World premiere of Nrityagram: For the Love of Dance!
January 25th marks a major milestone for this documentary-in-the-making; a 30 minute version opened the Dance Films Association 2010 Dance on Camera Festival in New York. The film was very well received by the 150+ people who attended, and a won praise from New York Times critic Alastair Macaulay. “… the Dance on Camera Festival which runs from Monday to Feb. 2, starts at the Mark Morris Dance Center in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, with an evening of films of Indian dance featuring the premiere of “Nrityagram: For the Love of Dance,” directed and produced by Nan Melville. Nrityagram was built in India in recent years as a dance village by Protima Bedi, a vivid socialite who changed her life when she became an enthusiast for the Odissi genre of Indian dance. Yes, a dance village! Fabulous idea; glorious — though modest and practical — fact. Many intelligent points are made, and much of the dance footage, not least during the closing credits, is spellbinding. I wanted the film to be twice as long.” It is the hope of the Nrityagram documentary team that we will reach the funding goal, and be able to fulfill that wish!
In addition to the screening of her film, Nan exhibited a small sample of her photographs taken at Nrityagram in India, and of the dancers in New York. These works – and more – can be purchased at via the Store link.
