Sacred Axis

“I have been immersed in the South Indian dance form of Bharatanatyam for
over 30 years. The vitality of my choreography stems from extensive training
guided by the technical rigor and expressive authenticity that are the hallmarks
of my cultural and artistic lineage. The body of a Bharatanatyam dancer moves
like an interlocking puzzle, its pieces a display of otherworldly grace.”
- Ashwini Ramaswamy

‘Sacred Axis’ is Ashwini Ramaswamy’s unique choreographic
methodology anchored in the South Indian classical dance
form of Bharatanatyam and collaboratively reinterpreted by
dancers from other cultural backgrounds. This movement
creation system manifests from deep research on the
aesthetic, history, and philosophy of Bharatanatyam as a
boundless wellspring for choreographic possibilities.
Sacred Axis is a generative pilgrimage that expresses her
lifelong desire to coalesce her specific artistic and cultural
aesthetic as a Bharatanatyam artist with the
dynamic universe of other embodied
traditions and communities.

Ashwini Ramaswamy is a fiscal year 2023 recipient of a
Creative Support for Individuals grant from the Minnesota
State Arts Board. ‘Sacred Axis’ is made possible by the voters
of Minnesota through a grantfrom the Minnesota State Arts
Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts
and cultural heritage fund.