The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago

Shantala Shivalingappa is an Indian Kuchipudi dancer. A _x001C_child of the east and west,_x001D_ Shantala was born in Madras, India, and was raised in Paris. Her gurus are Vempati Chinna Satyam and her mother, Savitry Nair, under whom she trained in Bharatha Natyam. She has performed for prestigious artists such as Maurice Bejart, Peter Brook, Bartabas, Ushio Amagatsu, and Pina Bausch. AKASHA (which means _x001C_space_x001D_), is danced solo by Shantala with four accompanying musicians from India: a vocalist, flutist and two percussionists.