The driving force behind the Jamestown Dance Festival is Sukanya Burman whose dance company will be among those performing this weekend at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts. The path to Jamestown for Burman is unlikely and fascinating. Her professional career in India began in the world of science, but it was dancing that brought her to the United States. Now, the dance company that bears her name is exposing Chautauqua County to a cultural form that dates back 5,000 years.
"It has its roots in the Indus Valley Civilization, they say. India has a rich history of the arts," Burman shared when WBFO's "What's Next" recently visited Jamestown.
"We have eight different Indian Classical forms and I have barely scratched the surface."
The festival calls itself "a celebration of diverse dance forms and cultural expressions." Other dance companies set to perform this weekend include Soles of Duende, out of New York City, Biodance from Rochester, and Sandip Mallick, who has performed extensively in India, the United Kingdom, Italy, and the United States.
"People also have this concept that Indian dance has to be cultural--and it is very cultural-specific to the Indian subgroup — but that's not the case. It's just an artistic expression," Burman said.
"You can use that vocabulary to tell any story you want. Very similar to ballet. Very similar to jazz. Very similar to tap. Whatever you want."
More information on the festival can be found at: https://www.sukanyaburman.com/jamestown-dance-festival
