ARTS The Michigan Daily Tuesday, October 20, 1992 Page 5 Experience the spirit of Odissi by Jen Slajus So it was actually Sharon Lowen's mom who asked Professor Jessica Fogel, who just happens to be the Coordinator of the Dance De- partment's Fifth Annual Guest Artist Series, if Sharon could dance this weekend at the University. But it was only because she really wanted to perform here. Again, that is. Of course, the offer was quickly snatched up. "Each year we like to showcase at least one alumna," Fogel said. She added that since Lowen is currently on a national tour and is being brought to the University this week- end for an LSA Honors Program alumni gathering, everything just clicked. The timing was right. And, more critically in this tight economy, the funding was there. "There's a ,built-in audience for Sharon," Fogel emphasized. Who is this Sharon Lowen? Only "one of the most versatile dancers of the world." At least, that's what the Hindustan Times Weekly of New Delhi wrote way back in 1997. A native of Southfield, MI, Lowen re- ceived her M.A. in Dance from the University in 1973. She then began to study and perform Odissi, a clas- sical Indian dance style. Odissi orig- inated over 1000 years ago within ritualistic services in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist temples of the Orissa re- gion in Eastern India. The dance form is composed of pure grace and charm, rounded curves and postures and intricate body-bends. The dancer, essentially, kinetically mir- rors the (divine) sculptured figures of these Orissanshrines. "Lowen is really a conduit be- tween cultures," noted Fogel. She uniquely enriches Odissi with the great range and facility of Western classical dance, which, after all, composes her foundation; beatiti- fully blending the long, extending lines of ballet into her interpretation of traditional Odissi, she naturally transforms it. Indeed, she makes a formidable cultural mediator. While signifi- cantly expanding appreciation of Indian performning arts in the United States, she has concurrently estab- lished welcome acceptance in India of foreign-born performers. The proof sparkles through heaps of honors and awards, as well as lectur- ing visits and performances at dozens of universities, festivals and concerts in both nations. At present, she is a Visiting Fellow at the Uni- versity of Hyberdad's School of Vi- sual and Performing Arts in India. Sharon Lowen's performance Thursday evening promises to be spiritually and sensually electric. Three Indian musicians shall orches- trate her dances. (The exact instru- mentation remains rather mysterious to the Dance Department. Hmm. Po- tential wondrous surprises!) The program will incorporate the three major subdivisions of Odissi. "Nritta," the pure dance, focuses on sheer, non-symbolic movement. "Nritya" is an expressional dance. "Shapes have names and meanings, like a fish or boar," Fogel com- mented. And natya means drama, which, in this performance, will be the acting out of a love poem. The' finale should be ultra-cool, as it is a dance praising the Goddess, female power of the universe and consort of Shiva. SHARON LOWEN will perform Thursday at 8:00 p.m. in Studio A Theater of the Dance Building. Tick- ets are $8.00, $5.00for students and seniors. Call 763-5460. MOLLY STEVENS/Daily Sugar-coated Mould Now that Sugar's "Helpless" video is the number one alternative vid on "120 Minutes," Sugar frontman (and ex-Husker Du-de) Bob Mould is apparently way too big to talk to the college press. Slights by him and his publicity machine aside, Sugar, admittedly, deserves to break out in a major way. Their pre-release summer warm-up tour of the States wowed the masses with its elegant yet sheer brutal force. (It also yielded the above photo of Mould and his guitar, snapped in Detroit's St. Andrew's Hall.) Sugar's first release, "Copper Blue" on indie Rykodisc, proved worth the wait, inspiring rhapsodies upon first listen. The disc is the obvious culmination of Mould's sonic cutting edge work with HUsker Du and the emotion-laden roar of his recent solo days put in the context of a (some- what) equal band format. Brilliant. (He even does another water song, "Hoover Dam.") Mould even coyly added the best new Brit band, the multi-textured Boo Radleys, to this leg of the tour. Live is the best place to see Mould in whatever band format he's doing, so be sure to check out the show at the Michigan Theater tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15.50 and $12.50 in advance atTicketMaster (p.e.s.c.). Call 763-TKTS. Sharon Lowen performs Thursday at Studio A in the Dance Building. r A p~p]1~Ai T&(1U&I t tI(D ( Psychology Graduate Schools: What Am I Applying For Anyway? A Look at Programs and Schools Wednesday, October 21, 4:30 - 6:00 pm Wedge Room, West Quad, 541 Thompson Street Undergraduate Psychology Peer Advising Program K-108 West Quad, 764-2580 I~i~1i [ 'I fi VI I'1 14 H :11111,14I One & two& ---. If you hear a time-weathered classic performed by males who harmonize vocals and play acoustic guitars, it's a CSN tune. If the song is really lame, it's by America. If it's something you've never heard before and quite abstract, you're probably listening to Aztec Two-Step. Their first record from 1972 has just been re- released on CD, so get it. Until you find it, check them out at the Ark tonight at 8 p.m. That damn toaster What do an "Infernal Machine," an "Appalachian Spring" and a Beethoven impersonation have in common? If you answered that it's the program for our beloved University Symphony Orchestra and University Philharmonia Orchestra at Hill tonight, you're right (and you ought to get out more). Seriously, Copland's pastoral work and Brahms' 4th should be worth the price of admission: it's free. Arrive early enough (i.e. two minutes before 8) and get a seat in the front row. Bonus. Call 763-4726. Un grando Visconti Plan your weekend filmic activity now. At the Detroit Film Theater this weekend are two restored three-hour classics: Luchino Visconti's "Rocco and His Brothers" and Andrei Tarkovsky's "Andrei Roublev." The Tarkovsky we can do without (be more pretentious, Andrei), but we can't resist Visconti's epic. Call 833-2323 for times and ticket information. I F."