Author Archives: shydance

Summer Shows 2023

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Check out Ulka and Danish in action, this summer!

Summer is a great time to catch the Dancing Storytellers performing and we have several free events to choose from:

Saturday July 15, 1pm: Inglewood Library
Info Link

Wednesday July 19, 6pm: South Pasadena Public Library
Info Link

Friday August 18, 4:15pm: Lacey Park, San Marino
Info Link

Danish left in a blue Kathak dress elbow up in a dance pose looking down on a diagonal, upper right of photo, gurmukhi is dancing with one leg up behind her and an orange sari flowing off her arms that are raised as if in flight.

New Dancing Storytellers!

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We’ve expanded and are proud to introduce our two talented new Dancing Storytellers, Danish Bhandara and Gurmukhi Bevli, who have been performing our signature show Indian Mythology and Me in schools, festivals, libraries and even the zoo!

Danish in a blue Kathak dress doing a diagonal Kathak pose, Gurmukhi in an orange sari with leg extended behind her and arms outstretched and the tail of the sari billowing.
danish is pictured left with long hair and an open smile, Gurmukhi is pictured right with short hair and a tilted head. Both are South Asian.

In both pictures, Danish is on the left and Gurmukhi is on the right

See them in action this Spring!

Sunday, April 23, 2023 at 11:30am and 1pm: Indian Mythology and Me performance at the Wild About Storytelling in Adventure Theater at the Winnick Family Children’s Zoo in the LA Zoo

Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 1:15 and 2:15pm: Teaching Demonstrations at The Beckman Art and Science Family Day at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts

a dancer in red tangled in a blue cloth with a woeful expression. another dancer reaches up to her from below with two children next to her.
Danish left and Gurmukhi right with some young volunteers at the LA Zoo

Danish and Gurmukhi have served 7,500 kids in the 2022-23 school year and the kids love them!

They are also leading our new school residency program that features South Asian dances and culture!

A photo of Danish, holding two scarves in front of a group of kids who are watching.

Danish teaching her new Bollywood lesson: Dancing in the Rain!

A fun Instagram reel of Gurmukhi teaching kids Bhangra and Bharatanatyam in the Santa Ana school district: Gurmukhi teaching

A letter from a child to Danish which shows a drawing of Danish and says "Dear Dancing Storytellers, thank you for spending your time with us! I really enjoyed how we made up our own dance@ I can't believe that dancing can be actually telling a story! You inspired me to dance and tell stories! Thank you Again Storytellers! - Lillian

A student letter to Danish after her teaching which says “Dear Dancing Story tellers, thankyou for spending your time with us! I really enjoyed how we made up our own dance! I can’t believe that dancing can be actually telling a story! You inspired me to dance and tell stories! Thank you again Story tellers! And there is an image of a girl with a peace sign in her fingers saying “Dancing Storytellers Rock!”

Dancing Storytellers perform at the Skirball Cultural Center

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The Dancing Storytellers were honored to perform our signature show “Indian Mythology and Me” at the Skirball Cultural Center, July 31, 2022

A South Asian dancer in a turban and vest with arms crossed, turning away smugly from another South Asian dancer with her finger up and wearing a golden crown. Both stand in front of a bright backdrop with a map of India and a dancer on it.
Sheetal Gandhi as Mahishasura, and Shyamala Moorty as Durga

Some highlights of the show were the addition of the incredible musician and composer Neelamjit Dhillon and the well versed American Sign Language interpreter, Zelda Alpert-Torres.

Dancing Storytellers Sheetal Gandhi and Shyamala Moorty with guest musician Neelamjit Dhillon

And we will always remember this wonderfully engaged audience who loved participating so much that when Sheetal called for 3 volunteers, we ended up with a whole stage full of kids pretending to be mice!

Sheetal Gandhi and Shyamala Moorty close up with lavalier mics, smiling before going on stage.
Backstage at the Skirball Cultural Center Family Series

Thank you to Skirball Cultural Center for inviting us to perform and hosting us so graciously.

Two dancers with arms stretched wide one in front of the other in Indian Mythology and Me

Celebrating 10 years!

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The Dancing Storytellers have been performing our original show,

Indian Mythology and Me, for 10years!

  • Two dancers in Indian Mythology and Me
  • Two dancers jumping with a long blue cloth stretched between them overhead.
  • Two dancers in an animated jungle scene
  • Two dancers arms outstretched in a celebratory gesture

The Dancing Storytellers, have been touring this show to schools, libraries, museums and theaters all over Southern California for 10 years! Now the Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts did a beautiful taping of it and it is available for booking through the Center, contact ArtsTeach@SCFTA.org. Get a taste in the teaser below!

https://share.scfta.org/watch/j8bhdLFb1SzYrpKX4gjio3

Indian Mythology and Me was created by Sheetal Gandhi, Shyamala Moorty and Ulka Simone Mohanty

BOOKING INFO HERE

Live and pre-recorded virtual shows!

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Our signature show, Indian Mythology and Me, is now being performed live through zoom and shown pre-recorded in Elementary Schools and libraries throughout Southern CA!

Join us for interactive virtual show live May 20, 4-5pm, through the LA County Library

Information: http://lacountylibrary.org/asian-pacific-american-heritage-month/

Free Registration: http://colapl.wufoo.com/forms/zypzv5p0sc9wl6/

Here is a sneak preview from a rehearsal with a live audience:
We are currently booking virtual shows into LA County through the Los Angeles Music Center On Tour
And we are booking into Orange County through the Arts Teach Program at the Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts. This Spring they have a special Equity, Diversity and Inclusion program that is bringing subsidized performances to schools. Check it out this important offering and the amazing artists featured here.

Virtual Stories and Showcases

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During shelter-in-place life, we are missing all the real life interactions with kids, their laughter, surprise, and fun facial expressions. Until we can be back on stage, we hope you enjoy the little opportunities below to engage with us on-line. Please share with kids, families, schools, friends, grandparents…anyone that will enjoy a bit of dance, storytelling, and South Asian culture!

Check us out featured in the Segerstrom Center for the Arts’ Arts Teach Virtual Showcase:

10am, May 27, 2020

Image says The Center's Arts Teach Virtual Showcase May 27 and 28, Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Register HERE

Join the showcase and see the Dancing Storytellers, our sister group the AMAN Dance Educators and so many more incredible artists.

If you prefer to watch at your own leisure, we also created a short video that teaches some fun hand gestures and includes an excerpt of our assembly show, Indian Mythology and Me, made for the Music Center’s Artivities.

http://youtu.be/qjdVWJ6iOLQ

And just remember,

“no matter who you are, no matter where you’re from,

we wish peace to everyone!” – Indian Mythology and Me