Blue13 Dance Company is the country's premiere contemporary Indian dance ensemble, touring live theatrical dance performances all over the world, and teaching LA's longest running Bollywood & Bhangra style classes. www.blue13dance.com
Blue13 Dance Company is a contemporary Indian dance theatre ensemble based in Los Angeles, California. Since 1999, the company has performed all over the United States and abroad in it’s signature Neo-Kathak and Bollywood-Tech styles, modern dance work that is highly energetic, colorful, and theatrical, and inspired by the classical and cultural dance of India.
Artistic director, Achinta S. McDaniel reinvents the cinematic Bollywood concept for the live concert stage, pulling precision, musicality and emotion from her ensemble to create work as rebellious and unconventional as its creator. Storytelling through dance is central to the company, as is a continual exploration of technique and collaboration with its diverse performers and choreographers. The work is moody and emotional, and may range in one piece from a joyous quintessentially “Bollywood” high to a dark and brooding low- a group of 13 dancers satirizing Indian cinema, to a rhythmic footwork assault performed by 2 dancers with bell-clad ankles. Blue13 presents the audience with an intelligent experience of performance that turns the cultural stereotype of Indian dance on its head.
The ensemble has performed critically acclaimed works all over the U.S., in Europe, and North Africa, and has worked with renowned artists including Timbaland, Dustin Hoffman, Anupam Kher, director, Todd Haynes, Boman Irani, Manasi Scott, and legendary songstress, Kavita Krishnamurthy. Director McDaniel and the company have also had work featured on feature films and commercials, and on television programs on MTV, CBS, NBC, WE, Sony TV, and on PBS.
Dance education and outreach are central to Blue13's work, teaching classes, workshops, and offering community outreach and interactive events.
Blue13 offers creative services including dance production for special events, film, and business engagements worldwide.
Touring dance performances, dance education, creative services in contemporary and classical Indian, Bollywood, and Bhangra dance
Artistic Director: Achinta S. McDaniel
Associate Artistic Director: Arun Mathai
Dancers: Arun Mathai, Rieka Toya, Jon Paul, Dre Jackson, Heather McManama, Bridget Wilson, Gaby Alcazar, Brian Siggers, Jr.
To advance non-traditional contemporary dance, while preserving and cultivating the cultural and classical forms of India. Translating dance into enduring societal contributions, Blue13 dispels cultural stereotypes and connects diverse communities through cross-genre and multicultural live performances, dance education, and outreach that inspire global unity and togetherness.