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Lively performance by Three Aksha Dance Ensemble - Anukruthi Dharmasena e-mail: anukruthidharmasena@mail.com Photos: Johanna Austin July 19, 2013 The Three Aksha Dance Ensemble performed their home season along with musicians from India, Europe and UK on the 28th and 29th of June 2013 at Painted Bride Art Center, Philadelphia, PA.  All 40 performers were disciples of Viji Rao at the Three Aksha Institute, which specializes in Kalakshetra style of Bharatanatyam. Be it the pure dance aspect, facial expressions, synchronizations, agile dancing or frozen poses, the dancers executed with ease and perfection. From the 6year old performer to the professional ensemble, each performer showed full commitment throughout the performance. Surely the dancers would have worked for months on the beautiful synchronization that held the audience enthralled from start to finish.  Season consisted of Three Aksha presenting a triple bill of Pushkara, Saha and Aarambha. Concept and choreography of the evening was by Viji Rao, music composition for Pushkara was by Ajay Warriar and for Aarambha by Praveen D Rao. The evening began with Pushkara presented by six well trained dancers of  Three Aksha Ensemble. Pushkara portrayed the astounding journey of life cycle, in which the Sanskrit verses chosen from Upanishads rolled one after the other depicting birth, growth, love, health, death and rebirth. The recorded score was beautifully rendered. Well designed lighting and costumes by Viji Rao enhanced the performance. Saha was the evening’s second act. Musicians Ajay Warriar on vocal, Bhavani Shankar from UK on mridangam and Thevaraj from France on violin brought a distinguished flavor to the concert. The numbers chosen from Indian classical music with a touch of contemporary and vintage brought a twist without losing the classical richness.  A variety of moods and emotions were communicated through heartwarming musical notes by south and north Indian composers in a wide array of lilting melodies in a memorable music performance. Aarambha with music by Praveen D Rao was performed by students of Three Aksha along with Three Aksha Ensemble. The multifaceted sequences of choreography were well executed by the dancers. The beauty of their sculpturesque poses was enhanced by the tidiness of their appearance and the accuracy of postures, the correctness of the angles as the dancers extended their arms or lifted their legs. The piece highlighted the inner mechanism of Indian culture through linkages between the visual and performing arts, sacred practices and lyrical expressions.  Anukruthi Dharmasena is an Indian classical music and dance aficionado.