 ON TOUR 2008 -
2009“With a large ensemble cast of well-trained performers, Thakkar kept the visual pleasure coming with thrilling moments of full-tilt stage crossings with stamping feet contrasted slow movement that showed off the beauty of the classical poses. Solid and very entertaining, “Shapes and Rhythms” was in many ways the strongest of a strong grouping by virtue of Thakkar and company’s disciplined and well-honed chops." – Dance Current - 2006 Review of Toronto International Dance Festival
Canada’s premiere classical Indian dance company, under the artistic direction of award-winning, dancer and choreographer Menaka Thakkar, offers a world-class experience that ranges from traditional to contemporary dance. Based in Toronto, the company performs every year at Harbourfront’s Premiere Dance Theatre and is available for festivals and touring year round. For dance audiences, we offer accessible programming that brings the timeless beauty and spirit of East Indian dance. If you are interested in diversity programming for East Indian audiences we offer traditional dance dramas based on classic stories from India’s rich culture. Performances range from half hour shows to a full two hours.
Riaz (Practice) – A brilliant new group choreography by one of Canada’s foremost Indian dancers, Natasha Bakht. Developed especially for the Menaka Thakkar Dance Company, Riaz is an original creation that takes classical Bharatanatyam movements and gives them the modern twist that is Bakht’s individual style. Parashakti is a contemporary Bharatnatyam dance cycle of Creation, Sustenance, Destruction and Re-birth. It portrays the working of Creative Energy through various stages: first, the pre-creation primordial self-absorption or self-involvement; second, the impulse to create bursting forth in a joyous expansion of abandonment; then a self-regulating movement of order, harmony, beauty, and balance giving rise to well ordered creation; followed by a loss of balance and a falling off centre through uncontrollably rising tempo of activities and dynamism that leads to inevitable destruction. The piece ends where it began: in the self-absorption of the Creative Energy as in the primordial pre-creation stage.
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Moving to Rhythm - Inspired by Ravel’s “Bolero”, Moving to Rhythm illustrates through dance, the evolution of Menaka’s artistry from the time she arrived bringing Indian dance to Canadian audiences for the first time through to her experience of different dance cultures which influenced her new choreographies. Moving to Rhythm is an original choreography by Menaka Thakkar with music created by Montreal’s Vasudevan Govindarajan and Toronto composer Ron Allen. 
For young audiences, the company
has developed Wise Monkey, Foolish Crocodile based on a
story from India’s classic Panchatantra tales. Wise-Monkey, Foolish
Crocodile is a dance drama using creative dance movements that
takes children into the animal world where they become a part of an
imaginary kingdom.
