ALICE IN A NEW WONDERLAND VIA SONG AND DANCE OF BOLLYWOOD.

Byline: SEMHAR DEBESSAI

>LA.COM 

As a young girl growing up in Cleveland, Achinta McDaniel found herself dancing through most of her days, taking classes from ballet and tap to hip-hop in later years. But it was the colorful dancing rooted in her own Indian culture that solidified her passion for the art -- and in turn, led her to form her own Indian-inspired dance company, Blue13.

"I grew up watching Hindu movies," says McDaniel, who teaches dance classes throughout L.A. "I love (Bollywood) dance, the narrative of it."

Drawing from her experiences of growing up in a tight-knit Indian community and household while being surrounded by American pop culture, McDaniel merges varying styles to create what she calls a "crazy Bollywood Cirque du Soleil" in her performances.

In her latest production, "Paheliyan: The Story of Alice," premiering at the Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood this weekend, the 31-year-old artistic director presents a twist on the classic "Alice in Wonderland" story.

In McDaniel's version, Alice is a young woman set up in an arranged marriage. "She's the white rabbit in the middle of the madness," says McDaniel, who plays Alice's sister. The performance follows typical Bollywood protocol: lip-syncing, a big unison number, men and women flirting, and over-the-top acting.

But you can also expect to see a character, outfitted in full Indian garb, do a pirouette or a backspin.

"My whole company is about celebrating diversity," says McDaniel, whose cast is as diverse as the moves on stage.

McDaniel moved to L.A. around the same time that Bollywood culture began to integrate into the realm of mainstream America.

"It became a big cultural phenomenon," recalls McDaniel. The fact that her audiences and students are mostly "non-South Asians" excites her.

Her passion for sharing the art and culture has inspired her to organize a "Bollywood Bazaar" to precede each show. "Doing a gigantic show with 25 dances wasn't enough," says McDaniel, laughing at her own seemingly grandiose ambitions.

Guests can come early to check out the colorfully transformed space surrounding the amphitheater, which features a stilt walker, Eastern marketplace, Indian fabrics, food and jewelry, three henna artists and a male belly dancer.

Male belly dancer? "Oh yes, he's wonderful," says McDaniel.

Eventually, McDaniel would like to take the show outside the U.S. and showcase her Indian-

fusion production in places such as Hong Kong, China, Indonesia and, of course, India.

McDaniel's techniques, with their wide-ranging appeal, are a reminder that when it comes to the expressive aesthetic of Bollywood, Bhangra and other Indian dance, knowing the language is not a prerequisite to understanding its story -- or beauty.

"It's gorgeous -- (and) everyone can enjoy it," says McDaniel.

Semhar Debessai [phone]

[e-mail]

PAHELIYAN: THE STORY OF ALICE

>Where: Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. E., Hollywood.

>When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Pre-show Bollywood Bazaar begins at 6 p.m. both days.

>How much: $26-$32 ($5 students/children). [phone]. www.fordtheatres.org.

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Blue13 dance company founder Achinta McDaniel takes on "Alice in Wonderland" and gives it a Bollywood twist at the Ford.