Katha Dance Theatre Presents: Panchatantra – The Dancing Tales of Wisdom

The approximate run time of the event is 75 minutes with no intermission. 

Life is a series of stories. Fittingly, Katha Dance Theatre will present a collection of folktales from India, titled ‘PANCHATANTRA’ that originated in the 3rd century BCE. The central theme of the Panchatantra is the harmonious and integrated development of humans, a life in which security, prosperity, friendship and learning are combined to produce a lasting joy. Originally written in Sanskrit, the PANCHATANTRA TALES are short, crisp and simple to understand, and the best part about these stories is that they always ended with a moral, and are relevant even today. 

The stories are told in order to educate three ignorant princes about the principles of “nīti” which roughly translates as “the wise conduct of life.” We teach our children the right things from a very early age so that they grow up with strong moral values. The `PANCHATANTRA’ is one such collection of short stories from India. 

It offers us the possibility of making our lives richer and more meaningful. These stories carry important messages on how one should live his or her life. The stories that will be included in KDT’s PANCHATANTRA are selected for their relevance in today’s world – issues of friendship, conflict, separation & union – especially as they relate to equality & and social justice. The 2000 years old Indian classical dance style used here is called Kathak. PANCHATANTRA will feature thrilling spectacles of Kathak dance – its mesmerizing movements, intricate footwork, spinning bodies and expressive storytelling, as one of India’s oldest and most revered classical dance forms.

This work is funded in part by MHC with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008. This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. It is also made possible by a grant from the F. R. Bigelow Foundation.

*Patrons who would like to control the volume of their listening experience, assistive listening devices and sensory ear plugs are available upon request at the Ticket Office. More info at: https://oshag.stkate.edu/accessibility
*Patrons can book a wheelchair accessible seat online, but we encourage you to call the Ticket Office if you have any questions during the booking process.