For Viji Prakash, bharata natyam­–the classical dance of southwestern India–knows no cultural boundaries. The director of the U.S.–based Shakti Dance Company has choreographed South Asian takes on Cinderella, The Nutcracker, and Peer Gynt. Five years ago, she was asked to write a piece for the opening of an Asian art exhibition in Los Angeles, and chose as her narrative the life of North Indian prince Siddhartha Gautama, better known as the Buddha. The result was Prince to Buddha: The Journey to Enlightenment, the show that Prakash is bringing to New Westminster's Massey Theatre on Saturday (October 6).

"I'm not a Buddhist myself–just a universal spirit," Prakash says, on the line from her home in L.A. "But ever since I was a child in India I've loved the spirit of the Buddha and his teachings. As I did my research, I came to realize I knew so very little about him and his origins. Prince to Buddha is seen through the eyes of his wife and companion in several lifetimes, Yashodhara, who's also his first follower. It's an expression of her joy and love, but also of her anguish when he separates from her to go and seek enlightenment."

In Prince to Buddha, there will be 20 dancers, plus five musicians led by the respected octogenarian singer Lakshmi Shankar. The key role of Yashodhara will be played by Prakash's daughter Mythili, a rising star of bharata natyam in India.

"Mythili has been principal dancer for almost all of Shakti's shows since 1995," says Prakash. "She was a precocious talent, and made her solo debut at eight. Bharata natyam dancers are usually taught from a very early age, because there so many complex things to master. I was just four when I started. There are three elements: the technique, the interpretation of the lyrical line, and natyam, the theatrical aspect which creates such a strong connection with the audience."

While Shankar sings verses in Sanskrit and Hindi, the dancers help deliver the narrative of Prince to Buddha through bharata natyam's highly stylized karanas (postures), hasta mudras (symbolic hand gestures), and facial expressions.

"Movements of the eye and the neck are very important, and the body postures have an almost architectural quality–very geometrical and precise," Prakash explains. "Much of the time the dancers are in a half-sitting position, the equivalent in ballet of plié or demi-plié. We have leaps and aerial turns, but bharata natyam is more to do with stomping and complex footwork. The art is to tell the story while keeping the rhythm going–and making it all look simple."

Prakash, who founded her Shakti School of Bharata Natyam in L.A. in 1977, stresses that the techniques must be meticulously taught and learned, but a crucial element of the dance eludes formal education.

"The finest art of communication comes from within–that's a very difficult part of bharata natyam, and it's what makes it so unique," Prakash explains. "It only comes from life experience. Even though the dancers reach their prime in their 20s and 30s in terms of their bodies, the tones of expression are amazing as the dancers become older. You transcend the physical, and you're left just watching the sublime. It's very beautiful."