Winter Fantasia: Reimagined

Kanopy lights up the stage with a multicultural holiday celebration told through the magic of dance.

Kanopy presents Winter Fantasia: Reimagined, designed to enrich the spirit of the holiday celebration by showcasing important contributions from a mosaic of cultures.

The centerpiece, “Chalo Ramiye,” was commissioned by Kanopy from South Asian dancer and choreographer Udbhav Desai, who will also guest perform in the dance. “Chalo Ramiye” (or “let’s play in Gujarati”) is a “garba” folk dance performed in ritualistic reverence of the Hindu goddess “Durga,” a protector of all that is good and harmonious in the world. Performing the festive garba dance form is a major highlight of the nine-day Hindu festival Sharad Navratri that honors “Durga” and has been observed for centuries.

“Once Upon a Winter’s Eve” and “The Norse Tree of Life,” two cherished winter stories rooted in Scandinavian folklore, choreographed by Kanopy’s co-artistic director Lisa Thurrell and brought to life through the magic of dance continue to be a treasured part of the program.

And a joyful Kanopy holiday favorite, “Winter in the City,” inspired by American composer Leonard Bernstein’s score from “On the Town” and the family of 1940’s musicals for film, returns to the festive lineup. Kanopy’s co-artistic directors, Lisa Thurrell and Robert Cleary, created the original choreography for the three featured episodes in “Winter in the City.”