Sometimes Tradition Is Good

Honest, talented traditional dancing is a good bet for your entertainment buck: People do not spend years and years studying the art of their ancestors just to put on a mediocre performance. An Evening of Bharata Natyam features New York City's Jaan R. Freeman dancing in the T. Balasaraswati style, which is more theatrical and arm-oriented than the Pandanallur style you're probably used to. (Kidding. A little Bharata Natyam joke there.) Freeman studied with Nandini Ramani and Priyamvada Sankar, and currently directs the Dakshina Palli school of dance and cultural organization in New York City. Don't worry: The Balasaraswati people wear those awesome bell-covered ankle cuffs just like Pandanallur dancers do, plus Freeman is tall, bald, and brilliantly decorated.
Sat., Aug. 2, 8 p.m., 2008