East West Players ambitiously launches its 47th anniversary season presenting Navarasa Dance Theater's Encounter, a production that is as much dance as theater. After seeing an excerpt last year at the Asian American Theater Conference and Festival, EWP's producing artistic director, Tim Dang, knew he wanted the entire dance theater production to open this season as an illustration of EWP’s commitment to South Asia performances. Directed and choreographed by Navarasa Dance Theater's artistic director, Aparna Sindhoor, and Anil Natyaveda, Encounter is based on a short story by Mahasweta Devi and draws on references from the Divine to Bob Marley, from indigenous peoples to the military. The project's ambitious nature is underscored by Dang's enlisting of South Asian Network and UCLA's World Arts and Culture/Dance (WAC) as co-presenters. For preview clips of Encounter go to Navarasa.org. East West Players' David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center for the Arts, 120 Judge John Aiso St., dwntwn.; Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. Sept. 12-Oct. 7; $26-$36, students $21-$31. eastwestplayers.org or (213) 625-7000.

Fri., Sept. 14, 8 p.m., 2012

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