Winner of the 2023 Unrehearsed (Virtual) Artist Residency Program
Reading between the lines: Mandala's "With Rumi" celebrates Persian poetry and calligraphy through Indian dance.
An afternoon paying homage to Persian poetry concluded with “Here and Now,” a surprising performance art piece performed by the graceful Laksha Dantran. Inspired by Persian philosopher, poet and mathematician Omar Khayyan, “Here and Now” is an intimate look into the careful process of calligraphy as Dantran delicately dipped the tale of her long braid into trays of crimson colored paint. Using two large white tarps, Dantran transported us to a pre-digital era when we took our time, where she further explored Ishq (an Arabic word for love and passion) through her live painting performance of calligraphy on the tarps.
Dantran reminds us of Khayyans’ very words: ”Be happy, enjoy life, what’s here, is not here, it will all pass.”
Sep 27, 2020 | By D'onminique Boyd -See Chicago dance
Mandala Arts Presents PRANAYA ROMANCES IN POETRY Review – Intimate Sample of Indian Arts.
The four dancers (Colin Mascarhenas, Misha Talapatra, Ashwaty Chennat and choreographer Laksha Dantran—like the musicians, all bred in Chicagoland) silently tell the tales of love (Poetry of Krishna) —from yearning, to rejection, to repentance—and explication of Hindu teachings that bear on unions.
March 9, 2020 by Amy Munice
Two Indian-Americans Win Arts Awards in Chicago
Laksha Dantran (dance artist) and Richard Costes (theater artist), are two artists among the 20 artists that 3Arts is awarding this year.
Dantran is a transgender female dance artist whose work is rooted in the forms of Indian classical dance and theater. Currently she is working with Mandala South Asian Performing Arts in Chicago on a modern dance theatre work “Story of Ram” to be staged on Nov 3.Taking new spins on ancient Hindu mythology, Dantran believes in creating ancient characters embedded in modern reality, often urging artists to delve into their own experiences to bring truth into their portrayals, her biography says.Dantran has toured throughout India, Belgium, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and the United States. Her work has received critical acclaim as a performer, curator, and director. She is the 2018-2019 Spark Microgrant recipient, according to her bio on Chicago Arts Coalition website, which noted that Dantran is an artist and teacher in Chicago and was born transgender. “Her hurdles have shaped her,” the website says, adding, “In her journey she is fascinated by blending all aspects of life into her visual art presentation, and breaking the boundaries of existing conversation in order to create an inclusive atmosphere among people of color, race, and gender.”
News India times By a Staff Writer -October 21, 2019
CHICAGO ARTISTS COALITION PRESENTS UNRESTRICTED MICROGRANTS TO 15 OFCHICAGO’S EMERGING ARTISTS
On April 17, 2019, Chicago ArtistsCoalition (CAC) announced the 15 inaugural awardees for the SPARK Microgrant:
2019 awardees include ,Alexandra Antoine,Gregory Bae,Rose Blouin,Laksha Dantran,Coriama Davis,Kevin Demery,
Ashley Freeby,Jacquelyn Guerrero, Candace Hunter, Liang Luscombe,SaraNoa Mark, Meida McNeil,Carlos Barberena
de la Rocha, Dorian Sylvainand Chunbo Zhang.
Laksha Dantran is an artist and teacher in Chicago. Born transgender, her journey has shaped her practice. In her journey she is fascinated by blending all aspects of life into her visual art presentation, breaking boundaries of existing conversation to create an inclusive atmosphere among people of color, no matter race and gender.
SPARK Microgrant Announcement·Updated Apr 22, 2019 by Carol Fox and Associates Public Relations