Corpus Matris (Nrittanz) 2013 Toronto Fringe Festival

Corpus Matris

Having been previously trained in the Indian classical dance form, Bharatanatyam, I was intrigued to see Paromita Kar dance to a similar dance form called Odissi. Dressed in a beautiful traditional attire, Paromita graced the Theatre Passé Muraille stage with delicate hand gestures and strong foot work.

The most interesting part of Corpus Matris was Paromita’s expressions! Have you ever seen someone make funny faces to a baby? Where the eyes seem to expand and the mouth takes on a whole new shape. Similarly, in laughter yoga, facial muscles are used to create a variety of different expressions. And that is exactly what Paromita did in her performance. From showing us her big bold eyes, to showing her passionate rage, it was entertaining to watch this classically trained dancer.

There is no doubt that Paromita is a skilled dancer and I can appreciate her talent. I did however find myself losing interest at times due to it being a little too predictable. In addition, there were two blackouts in the show that were unnecessarily long. A viewer even left the show during the second blackout.

The piece of dance work I did like the best was the portrayal of the ten goddesses. Paromita displayed all her technique and vivid emotions in this piece and it was thrilling to see her transform from one goddess to another.

In 2011, the Fringe Festival started this great program to promote diversity in dance and theatre. Paromita is part of the fairly new initiative called Toronto Fringe Festival’s Culturally Diverse Artist Program. With the push to increase diversity and inclusion in the performing arts, it is wonderful to see the Indian classical dance genre be part of this festival.

If you are looking to get a little taste of India and Indian dance, then check out Corpus Matris.


Details:
venue – Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace – 16 Ryerson Ave  Toronto, ON M5T 2P3

show times
July 03 08:45 PM
July 05 01:45 PM
July 08 07:00 PM
July 10 04:15 PM
July 11 01:45 PM
July 13 05:15 PM
July 14 09:00 PM

Tickets:

  • At-the-door tickets: $10
  • At-the-door tickets are available at the Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace starting one hour prior to show time – cash sales only.
  • Advance tickets: $11
  • Advance tickets go on sale June 15, 2013
  • Purchase online: fringetoronto.com
  • By Phone: 416-966-1062, ext 1
  • In Person: During the Festival Box Office in the parking lot behind Honest Ed’s (581 Bloor St W)

Photo of Paromita Kar provided by Nrittanz