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| Sacred Dance for Universal Consciousness |
| Many dances, many colors, expressions and songs dedicated to the same Source |
| My name, in Sanskrit, is Anuradha dasi. I received this name during a pilgrimage to India when I was 21 years old and have since used it as my stage name, as an artist and dancer. This name represents the roots and history of my journey into sacred dance. Anuradha dasi means Servant of the Divine Mother. My given name is Annick Dauphinais, I was born on the 26th of November, 1977 in LaSalle, Quebec and grew up on the south shore of Montreal in a small town called Mercier. At the age of sixteen I developed an interest in ancient cultures which grew stronger with passing time that lead to a drastic change in my life when in 1996 I met a group of people who inspired me to travel to India and Nepal. I was eighteen and daring so I packed my bags and the next thing I knew, I was in Delhi. It was a world completely foreign to me but I felt that I was beyond the point of return and decided right then and there to open my life up to discovering and observing different traditional customs. I met my first master of dance during a trip to Bodh Gaya, (the sight where the Buddha reached enlightenment while sitting under the bodhi tree). I decided to rest at a small Gandhi Ashram where the resident children were considered untouchable and in return, for my room and board, I was given the job of teaching these children to dance. I confess that at that moment in time dancing no longer felt to be a part of my development. Once a week, a Bharatnatyam dance teacher came to instruct me the sacred art of expressing the ancient history of the Hindu gods and demons through dance. In return I taught this dance to the children once a day. The teachings I also received from those tribal children was immeasurable. With each passing lesson I started to understand and accept the path in which my life had taken. The more I embraced the different styles of dance, the easier it became to dance and express them. These ancient dances necessitate a lot of attention, as we are not in the habit of moving many parts of our bodies simultaneously in different fashions. Following this wonderful experience, I continued my voyage towards Rishikesh, where I learned Hatha Yoga through private lessons from Yogiji. This training gave my body the necessary flexibility to improve my movement and skill. After having learned Hatha Yoga, I parted for the Himilayas where I received lessons in the Tibetan Pujas ceremonies and danced with the Sharpa tribes. These enlightening experiences added more color to my own style of dance. At that time, being so young, I had difficulty in viewing and accepting myself as a “real” woman. These sacred dances helped me to unblock and become comfortably familiar with my feminine side in a way which is rare in today’s society. The experience of sacred dance has assisted me in reaffirming the grace and beauty of my femininity that is forever transforming my life. At nineteen I carried on to Thailand where I familiarized myself with the Thai style of dancing and later that year, after my return to Quebec, I met Patrick Bernard, (writer and composer of numerous sacred chant albums). Patrick has had a great influence in the direction of my life. After observing my dance style for the first time he noted that it was a perfect manifestation of his music. During his performance at a closed door concert at L’Anglicane de Levis, he asked me to dance at the show. It was then, at nineteen years of age, that I performed my very first presentation of sacred dancing, in Quebec. Being of American Indian origin, more precisely 5th generation Algonquin, I was always interested in Native American dances, especially the four directions offerings to mother earth. After many different trips around the world I became more familiar with the various styles of sacred dance and so I continued to study these dances between performances. In 1999 Patrick and I traveled to California where I met Visnu Tattva, my master of the Odissi dance. This is a very difficult dance to access. It is a dance that represents an offering to the Universal Consciousness. It is one of the most ancient temple dances in the World. In India, very few women have had the honor of practicing this dance in the temple of Jagannath, in Orissa. After many years of researching, studying and practicing, I felt that this sacred dance of expression, intention and offering, to be the one that resonated most within myself. Also, in California, I met Tara, the dancer who taught me the Katak style. This is a traditional dance of the northern region of India. In San Rafael, where I lived for 6 years, there were many grand dancers and singers from various cultures. I was given the opportunity to further advance my skills and knowledge, through studying with Ali Akbhar Khan, Sach Dev and many other masters of the sacred arts. In 2005, Patrick and I decided to return to Quebec indefinitely. Since our return, I have been teaching sacred dances of many cultures. Every year I go back to India where I pursue my studies in ancient temple dance under the guidance of Jhelum at the Smitalay school and other Internationally recognized sacred art teachers. The following are dances I perform in concert as well as some that I teach: -Japanese dance with traditional kimono -Tibetan dance with the Vajras -Odissi dance of Orissa -Shiva and Shakti dance of northern India -Dance for Mother Maria from the Christian tradition (lithurgique dances) -Dance for Allah from mystics Sufi -Eagle dance from the Native American culture I've been teaching the movements, postures and chants of various cultures for over 8 years, to students of all ages. For over 10 years now I have been dancing during Patrick Bernard concert and sharing Mudras and healing gestures during our workshops. We are often offering concerts and workshops in Canada, United States, Europe, South America and Asia. Om Tat Sat Anuradha Dasi (Annick Dauphinais) |
