Classical Connections will bring together three prominent dancers from different classical traditions: Wendy Whelan, recently retired principal dancer with the New York City Ballet;Parul Shah, celebrated performer of India’s kathak dance; and Qian Yi, the Chinese kunquopera star who is performing in Paradise Interrupted. Each of these dancers has reached the height of their tradition by dedicating their lives to the study and performance of the form. They respect the heritage of their form, while simultaneously breaking boundaries and exploring creative territory inspired by, but not confined by tradition. The program will consist of short dance demonstrations, discussion and screenings of footage from Slow Dancing by photographer/videographer David Michaelek.

Viewpoints is an annual series featuring prominent, visionary figures in the creative arts and is made possible by the generous support of Aashish and Dinyar S. Devitre.