, and Ananya Venkatesan.
This is an online show! Enjoy this unique, brilliant, broadway style show from the comfort and safety of your own home. For more details of the show, to buy tickets, or to become a sponsor, please visit www.VisionAid.org
The Producer
The concept and choreography for this production are by Madurai R Muralidaran of Chennai, India, a renowned dance choreographer, composer, and musician, who has won critical acclaim for his creations in Bharatanatyam. He has composed over 120 varnams, produced several dance dramas, composed Pushpanjalis, Alarippus, Jathiswarams, Mallaris, Varnams and Thillanas in all the 35 thalams and Jathiswarams in all 72 Melakartha ragas, unprecedented in the field of Bharatha Natyam. He has over 300 compositions to his credit.
His productions in support of Vision-Aid, Krishna (2009), Justice of the Anklet (2010), Slaying of the Demons (2012), The Dancer’s Pledge (2014), The Iconic Avatar (2016), Charmer, Warrior, Guide (2017), Golden Armor, Golden Heart (2018), Invincible Spear (2019) , still has audiences in Boston talking!
The Artistic Directors
The Artistic Directors for this amazing production are: Jeyanthi Ghatraju, Sujatha Meyyappan, Sripriya Natarajan Moorthy, Thenu Raajan, Marishakthi Muthuswamy and Hema Iyengar.
This show will feature sixty amazing dancers from the New England area. Please stay tuned for the names which will be posted shortly!
Jeyanthi Ghatraju is a Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer with a mission to perform for charity. She is the Founder of Natyanjali dance school which celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2019! Today, Natyanjali is a group of dedicated dancers with a mission to perform for the under-privileged. It is affiliated with the Alagappa Performing Arts Academy, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, India and offers Certificate, Diploma and Degree programs in Performing Arts online. Jeyanthi was awarded the coveted US Presidential Gold Service Award in 2013 and again in 2018 for her community service. She is also a 2019 recipient of Massachusetts Cultural Council grant.
Sujatha Meyyappan is an acclaimed Bharatanatyam
Dancer, Choreographer and Artistic Director of Kolam Academy of Dance in Tyngsboro, MA and Andover, MA. She has produced shows like Bharathy Natyam, Shivoham, Kavi Nrithyam, Venil Vizha, Omkaram and Velum Veikuzhalum. She has participated and co-produced fundraisers for many charitable causes including Vision-Aid since 2009. She is an active member of Tyngsboro Cultural Council serving the community.
Sripriya Natarajan Moorthy is a dancer, teacher and choreographer. She has been actively involved in several Vision-Aid productions since 2010, serving as co-producer for the past four years. In 1999, she co-founded MIT Natya, one of the first collegiate Indian classical dance organizations in the nation. She is in her seventh year as the director of Abhinaya Natya Sala in Framingham, MA.
Thenu Raajan is the creative director, choreographer and instructor of Apsaras Academy of Arts in Bellingham, MA. She has received accolades in India, Singapore and USA for her performances. She frequently performs for various charitable dance fundraisers including Vision-Aid. In 2011, Thenu Raajan received the Excellence award from Lokvani e-magazine for being a dedicated dancer in the New England area.
Mari Shakthi Muthuswamy, is the artistic director of the Bharatanatyam school, “Anvita Natyalaya” in Newton, MA, received training in Bharatanatyam from Guru Sri Kalaimamani S.K.Kameswaran & Natya Tilakam Smt. Saroja Kameshwaran and has performanced in many fundraisers, productions and temple festivals in India and in the US.
Hema Iyengar started learning dance at the age of 4 from various gurus like Radha Moorthy & Suchetha Chapekar. She is also learning from Madurai Muralidharan and has been spreading her art for over 15 years. She is a Co-Founder of Center for Arts and Wellness in Westboro, MA, with a vision to provide the community with a wider array of classical & applied art classes as well as wellness related services under a single roof.
Kavyalakshmi Muralidaran, a child prodigy, completed her arangetram when she was 8 under the guidance of her parents, Gurus Madurai R Muralidaran & Smt. Chitra Muralidaran. She has toured all over the world and given solo and group performances apart from performing at premiere dance festivals and prominent sabhas in India. She majored in Visual Communications in Chennai and feels honored to participate in Vision-Aid’s Productions.
For more details of the show on Aug 2nd , to buy tickets, or to become a sponsor, please visit www.VisionAid.org
