Toronto: Brandy Leary, artistic director of Anandam Dance Theatre, co director of collective space and choreographer specialising in Chhau and Kalarippayattu which she has accomplished after spending years of extensive training in India had graced us with an incredibly insightful and fascinating chat about her craft.
After accumulating numerous awards such as the Shastri Indo Canadian Fellow, Chalmers Professional Development Awardee, Multi-Disciplinary Dance Artist Nominee for the Soulpepper Dance Awards in 2013, and being shortlisted for the KM HunterAward in Dance 2009 and 2011, she continues to expand her passion to this day.
After the emergence of Covid, Brandy Leary spent approximately half a year honing her craft in Kerala under the guidance of her Guru but had shared her knowledge of kalaripayattu with pupils interested from all over the world in available virtual formats.
Her achievement of collective space, which is Anandam’s home in Toronto, was established by Brandy Leary in collaboration with Natalie Fullerton and Lara Ebata. She also prioritizes sustainability and artists needs rather than a revenue source of her space.
One of the most unique approaches is Brandy’s incorporation of western approaches to traditional art forms such as Mayurbhanj Chhau (dance), Kalaripayattu (martial art) and Rope Mallakhamb (aerial rope) while simultaneously dissolving the European viewpoints. Her art is not strictly tailored towards one region, rather is a fusion of the Eastern and Western world.
Anandam Dance Theatre is looking forward to creating mesmerizing performances in the near future consisting of four channel video installations that will be launched as a live performance.
Brandy Leary: Artistic Director of Anandam Dance Theatre and Co-director of Collective Space
Website: www.anandam.ca Email: brandy_ca_2000@yahoo.com Phone: 647.628.9246
Thara Menon is currently a student of Waterloo majoring in Theatre and Performance. She has studied and practised East Indian ethnic cultural arts involving Carnatic music, and dances such as Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam, and Kuchipudi. Her hobbies include playing the piano, and violin. She inspires to create awareness and increase exposure to the Canadian community about the Eastern artforms.
