Ranee Ramaswamy performing in Sacred Earth, 2011. Used with the permission of Ragamala Dance Company.

Warli painting with overlay of Ashwini Ramaswamy performing in Sacred Earth. Photograph by Ed Bock, 2011. Used with the permission of Ragamala Dance Company.

Ragamala Dance Company performing Sacred Earth. Photograph by Hub Wilson, 2011. Used with the permission of Ragamala Dance Company.

Ranee Ramaswamy performing in Mirabai Versions in Minneapolis. Photograph by Ed Bock, 1991. Used with the permission of Ragamala Dance Company.

Ranee Ramaswamy with poet Robert Bly in Portland, Maine. Photograph by Ann Rosenwald, 1991. Used with the permission of Ashwini Ramaswamy.

Ranee and Aparna Ramaswamy in a publicity photograph for Mirabai Versions. Photograph by Ed Bock, 1990. Used with the permission of Ragamala Dance Company.

Aparna Ramaswamy dancing in her arangetram (debut recital) in Chennai (Madras), India, 1987. Used with the permission of Ashwini Ramaswamy.

Aparna Ramaswamy dancing in her arangetram (debut recital) in Chennai (Madras) India, 1987. Used with the permission of Ashwini Ramaswamy.

Ranee Ramaswamy, Alarmél Valli, and Aparna Ramaswamy (left to right) in Chennai (Madras), India, 1986. Used with the permission of Ashwini Ramaswamy.

Ranee Ramaswamy dancing in Chennai (Maras), India, 1962. Used with the permission of Ashwini Ramaswamy.