Ragamala, an exciting and colorful dance troupe, performed Saturday at the Lied Center. The show featured Bharatanatyam, a form of storytelling dance from southern India.

Ragamala interpreted poems with movement, danced to upbeat Indian music and choreographed complicated footwork to the beat of a Japanese drummer.

To accompany the enchanting music, the performers had bells strapped around their ankles, and they stomped their feet on the floor to add an extra beat while they danced. Their outfits changed throughout the show, from flowing dresses to brightly colored pants with pleated cloth accessories attached to their waists that spread out like a peacock’s tail across their legs when they crouched down.

At one point, all five of the dancers four women and one man came on stage wearing sequined vests that sprayed tiny dots of light onto the audience. The background, saturated with a bright, colorful light, deepened from a vivid, soothing blue to a bright orange to complement the mood of the music.

Combining many different cultures, they were truly inspiring and put on a magnificent show.

Kristina Krones, a ninth-grader at Central Junior High School, attended the show. She said it was interesting and a great experience.

“It was very spiritual,” she said. “It grabbed the audience.”

Alyssa Buecker is a home school student.