Mission
ANANYA DANCE THEATER IS AN ENSEMBLE COMPANY OF BIPOC WOMEN AND FEMME PROFESSIONAL DANCE ARTISTS. WE CREATE ORIGINAL CONTEMPORARY DANCE THEATER AT THE INTERSECTION OF ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. WE WORK TO DISMANTLE HIERARCHIES AND BUILD LIBERATION, INSPIRED BY THE LIVES AND DREAMS OF BIPOC WOMEN AND FEMMES AROUND THE GLOBE. WE WILL CELEBRATE OUR 20TH SEASON IN 2025. OUR ARTISTRY UNFOLDS THROUGH YORCHHA, OUR DEVISED CONTEMPORARY FEMINIST DANCE FORM, WHICH EMBODIES OUR RESPONSE TO THE WESTERN/EURO-AMERICAN MOVEMENT PRACTICES THAT DOMINATE THE CONTEMPORARY DANCE WORLD. YORCHHA PROUDLY CLAIMS THE DESCRIPTORS "CONTEMPORARY- AND "INNOVATIVE" EVEN AS IT CELEBRATES ITS CREATION FROM AN INTENTIONAL DECONSTRUCTION AND REASSEMBLY OF TRADITIONAL ODISSI, VINYASA YOGA, AND THE MARTIAL ART CHHAU. WHILE YORCHHA IS ROOTED IN PRINCIPLES OF SOUTH ASIAN MOVEMENT FORMS, WE SHAPE ITS EXPRESSION TO MOVE BEYOND AN AFFILIATION WITH "INDIAN CULTURE" THAT OFFERS CONSTRICTIVE UNDERSTANDINGS OF "HINDU"