IRVINGTON, NY — Perhaps there was no more perfect a place than a school auditorium on the banks of the Hudson, high above the storied Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, to be reminded that the world is wide, and the lens of culture can bring a brand new perspective full of wonder.

The 22nd Anniversary Natyamudra School of Dance performance at the Irvington High School Auditorium somehow moved those in attendance though the ages, across vast distances, and towards a shared understanding, all while staying right here in the Hudson Valley.

A noisy murmur of excited dozens of performers was the first sign that something special about our home, and our neighbors would soon be revealed. By the end of the evening, it was the audience who would be murmuring in excitement, having learned something more about ourselves and the world we live in than we could have ever hoped to expect — as brilliant colors, seemingly impossible movements, and hauntingly moving music echoes in our imaginations.

Of course, what is being evoked on stage in not a new discovery. In fact, the ancient art of Bharatanatyam is a 3000-year-old tradition that is among the most popular and one of the oldest of the classical dances of India. Even this impressive pedigree doesn’t do this age-old performing art justice, but the reasons for the endurance of the enchanting form of expression becomes quickly clear as the performers take the stage.

A lifetime of study is unveiled as the very newest students, some barely out of preschool stand in front of the footlights to gracefully display a repertoire of well-practiced hand movements that form one of the foundations of the art form. The show builds momentum as the students who have spent decades honing their talents, seamlessly weave complexities of precisely synchronized hand movements and near acrobatic body movements to create something that is so much more than the sum of its parts.

Each of the performances tells a centuries-old story that informs the very nature of life and spirituality.

And the costumes.

Those magnificent costumes.

If the intricate and dazzling and culturally significant costumes were simply on display in a museum, it would be an exhibit worth losing an afternoon to, but as part of an energetic and evocative display of gleeful movement, it becomes something altogether sublime. Maybe it has something to do with the shorter days as winter approaches, but the brilliant colors coupled with the grace on stage was uplifting in a way that can be achieved in only rare moments of good fortune.

Cultivation of an interest and deep respect for the traditions of Bharatanatyam thousands of miles from its original roots doesn’t just happen. There is a community in the Hudson Valley eager to support and promote a unique jewel of its culture.

And there is Liza Joseph.

Joseph’s life-long love of dance led her to study with gurus including RLV Usha, Smt. Chellamma and Shyamala Suredran. In 2002, she left her job in computer science and founded NatyaMudra, which teaches the Kalakshetra style of Bharatanatyam. The school is affiliated with Alagappa University. In addition to tests conducted by Natyamudra, students may take exams through the university to earn diplomas.

Joesph said she believes learning is a never-ending process and she continues to learn and discover on a now decades-long journey of exploration of classical Indian dance. Now, she has brought generations of dancers at all levels of development along on that journey with her.

At any dance school recital, the students leave better for the experience, and the celebration of accomplishment is often coupled with the learning experience of pre-show jitters and occasional missteps. In the case of the 22nd Anniversary Natyamudra School of Dance performance, there is a real feeling that the audience is better for the experience as well.

That excitement manifests itself in some unexpected and satisfying ways.

The biggest cheers of the night came as a group of the performers’ moms took to the stage. The polished performance brought outbursts of appreciation from the student section, and marked a gift both given and shared.

Even Rockland County Legislator Aney Paul, who was a guest of honor at the performance on Saturday, admitted that after years of attending performances as part of her official duties, she has started taking dance lessons herself.

The penultimate performance of the lineup changed the tone of the evening with a fusion of classical and Bollywood influences. The effect was both rowdy and modern, sending the audience into the brisk fall evening with a burst of energy from the delightful juxtaposition.

But, not before the crowd made their way to the authentic culinary offerings from Raasa Indian Cuisine. There, the buzzing audience could congratulate Joseph, and greet the dancers while digging into crispy samosas, sipping mango lassis or sampling gulab jamun.

For a moment, it seemed somehow impossible that we were nowhere more exciting than a Westchester County river town on a late November night.

Like many of those in attendance, I was there in part because a loved one was joining Joseph on a journey of discovery at the Natyamudra School of Dance.

And that might just be the best reason of all to make the big, wide world feel a little closer, and a little smaller.

More information about the Natyamudra School of Dance can be found here.