Upatti - Coming to be

Nitya Nritya Dance Ensemble brings Upatti - Coming to be to the Regent Street Black Box on Saturday, November 7. It's the latest production from the company, which has spent several years working through questions about the divine feminine through dance, storytelling, and reflection.

The work draws on the ancient Shakta tradition, which worships the feminine divine, and on the ensemble's own journey through the changing meaning of the Goddess and her enduring place in human life. Staged in the Bharatanatyam tradition, it examines a gendered history of the feminine divine in South Asia.

For those who aren't familiar, Bharatanatyam is one of the oldest classical dance traditions of India, known for its precise footwork, expressive hand gestures, and storytelling. The ensemble uses that language here to trace how the divine feminine has been understood and portrayed over time. The title, Upatti, translates to "coming to be," which fits the way the piece looks at the Goddess not as a static figure, but as one whose meaning has shifted across different eras and contexts.

The performance is presented by the Nitya Nritya Foundation. You'll find it at the Regent Street Black Box, located at the Eccles Theater, 144 Regent St, Salt Lake City, UT 84101. Mark your calendar for Saturday, November 7.