Shakti Troupe Revels in Its Longevity

Twenty-five years is not a long time in the Hindu scheme of things. Think of Amba’s years of austerity so that she could be reborn to take her revenge on Bhishma in the Indian epic “Mahabharata.”

But in terms of a dance company’s survival in Los Angeles, 25 years is a significant period of time. So Viji Prakash’s celebration of the silver anniversary of her Shakti Dance Company on Saturday at the James Armstrong Theatre at the Torrance Performing Arts Center was a welcome and praiseworthy event.

The company performed a new dance opera, “Nandanar Charitam.” Even better, several generations of bharata natyam dancers appeared on stage, including Prakash’s guru, Kalyanasundaram (vocalist and choreographer for all the dances); his son, Harikrishnan; Prakash; her daughter, Mythili; and 19 of her other senior students.

Time has taken its toll on the founder of Shakti, but fortunately Indian dance has never been a matter of just virtuoso steps. There is also meaningful gesture, dramatic storytelling and above all a moral intention and force to the art.

Prakash was sparing in pure dance footwork and holding balanced poses (how we remember her speed, clarity, steadiness and buoyancy), but not in meeting the other demands. Her dramatic projection, in fact, may have been greater than ever as she took the lead part in “Nandanar,” the story of how a social pariah’s devotion to Lord Nataraja leads to his spiritual triumph.

Harikrishnan had a calm, ease and lightness about his movements, but he also, not surprisingly, showed some fatigue during the three long and demanding solos that opened the program.

The students also showed signs of strain, particularly in holding those difficult poses codified in temple carvings.

But their mastery of the vocabulary and surprisingly persuasive characterizations proved how valuable their training at the Shakti School has been.