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The day before their classes and performances began, India Jazz Suites principals Jason Samuel Smith and
Pandit Chitresh Das made a surprise visit to PASA's Harvest Bacchanal fund raiser
At a class session at N.P. Moss Middle School, Smith shares a video of tap immortal Gregory Hines
Smith and Das danced individually and together as part of their class activity at N.P. Moss
Kathak master Das, whose dance form uses unshod feet, dons tap shoes to try them for the first time ever--
and N.P. Moss Middle School students are there to witness this unique cross-cultural experience!
At a master class at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Das and students explore the rich expressiveness of the hand movements that are part of the Kathak dance tradition and technique
The master dancers themselves pitched in to help PASA board member Don Johnson and volunteer Byron Begnaud construct a tap floor needed for a daytime performance for students hosted at Opelousas High School
Smith led a rambunctious multi-aged group of students at a tap master class at UL Lafayette
PASA board member Mitu Dasgupta gathers donations from attendees of a public performance at Lafayette High School Nov. 15. The performance, originally slated for Parc International in downtown Lafayette, was moved indoors due to high winds and a low wind-chill factor on the evening of the performance
The performance began with jazz music from a trio that, by the end of the evening, had accompanied dancers from two disparate traditions
Jason Samuel Smith drew a standing ovation before the show was 20 minutes old with his extraordinary artistry and energy
A great audience rewards the artists with rapt attention
A trio of distinguished Indian musicians, like the jazz players, worked magically with dance from both cultural traditions
Feet, rhythm, face, gesture -- all are under complete command of the Kathak master
Artists who developed half a world away from each other combine their energy and talents in an explosive mix
Yes, it is a successful collaboration!
Bows and applause, the final communication between an audience and a group of artists who had shared an extraordinary evening