The entire schedule took a year to plan and covered 3 universities, 3 mainstream dance venues, a conference and a desi dance festival. Through performances, talks, classroom sessions and master classes, I gained a glimpse into the new audiences that are attracted to India and Indian performance traditions. Diaspora tastes and lifestyles have changed drastically and the audience demographics were surprisingly different from what I had anticipated. Unexpected moments, on and off the stage and spontaneous reactions when least expected made every performance and city starkly different from the other.

As I gather my thoughts and begin to share my America Diary through a series of articles on FRIENDLY FIRE on narthaki.com, I would like to thank the following individuals who made this tour so memorable for me.

Cathy Eilers and Julie Ana Dobo, Joyce Soho, New York
Ketu Katrak, University of California, Irvine
Ramaa Bharadwaj, Angahaara Dance Company
Priya Srinivasan, University of California, Riverside
Daniel Phoenix Singha, Dakshina Dance Company, Washington DC
Indira Peterson, Mt Holyoke College, Massachusetts,
Jothi Raghavan, Nrityanjali Dance Company, Massachusetts

Special thanks to Hari Krishnan my friend and collaborator of the past 10 years whose instincts I have admired and trusted; Rex and Sandhya Raman, for making me look wonderful through their amazing costume design; Anil Srinivasan whose music continues to haunt me and move audiences everywhere, Mithran Devanesen whose humour while travelling and lighting design while dancing supported and sustained me even during some tired moments.

My own colleagues in Chennai, Vidhya, Lalitha and Sumathi who have been the three pillars through whom I have communicated and linked with all the e mail IDs in the USA for this tour.

Thank you all for accepting my work so openly, responding so warmly and for welcoming NEO BHARATAM as an exciting way to continue a woman's journey in dance!

I danced on all our holy days, Saraswati Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Dussera and Diwali. What a blessing and joy!

Anita R Ratnam

The tour schedule

NEELAM... DROWNING IN BLISS
November 11, 2007, Babson College Auditorium, Wellesley.

GODDESSES AND WOMEN: STORYTELLING THROUGH DANCE
November 8, 2007, Mary Woolley Hall, Mount Holyoke College

NEELAM... DROWNING IN BLISS
November 7, 2007, Mary Woolley Hall, Mount Holyoke College
INFORMANCE in the New York Room, M Woolley Hall by Professor Indira Peterson
As a tribute to respected Indologist Denis Hudson, Emeritus Professor of World Religions, Smith College.

DANCE & THE MIND SCREEN
Workshop
Oct 30, 2007, Dance Studio C, Orange Coast College, CA

RITUAL, DANCE, AND FEMINISM: SYMBOLIC GESTURES AND THE FEMALE DANCING BODY
Oct 30, 2007, University of California, Riverside, CA
Workshop

ABOUT HER... in 4 chapters (Experiments in Neo Bharatam)
October 27, 2007, Lincoln Theater, Washington DC
For CELEBRATING FREEDOM, Dakshina's 4th Annual Fall Festival of Indian Arts

VOICES IN SOUTH ASIA: REVIVAL, RESTORATION, AND VISIBILITY
Oct 25, 2007, Irvine, CA
Panel discussion

ABOUT HER... in 4 chapters (Experiments in Neo Bharatam)
Oct 24, 2007, University of California, Irvine
For GLOBAL CONVERSATIONS: A FESTIVAL OF MARGINALIZED LANGUAGES
Hosted by the International Center for Writing and Translation

7 GRACES
October 18-21, 2007, Joyce SoHo, New York
Presented by Indo-American Arts Council

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