The Samadhi Dance Company is a small, independent company described by Bachtrack as a dance company “whose work brings a breath of fresh air to local theaters”, performed by dancers with an “unprecedented technical quality” (Dance Magazine). The company is celebrated as a genuine and devoted group of artistic individuals dedicated to contributing a healthy and wholesome approach to dance and performing arts in and outside of The Netherlands.
Samadhi also provides regular educational dance classes for children, teens and young (semi) professional dancers at its award-winning dance academy known as the Balletschool Marut Jorquera based in Baarn. The academy currently counts 160+ students and is directed by sisters and leading dancers of the company Vraja Sundari, Rasarani and Sarada Sarita Keilman. In 2013 the academy was awarded with the Culture Award for its qualitative classes and diverse range of dance styles. The company and its academy have been acclaimed by local and national organizations for its valuable contribution to the Dutch dance scene, both in the performing field as in educational dance.
Over the last nine years Samadhi has performed for over 30,000 audience members in countries such as Belgium, United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Colombia and The Netherlands. The company’s online international fan base currently reaches up to 39,000+ followers. In 2012, the company is awarded with the national Dutch Dance Audience Award for ‘Best Dance Production of 2011’ at the Amsterdam RAI Theater. In 2014 the company is officially nominated for the national Dutch Dance Audience Award for its crossover dance production ‘Tusta’ and leading dancer Annlydie Groenen in the categories ‘Best Production of 2013’ and ‘Best Dancer of 2013’. The Samadhi Dance Company also partners outside the dance world on fashion, films, photography and commercial projects. The company’s collaboration with acclaimed photographer Karen Scheffers resulted in a two year global campaign for TAJ Hotels and Resorts – one of Asia’s largest and finest hotel company – among photographs by Lois Greenfield of the acclaimed Akram Khan Company and the Martha Graham Dance Company. Collaborations with fashion designer Mandali Mendrilla have been presented in numerous international magazines such as VOGUE, Elle, Tatler and Harper’s Bazaar.
In 2016 the company’s production ‘Hanuman’ and leading dancer Vraja Sundari Keilman caught the attention of fellow artists and press by receiving a nomination in both categories of the national Dutch Dance Audience Award for ‘Best Production of 2014’ and ‘Best Dancer of 2014’. Photographer Alexander van der Linden is awarded with the title ‘Dance Photo of the Year’ for his photograph of dancer Carl Refos in ‘Hanuman’. Mid 2016 the music video ‘Sri Radhe’ in collaboration with Grammy nominated artist Madi Das was announced as a finalist in the category ‘Music Videos’ at the Global Peace Song Awards.
Artistic highlights in 2014/15 included two successful co-productions with the renowned Theater De Meervaart in Amsterdam known as ‘2FOLD Hanuman/YAH’ and ‘2FOLD Atma/Gopika’. Sundari’s most ambitious piece to date ‘Hanuman’ presented its first Benelux Theatertour by the award-winning Theaterbureau SLOT during the fall season of 2015 and toured to the world famous Festival Internacional de Ballet in Cali and Bogota in Colombia.
Mid 2015 the company is commissioned by Ananda Monet and Radha Krishna Records based in London to create and perform a Mahabharata-themed dance production titled‘Atma’ at the Camden Centre in London, a dance creation entirely based on Monet’s groundbreaking album ‘Inevitable Time’. ‘Atma’ rapidly develops into an international success, adding to the diversity of the company’s repertoire and emphasizing Sundari’s choreographic versatility. In 2016 the company is commissioned by the international organization known as ISKCON to create and perform an authentic dance production titled ‘Pavan’ in tribute of its founder A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, from which several excerpts are presented during Samadhi’s annual Summer Tour of 2016 across Europe. For the remaining seasons of 2016 ‘Atma’ has been commissioned by the Museum of Sacred Arts/MOSA to perform at the European VIP Celebration of ISKCON’s 50th anniversary in the prestigious former palace known as BOZAR in Brussels. More exclusive performances of ‘Atma’ will follow at Logan Hall in London and at the TimeWaver World Congress in Frankfurt, Germany.
In 2017 the company will celebrate its 10-years anniversary by presenting the unique double bill ‘Between Worlds’ at the prestigious De La Mar Theater in Amsterdam, marking an era of non-stop creation and performances of in total 13 dance productions. Further tours and performances for 2017 include a tour of ‘Atma’ in Moscow and an international tour (pending) of ‘Hanuman’ in East-Asia organised by Kantor Pos.