Celebrate TCT’s 101st season as it comes to a close as we applaud and appreciate those who contributed to the organization’s magic throughout our century-long journey. During 10 weeks of recognition, we honor individuals who have been instrumental in the success of TCT, and who have not only helped TCT grow in mission, but also thrive, thanks to their passion. It is these people and their moments in our history that shaped TCT to become what it is today. We encourage you to consider giving a gift in their honor to ensure the sustainability of TCT’s mission for the next 100+ years.
Anupa Mirle, a native of India, is an award-winning choreographer and is Executive and Artistic Director of NrityArpana, a non-profit Indian arts organization based in West Chester, OH, dedicated to sustaining the Indian arts in the metropolitan Cincinnati area.
NrityArpana productions include Shama on anti-smoking, Shakti on Women’s Empowerment, Ritu on a 10th century Sanskrit poem, and on Seasons and Path a 90 minutes theatrical showcasing a 5000-year history of India.
Ms. Mirle is a member of the International Dance Council (a UNESCO organization) and was recognized as an Ohio Heritage Fellow in 2013. Anupa’s goal is to provide educational and cultural events that are innovative and thought provoking, serving the purpose to both entertain and inform participants and audiences of the vital American experience of Indian Heritage and Culture.
After expressing the desire to incorporate authentic Indian dance into TCT’s 2019 production of Disney’s The Jungle Book KIDS, ArtsWave introduced Roderick Justice to Ms. Mirle, who became the production’s Cultural Consultant and Associate Choreographer. Because Ms. Mirle is dedicated to sustaining the Indian arts in the metropolitan Cincinnati area with NrityArpana productions, this felt like the perfect artistic community collaboration for the project, which turned into an award-winning production no one could forget.
Ms. Mirle says: “Children need the arts. From a creative perspective, they enhance your personality. From a scientific perspective, it is believed to enhance the number of nerve cells that can activate brain function. And the earlier you can do it, the better it is for the child. It helps long-term even if the child does not continue a career in the arts.”
She continues: “My favorite part of working with TCT (on Disney’s The Jungle Book KIDS) was the process. At the beginning, I really enjoyed the clear delineation of what we were doing and why we were doing it, and of the structure of who was making it happen. The lay of the land was well structured and departments defined. And when the purpose and structure are very clear you can still think out-of-the-box, because the box was so well-defined. (TCT) offered an environment where anyone can give suggestions that will make a difference, and those suggestions were always welcome and respected.”
“Children need imagination to thrive. I think what TCT does well is take a stories that we read at bedtime, and bring it alive. We may know the scripts and characters. We may know what happens next and we may know the ending but that is what children really like: the safety of familiar stories and the excitement of what happens live.”
Would you honor Anupa Mirle with a gift to recognize the impact made on TCT?
