First solo performance in 2015

Title of piece: Mohana Pallavi
In Odissi as in most of the other Indian Classical dance forms, dance is split into 2 categories: Nritta & Nritya. Nritta is the technical, pure dance. Nritya is expressional dance. Pallavi is an example of pure dance. Pallavi literally means blossoming. This is applicable not only to the dance , but also to the music, which accompanies it. Pallavi starts with slow, graceful & lyrical movements of the eyes, neck, torso & feet & slowly builds in a crescendo to climax in a fast tempo at the end. Pallavi is named after the raga it is set to and this piece is set to Mohana Raaga. I first started learning Odissi in 2012 with Guru Vishnu Tattva Das who runs Odissi Vilas. After giving group performances at various venues including the Himalayan Fair in Berkeley and Korean Festival in San Francisco, I stepped up when I was presented with an opportunity to give a solo performance in Sacramento, California in May 2015.