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By Steven Vargas/ @steven.varg on Instagram
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Published on May 4, 2026
Mythili Prakash and Company; Photo: Courtesy of Artist
Challenging Gender Expectations
What does it take to make a Goddess? According to Hindu scripture, when the demon Mahisha received a boon that made him indestructible by man, the male Gods sought an alternative: to create a Goddess of their combined divine energy (or Shakti). Thus, Goddess Durga, known as a motherly figure and warrior, was created, defeating Mahisha with a trident. As a child, choreographer Mythili Prakash questioned why they had to create a Goddess when there were already others able. Why must it be a Goddess made of male energy? In challenging the story, she started to shape her view of femininity and womanhood.
Mythili Prakash in She’s Auspicious; Photo: Courtesy of Artist
Her questions have coalesced into She’s Auspicious, an Olivier Award-winning production that made its Los Angeles debut at the Broad Stage on April 4, marking a homecoming for the L.A. native choreographer. In the theatrical dance piece, Prakash fleshes out the “creation of Goddess” myth by embodying a deity built to destroy, both externally and internally. As she steps into the shoes of a Goddess, she confronts questions regarding gender roles in Hinduism and the juxtaposing expectations women must uphold. Her work is culturally specific, yet universally impactful.
Clink. Clink.
Inside a metal structure, Prakash imitates what she imagines it would be like to build a Goddess. She holds an invisible hammer and chisel, setting pieces of the deity into place. Prakash has a theatrical approach to her work, merging Bharatanatyam with dramatized storytelling. Her approach challenges the aesthetics of the classical art form while simultaneously making it approachable to those unfamiliar with its intricacies. She creates a rhythm with her feet — stomp, tap, tap, stomp, tap, tap. She has full control of the movement, easing between rhythms and varying tempos between her upper and lower body. She pulls you in.
From the start, Prakash crafts a motif with the orange-red lights that paint the stage to signify a release of sorts. By working with lighting designers Aideen Malone and Jennifer Cashman, Prakash teases out the movement language of a Goddess free from gender expectations. Fast-moving hands signify these moments of overwhelming freedom. It feels like they’re searching for something to land on, a powerful stillness. Rarely is she awarded the destination. This motif builds profound tension, keeping you wondering how far she’ll go the next time.
The internal tension grows stronger when vocalist and musicians Roopa Mahadevan, Keerthana Sankar and Shubha Chandramouli enter alongside dancers Jahnavi Kalyan, Jessica Sitaramya, Malina Taneja and Nikita Rao. They adorn Prakash in red clothing and put her on a pedestal. The dancers wear Ghungroo ankle bells and create a musical rhythm as they traverse the stage. Prakash pulls away briefly, taking care of invisible children who are fighting. She pulls one by the hand and calls for the other to join and apologize. The pressures of divine femininity and womanhood stack upon her shoulders.
Through She’s Auspicious, she shares that it is okay to step away from the pressures of perfection and cause destruction. The lights shift to red-orange. Silence and soft whispers replace the music. Although the words are incomprehensible, you sense the tension it builds within Prakash. She strips off all her jewelry. The bracelets clatter and her earrings thump on the ground, some falling to the audience. She kicks the stool off the stage.
A possession comes over her. The same quick-moving hands return, but this time, they reach their destination: a fist. Her dance grows more passionate. The dancers that once sprinkled her with joyous song and movement step away and grab wooden sticks set around the metal set, slamming them against the metal rods of the set, designed by Kaavya Matatova, Prakash, Lars Davidson and Zac Macro. The set, which once represented a place of creation, is being prepared for demolition. Sticks slammed against the metal splinter, and dust sprayed out like mist. The crashing accented the Bharatanatyam steps. Sticks crash down on the metal structure like rain.
Finally, the music ends. In silence, she juts her chest out in deep breaths and walks to the same place where she was created. She lies on the ground. The sticks crunch beneath her as her heart continues to leap. It’s the first time you see her as human. Prakash gets up and walks to the very end of the stage. She could hop off, but she doesn’t. She stands with ownership for her doing and resumes the Goddess pose.
“Auspicious” is defined as something favorable, promising success. In She’s Auspicious, Prakash suggests that auspiciousness can also come from someone flawed and destructive. As she stands at the end of the stage, she asks the audience to witness her complexities and love her regardless. It isn’t a surrender, but a doubling down of worthiness.
