Exploring classical emotions through pure dance. Navarasa: Reimagined weaves passages from the English translation of Vincente Huidobro's epic poem Altazor with a set of unique soundtracks to depict the nine classical emotions known as Navarasa. With eight dance vignettes, Apsara explores the relationship between pure technique and storytelling movements that bring to life a deeply-rooted artistic tradition for contemporary audiences.

Choreographers
Elora Basu (Happiness and Love)
Mythili Vinnakota (Fear and Heroism)
Maheema Haque (Happiness)
Neeta D'Souza (Love)
Preethi Raju (Sorrow)
Shalini Chandar (Sorrow)
Shreya Kalva (Wonder)
Shree Mehrotra (Peace)
Isha Mehrotra (Peace)

Dancers
Elora Basu                             Megha Bhattacharya                      Ishani Kejriwal
Medha Biswas                        Shreya Kalva                                 Shreya Sood
Sheena Chu                           Shalini Chandar                              Mythili Vinnakota
Kaesha Freyaldenhoven           Shree Shah                                   Radhika Ramakrishnan
Shubhra Murarka                     Neeta D'Souza                              Anika Jain
Alanna Heyer                          Sarah Robinson                             Nikita Coutinho
Mariyam Siddique                   Amulya Lingaraju                           Preethi Raju
Thanh Hien Ngo                      Gautami Galpalli                            Sonia Gaur
Shree Mehrotra                       Isha Mehrotra                                Prachi Barpanda
Shivani Mishra

Poetry Reader
Noel Rubio

Production Staff
Claire Haupt (Production Manager)
Brandon McCallister (Stage Manager)
musa b-n (Lighting Designer)
Stephanie Slaven-Ruffing (Sound Designer)
Alice Sheehan (Master Electrician)
Patrick Doyle (Asst. Production Manager)
Michelle Noyes (Asst. Stage Manager)
Jonathan Castro (Asst. Lighting Designer)
Amanda Wilson (Asst. Sound Designer)

Apsara Board
Mythili Vinnakota
Radhika Ramakrishnan
Madhavi Venugopal
Shree Shah
 

Megha Bhattacharya (Dancer in Happiness and Heroism ) is a first year in the College majoring in Political Science and Public Policy. Performance experience includes over 9 years of Kathak.

Kaesha Freyaldenhoven is a second year in the College studying Art History and Public Policy. At the age of two, she began ballet and has since explored jazz, tap, raas, and of course bharatanatyam. Kaesha would like to send a very special shout out to her incredible mom and nanny for instilling a love of dance and culture, encouraging her to take the stage and genetically providing rad dancing abilities!

Alanna Heyer is a fourth-year in the College majoring in Public Policy and Fundamentals. Previous dance experience includes 4 years on Chicago Raas and 10 years of competitive Irish dance. This is her first time dancing in an Apsara show and she could not be more excited!

Sonia Gaur is a first-year in the College. Previous dance experience includes training in bharatanatyam for 12 years under Hema Rajagopalan (Natya Dance Theatre), and performing her arangetram in July 2015.

Mythili Vinnakota (Fear and Heroism) is a fourth-year in the College studying Economics. She is actively involved with the dance community on campus, dancing and choreographing for groups such as Apsara, UChicago Bhangra, and for the annual SASA cultural show. Navarasa: Reimagined will be her eighth and final show with her beloved Apsara dancers!

Elora Basu (co-choreographer; Love, Happiness) is a third-year in the College majoring in Biology and Anthropology. Previous dance experience includes many years of Kathak, and choreographing for prior Apsara and SASA shows.

Shalini Chandar (Sorrow dancer, choreographer) is a first-year in the College majoring in Psychology and Economics (maybe). With Apsara, Shalini has previously danced in the Diwali show, the Fall/Winter show, and the SASA show.

Maheema Haque (Choreographer), 3rd year, Economics, Apsara shows since first year (Pratriki, Prism, Avalu, Veera)

Shreya Kalva (choreographer for the Wonder Rasa piece) is a third-year in the College majoring in Economics with a minor in Gender & Sexuality Studies. Previous performance credits include past Apsara shows and the SASA show. Shreya is also a rising captain of the UChicago Bhangra Team.

Isha Mehrotra (Choreographer for Peace) is a first-year in the College majoring in Computer Science. Isha has been learning Odissi, a form of Indian Classical dance, since the age of 5 and completed her Manch Pravesh. In the 2016 SASA show, she danced in the Classical act as well as Bhangra.

Shree Mehrotra (co-choreographer for Peace) is a first year in the College majoring in Environmental Science. She performed in Taal, Apsara's show winter quarter, as well as in Lights, Camera, SASA this quarter.

Preethi Raju (Sorrow Dance Co-Choreographer) is a second year in the College majoring in Biology and Economics. Before coming to college, she trained for 8 years in the Nritta School of Dance and completed her Arangetram in India. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Apsara this year as a choreographer for the Sorrow Dance with Shalini Chandar.

Shree Shah (Choreographer) is a 3rd year in the College majoring in Economics and Political Science. Previous dance experience includes Prakriti, Avalu, Prism, Veera, Empowerment, Body, and two SASA Shows. Shree is on Apsara Board.

Brandon McCallister (Stage Manager) is a second-year in the College double majoring in TAPS and Comparative Human Development. Past credits include Twelfth Night (Stage Manager), A Weekend of Workshops: The Monkey's Paw (Director), Henry V and Richard II (ASM), Love's Labour's Lost (Asst. Director), Urinetown (Asst. Props), and The Seagull (Asst. Lighting). Brandon serves on UT's committee.

Stephanie Slaven-Ruffing (Sound Designer) is a second-year in the College majoring in Anthropology and Comparative Human Development. In the past, she has done sound work for Romeo and Juliet, Wittgenstein’s Mistress, Urinetown, House of Cards, Suburbia, The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, and various workshops, and also worked on Fifth Planet and Closer.