One does not need to have an extensive knowledge of Bharatanatyam or ancient India mythology to understand and follow the complex story being told in Mythili Prakash’s award winning production “She’s Auspicious.” Surprisingly, the April 4, 2026 performance at The BroadStage was the first time this piece has been presented in Prakash’s hometown of Los Angeles. Daughter of dancer, instructor, choreographer and founder of the Shakti Dance Company, Viji Prakash, Mythili Prakash has been hailed as one of the world’s leading young exponents of Bharatanatyam. Not only has she been praised for her extraordinary knowledge and talents as a Bharatanatyam dancer, reviews have also lauded her “inventive approach, unique style and theatricality to the artform.”
‘“She’s Auspicious” began as a reflection on my identity as a woman, a mother, and a Bharatanatyam dancer.’ Prakash wrote in the program notes. In this work Prakash brought to life the woman within the Goddess, perhaps Durga. Her depiction of this deity was a woman who had strong individuality, fears, and desires. She was not simply a Goddess created by a group of male heavenly beings, the devas, to slay the demon who could not be killed by man, but her own person with her own history.
Mythili Prakash in “She’s Auspicious” – Photo by Brian Hashimoto
As is tradition with Bharatanatyam, a large part of the beginning of “She’s Auspicious” was performed as a solo by Prakash. She presented her character as a simple woman who existed before becoming a Goddess. My knowledge of Merwan Sheriar Irani (1894-1969), an Indian man who became known as the Avatar Mehar Baba, is that before he became ‘God-realized’ – the ultimate spiritual state where an individual’s consciousness permanently merges with the Divine – he went through a few years of what others called madness.
Mythili Prakash in “She’s Auspicious” – Photo by Brian Hashimoto.
Here, the woman lived in a very simple abode, constructed with metal and wood-like scaffolding. Prakash’s development of this Goddess revealed her vulnerabilities, her fears, her anxieties and resistance to what she realizes she is about to become. It was not only a dance tour-de-force but also one of acting. Having seen “She’s Auspicious” it is evident why it was nominated for the Olivier Award as Best New Dance Production in 2026.
Once the Goddess was created, her followers and handmaidens entered. A black curtain was lowered at the entrance of her humble quarters leaving an image of the still human in the form of a Goddess atop a small pedestal. While dancers, a musician and a vocalists, transformed the stage into an abstract temple adorned with garlands, another dancer drew a lovely white lotus blossom downstage center with what appeared to be white sand.
Mythili Prakash and Ensemble in “She’s Auspicious” – Photo by Brian Hashimoto.
What occurred next was an extraordinary series of dancers making rhythms vocally, with their hands and feet and with the use of small finger cymbals. Prakash’s movement formations exhibited her knowledge of other dance forms such as contemporary dance while never losing the ancient artform of Bharatanatyam.
Mythili Prakash and Ensemble in “She’s Auspicious” – Photo by Brian Hashimoto.
This interim brilliance gave Prakash time to transform into the Goddess wearing a gorgeous red sari, nose and earrings, and bracelets and ankle accessories. She stood on one leg atop the small pedestal in one of the Bharatanatyam Enatyam positions, her hands in a praying position and one ankle resting across the other leg’s knee.
Mythili Prakash and Ensemble in “She’s Auspicious” – Photo by Brian Hashimoto.
The next section involved the Goddess being adored by her followers, the battle with and slaying of the demon known as Mahisha who took the form of a buffalo. After the battle, the Goddess went through another internal struggle with being a deity, ripping off all the jewelry and other accessories from her person before attempting to destroy her home. The struggle ended with her lying on the floor with her torso thrusting up and down violently but eventually slowing down until the Goddess appeared to be dead.
Mythili Prakash in “She’s Auspicious” – Photo by Brian Hashimoto.
She, of course, was not dead. “She’s Auspicious” ends with the Goddess walking downstage center to the edge of the stage and assuming the Enatyam position as the lights fade.
Prakash, who has studied Bharatanatyam since early childhood, knew enough about it’s form and history that she was able to combine it with her personal history as a woman, a mother, and her knowledge of other 21st century dance forms. Without that comprehension, “She’s Auspicious” would not as worked as spectacularly as it did. Whether or not it was the right time for this woman to be transformed into a Goddess, Prakash’s 90 minute work proved that she was up for the job.
The cast of “She’s Auspicious” included Mythili Prakash as the lead character, Vocals by Roopa Mahadevan, Violin/Vocals by Keerthana Sankar, Percussion/Vocals by Shubha Chandramouli, and Dancers Jahnavi Kalyan, Jessica Sitaramya, Malini Taneja, and Nikita Rao.
The extraordinary light design was created at The BroadStage by Mike Faba, with Sound by Chris Lemus.
Music/Soundscape Devising: Aditya Prakash, Sushma Soma, Mythili Prakash
Music Arrangement and Production: Aditya Prakash
Lighting Design: Aideen Malone & Jennifer Cashman
Set Design: Kaavya Matatova, Mythili Prakash, Lars Davidson, Zac Macro
NOTE: All net proceeds from “She’s Auspicious” will be donated to SABA North America Foundation, providing crucial support to South Asian survivors of domestic violence. As the divine feminine takes center stage, we also stand beside women and families who are reclaiming their power beyond the stage. Click here to donate directly.
To learn more about Mythili Prakash, please visit her website.
For more information about The BroadStage, please visit their website.
Written by Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: Mythili Prakash in “She’s Auspicious” – Photo by Chuck Bigger.
