Kalaanjali School of Dance

With its gorgeous costumes, intricate movements and ancient cultural roots, this genre of Indian classical dance from Tamil Nadu is truly a wonderful thing to behold. Wisconsin State Arts Board student apprentices from Verona’s Kalaanjali School of Dance are putting on a dance recital backed by a live orchestra benefiting Asha for Education, an organization dedicated to enhancing the education of disadvantaged children in India. Guru Meenakshi Ganesan will also perform a solo, and there’s a dinner following the performance in the school’s cafeteria.

press release: For all these youngsters, the performance is the culmination of an apprenticeship program with the Wisconsin Arts Board. They have been learning this thousands-years-old art form for many years. Their teacher, Meenakshi Ganesan, will be performing at the event, too.

UW professor emeritus Joe Elder, a number of school principals and a representative of the Wisconsin Arts Board are expected to grace the event with their presence. There is a good turnout anticipated from family, friends and members of the community to encourage these youngsters in their endeavors. The performance is to be followed by dinner.

“The show is a perfect blend of the East and West, of artistic achievement and social conscience,” says Amit Pal, one of the parents. “The Indian-American community is very proud of these young women.”

The Verona-based Kalaanjali School of Dance (www.kalaanjali.com) has taught the ancient dance form of Bharatanatyam to hundreds of students from all over the Midwest over the 10-plus years of its existence. The founder, Guru (“Teacher”)  Meenakshi Ganesan, is an internationally acclaimed performer and educator.

Asha for Education is dedicated to catalyzing socioeconomic change in India through education of underprivileged children. It has supported more than 400 different projects over a quarter-century, disbursing almost $32.3 million. Asha Madison is its local affiliate, a completely volunteer-driven organization comprised of dedicated individuals from UW-Madison and the Madison area (madison.ashanet.org).