
Sophia Salingaros performs classical Indian dance. (samskritihouston.org)
This Monday at 10:30 a.m., Sophia Salingaros will perform classical Indian dance at Brown’s Lyman Hall. She is the daughter of architectural theorist and University of Texas mathematician Nikos Salingaros, whose thoughts have appeared here often, with and without attribution. He has sent me word of Sophia’s appearance before the dance class of Prof. Priyadarshini Shome at Lyman’s Ashamu Dance Studio. The class is part of the dance curriculum at Brown’s Department of Theater Arts and Performance Studies. All are welcome to the event, which is free.
Here is a YouTube video of Sophia dancing. It is 3:24 minutes in length.
The community arts group Bihl Haus Arts, in San Antonio, informs its readers that Sophia is “a disciple of Bharatanatyam, a dance form that originated 2,000 years ago in southern India.” Regarding Sophia’s performance for Bihl Haus guests in January, the writer of its description enticingly stated:
Audiences will be mesmerized by Sophia’s every precise step, every darting glance, every hummingbird-like flourish of her hands. Through dance, she’ll tell traditional Indian divine and love stories in selected solo pieces that alternate between lyrical vignettes and more bracing passages peppered with percussive footwork and arching arms.
Sophia will dance a number of dances on Monday, between each of which the audience will be asked to ask her questions. Leaving aside the beauty of her performance, if she is anything like her dad, who has deeply studied the relationship between architecture and neurobiology, I’m sure her answers will bring quantum enlightenment.
Isn’t her name Greek?
Sent from my iPad
>
LikeLike
Nikos is Greek, born in Australia, and married to … While I was trying to find out, he sent this message: “Thanks again for your posting Sophia’s dance. I don’t know if you want to answer Stephen O’Rourke (is he your friend?). I’m Greek, of course, and my wife is Belgian. No Indian roots for Sophia! Despite that, she’s been invited to perform in India this summer — the highest possible honor for a Bharatanatyam dancer.” … Yes, Nikos, Steve’s a very good friend of mine from long ago soon after I first hired on at the Journal. He became a longtime (and highly successful) director of the Providence Housing Authority.
LikeLike