View Odissi Dance performed by Jyoti Rout on November 5

On Tuesday, November 5,  from 6:00 to 7:00 pm, come to the Menlo Park Library (800 Alma St.) to celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights, with a dance performance from Jyoti Rout and company.

Odissi is one of the eight classical Indian dance forms, dating back to the second century BCE. Many of the dance pieces tell stories through hand gestures and facial expressions. Distinct in style from other classical Indian dance forms, Odissi is known for its lyrical grace and charm, its rounded, fluid movements, and its sculpturesque poses.

Jyoti Rout’s interest in dance was kindled during childhood, when she witnessed a tribal dance by firelight in a remote mountain village of India. She went on to immerse herself in dance for many years, earning a master’s degree in Odissi. Jyoti came to the U.S. in 1993 and founded Jyoti Kala Mandir College of Indian Classical Arts, a dance and music school with locations in California and India.

This free event received funding support from the Friends of the Menlo Park Library.