Dazzling display of Indian dances

ST. LOUIS: St. Louis was treated to a dazzling display of dances at the 10th Annual St. Louis Dance Festival Showcase held recently. Sponsored by Dances of India, the festival allowed St. Louis dance lovers to relish the spectacle of professional and semi-professional companies performing a variety of styles, from ballet to contemporary, ethnic to folk.

Ballet and contemporary companies included the highly respected St. Louis Ballet, the veteran and incessantly creative Modern America Dance Company, and the scintillating Slaughter Project, among others. Ethnic and folk companies incorporated Dances of India, who always put breathtakingly original spins onto the ancient art of Bharata Natyam, Viva Flamenco, whose artistic director Kristina Martinez epitomizes the dynamic grace and supple strength of flamenco, and the Missouri River Cloggers, who brought homespun Missouri folk art to the show. 

Several other ethnic styles of dance were also featured, from Latin to Chinese to a delightful sampling of local Middle Eastern dance companies.

Over 850 people enjoyed this festival, held at Washington University Edison Theatre. Dances of India inaugurated the festival in 2000, with a one-night event. Since then, the Showcase has grown by leaps and bounds. This year's performance included 33 companies over three nights.