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Adi Shakti: Dawn of the First Goddess Created and Performed by Roxanne Kamayani Gupta, Ph.D. "Adi Shakti" means "The First Energy."
According to the Hindu tradition, the only major religious
tradition in the world in which Goddess worship has survived to the
present day, Feminine Divinity is associated with creation, manifestation
and power: In other words,
Life itself. This presentation seeks to explore the evolution of the
Indian Goddess the Adi Shakti.
She manifests through the five tattvas or elements of earth, water,
fire, air and space, and the seven chakras of the universal psychic body
as depicted within the Hindu Tantras, which add to the five elements the
qualities of space and time. This
evolution culminates in a fully embodied conscious awareness which gives
rise to the illusory nature of the phenomenal and dualistic world.
Therefore the evolution of the Goddess depicted here represents, on
another level, the ongoing physical, mental, and spiritual unfolding of
consciousness within every man and woman.
This performance, presented in two acts with a 15 minute
intermission, represents a creative synthesis of East and West, a
synthesis which is reflected in the program in myriad ways: Based on a conversation which takes place between the Goddess
and her analyst, the program weaves together verses from Hindu texts,
selections of devotional, classical, and popular Indian and East-West
music, and movement from yoga and Indian dance.
It is set against the projected backdrop of a unique visual
interpretation of the seven chakras designed by Kristen Woodward (BFA
Syracuse University, MFA Clemson University).
This audio-visual tapestry combines to present a uniquely dramatic,
and sometimes humorous account of the irrepressible Goddess, the Adi
Shakti. Adi Shakti is based on textual sources from the Indian
Goddess-worshipping tradition. The
following is a list of those sources in order of their appearance in the
program: Intro: Rig Veda (RV)
1.92; RV 10.125; Chakra I: RV
10.72; Atharva Veda 12.1; Chakra II: RV 1.164; RV 7.49; RV 2.35; Chakra
III: RV 6.9; RV 4.5; Chakra IV: RV 10.123; RV 10.95 Chakra V: Siva Purana
1.16; Devi Mahatmya (DM) 1.56; DM 1.63 Chakra VI: DM 5.12; DM 4.21 The
Soundtrack of the program is also a compilation of musical sources from
East and West combined with an original script written by Roxanne Gupta.
List of Music Sources in order of appearance: Intro:
Traditional Hymn and Sri Suktam, Mantra II Sri Rajarajeshwari
Peetam; Nadhaswaram by Namagiripettai.Krishnan; Chakra I: Chakra Chants, Jonathan Goldman; Sri Durga, Ustad Salamat Ali
Khan and Friends; Chakra II: Chakra Chants, Jonathan Goldman; Sri Durga,
Ustad Salamat Ali Khan and Friends; Chakra III: Chakra Chants, Jonathan
Goldman; Sri Durga, Ustad Salamat Ali Khan and Friends; Chakra IV: :
Chakra Chants, Jonathan Goldman; Hindi Song Mix by Bob Natalini; Chakra V:
Chakra Chants, Jonathan Goldman; Sri Lalitha Sahasranaama, Bombay Sisters;
Bhaktimala I; Chakra VI: :
Chakra Chants, Jonathan Goldman; Veena, S. Balachander; Bhaktimala I
Chakra VII: : Chakra Chants, Jonathan Goldman, Sri Kamakshi Stotram, M.S.
Subbulakshmi, Final Dance: Sarasamukhi, Musicians of Kuchipudi Kalakendra Music
Mix design: Roxanne Gupta Music
Mix Technician: Nathan A.
Roberts Soundtrack Voices (in order of appearance) Michael Kleis,
Roxanne Kamayani Gupta, Lucia Gbaya, Naomi Hinds, Kim Jackson, Suzanne
Herron, Caroline Morrow Chakras Design: Kristen Woodward Stage Light and Sound Consultant: Wayne E. Vettleson Photographs by John Robaton ____________________________________ |