WELCOME TO ECHOES IN PLACE
Echoes in Place is a 2-part live dance work celebrating the rich history of the evolution of Canoga Park & the Madrid Theatre choreographed & Directed by Amita Batra. The first part of the show is a walk-through exhibition with a variety of interactive dance exhibits on display. Feel free to walk at your own pace and spend as little or as much time learning about Canoga Park, observing the work, and even interacting with the artists.
A formal performance to follow the exhibition.
Throughout the evening, you will see dancers dressed as eucalyptus trees. That is no coincidence. The eucalyptus, a native of Australia, is a fundamental part of the city’s scenery. One might call it an immigrant, due to its Australian origins. But despite that, it simply exists as a fundamental symbol of this city, the same as anyone here no matter where they are from.
This show was made possible by the LA Department of Cultural Affairs & the LA Dance Workers’ Coalition.
MEET AMITA
Amita Batra is a story-driven artist who wholeheartedly believes in the boundless nature of art with respect to those both who practice it and those who consume it.
Formally rooted in Kathak, the Indian classical art of storytelling and balletic styles, Amita is an explorer of the technical intersect between the two with an emphasis on using movement as a language for universal storytelling. In addition to dance, Amita thoroughly enjoys character work and improv, using humanity in its totality to inform body language and storytelling.
Credits + Clientele include good luck elvis - feature film (choreographer), NBC-Universal (Choreographer), The Academy of Motion Pictures (Choreographer/Instructor), Broadway-bound Come Fall in Love - The DDLJ Musical directed by Aditya Chopra (Ensemble/Hardipa), ETDC’s NC Grant Recipient for INERTIA - premiering at Martha Graham Theater (Choreographer), NY Black Arts Festival’s Aladdin (Choreographer), UCB South Asian AAF’s Sketch Series (Nina) & more.
Meet the Cast
Click any individual’s thumbnail to learn more about them
PART 1: Walk-through Exhibitions
Exhibit 1 - Roots & Branches
Dancers: Nandini Kannan, Cydnee Watson
Description: Located the entrance of the Madrid Theatre, Roots & Branches features 2 dancers embodying the Eucalyptus Tree, rooted in what makes them uniquely them, while continuing to evolve their branches by gathering the knowledge of the world around them and sharing their air with one another. Despite their Australian Origin, eucalyptus trees remain rooted and a fundamental part of the city’s scenery & we do not think twice when we pass them by. We, like these trees, are woven into the fabric of Canoga Park, no matter where we are originally from.
Exhibit 2 - Sounds of Canoga Park
Dancers: Rishi Sharma, Nandini Kannan, Naomi Namboodiripad, Cydnee Watson, Baylee Ferrera, Amita Batra
Film & Edit: Ruben Samuel Cortez
A filmed series of dancers moving to the sounds of Canoga Park, forming their own relationship with themselves, the nature around them and the city, evolving in a way that is authentic to who they are. A symbol of this city’s inhabitants and the unique relationship each individual has with this city.
Exhibit 3 - You are Canoga Park
Dancers: Baylee Ferrera, Naomi Namboodiripad
The city of Canoga Park is an ever-evolving place. Each individual brings their own uniqueness. Dancers in this exhibit embody YOU to create this ever-evolving image.
Exhibit 4 - Moving through the Madrid
Dancers: Amita Batra, Rishi Sharma
Percussion: Neal Agrawal
The Madrid Theatre has been a site that is symbolic of Canoga Park’s evolution, and its purpose evolved over the years. Timeline is below. Shake the remote to trigger a snippet of the different productions that have existed at the Madrid. The dancers will embody it while live percussion continues to build, shape and evolve the narrative.