Indians learn about Indians

'Dots and Feathers' explores identity and cultureUsing dance, music and spoken verse, 'Dots and Feathers' attempts to bring to life the issues of race and identity in the Asian Indian and Native American communities, creating a bridge between the two cultures. Katha Dance Theater, in collaboration with area artists, presents, “Dots and Feathers,” this weekend at the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul.

While the piece begins with a juxtaposition of cultures and each group taking turns on stage, the gentle pitter-patter of Asian Indian tablas and ankle bangles soon blend effortlessly with pounding Native American drum beats and metal accessories. The two sides, once known to each other as merely “dots” or “feathers,” learn about colonialism, ancestry and love, realizing in the end that they are much more similar than they thought.