She's Auspicious

Internationally acclaimed bharatanatyam artist Mythili Prakash presents the world premiere of this powerful solo performance, featuring a rare all-female music ensemble, a striking work that questions the contradictions and dichotomies of how women are viewed in society.

She’s Auspicious is a dance and music work rooted in bharatanatyam. Bold and evocative, the work blurs the lines between Goddess and Woman to explore the intricate interplay between the worship of goddesses and the treatment of women in society. The presentation of this paradox allows the unravelling of socio-cultural myths, stories and values that are beautiful and personal, yet simultaneously deeply rooted in systemic power structures.

This work is conceptualised, choreographed and performed by Mythili Prakash, who has emerged at the forefront amongst a new generation of classical Indian dancers. She has been mentored by the iconic Malavika Sarukkai and the esteemed Akram Khan, whose dance company she has been performing with since 2019. She’s Auspicious first premiered in 2021 at the Reflektor Festival in Hamburg, Germany, and underwent further development in 2022 at Pillow’s Lab at the historic Jacob’s Pillow dance centre, and in 2024 at University of Colorado Colorado Springs.

“As the dancer, I inhabit the character of the Goddess Devi, who is created by male Gods, generated with their energy and weapons, and programmed to kill an army of demons. In doing this, I seek to embody and linger in psychological states that challenge the ideals of “restraint” that characterize femininity in both classical dance and in society; this mythical narrative becomes a mirror to our present-day reality, connected to questions of power and agency, reflecting my own lived and observed experiences as a woman.”
– Mythili Prakash

The making of She's Auspicious has been supported by the National Dance Project grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts.

Choreography/Dance: Mythili Prakash

Sound Design: Aditya Prakash, Mythili Prakash, Sushma Soma

Music Production: Aditya Prakash

Set Design: Mythili Prakash, Kaavya Matatova, Zak Macro, Lars Davidson 

Vocal: Subiksha Rangarajan

Percussion: Aswini Srinivasan

Vocal and Veena: Ananya Ashok 

Sound: M T Aditya

Lighting Design: Aideen Malone, Jennifer Cashman  

Mentor: Akram Khan

Theatrical Inputs: Janet Roston 

Rehearsal Director: Jyotsna Jagannathan

Project Manager: Jahnavi Kalyan 

Dancers: Nikita Rao, Jessica Sitaramya, Malini Taneja, Jahnavi Kalyan

Artists on Recording: Sushma Soma (vocal), Aditya Prakash (vocal and percussion), Sumesh Narayanan (mridangam)

There will be a post-show dialogue moderated by Sreedevy Sivarajasingam after each performance.