Manipur Diary - Bhagyachandra National Festival of Classical Dances 2011: Edition IX - Dr. Sunil Kothari

When the renowned theatre director of Chorus Repertory Theatre, Ratan Thiyam called me at Delhi from Imphal two months ago to block my travel dates from 9th till 14th November, for the IXth edition of Bhagyachandra National Festival of Classical Dances 2011, I was delighted for the very reason that on 10th November, it would be Kartik Purnima and we would be able to witness in Shri Govindajee temple in Raas Mandap, Maha Raas being staged specially as a tradition on the full moon night.

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Book Review - Down Memory Lane - Dr Sunil Kothari

The Dance Orissi by Mohan Khokar (and) Ashish Khokar
Abhinav Publications, New Delhi / First Edition 2011 / Price Rs 3,360
Pages 340 colour illustrations 163 black and white 258 / Size 30x 22 cm.

At the very outset, I would like to congratulate Ashish Khokar, for taking pains for more than 10 years to bring out the last book of his late father Prof Mohan Khokar on Odissi dance. He has done a commendable job as best as he could. For me, this book is like ‘down memory lane’ because Mohan Khokar was my friend, philosopher, guide and a mentor. It brought several memories alive for me.

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Spaces for Engagement: art on a pavement (possibly) - Vikram Iyengar

During a recent trip to the UK, I encountered various examples of the relationship between artworks, the public domain and the rejuvenation of urban spaces. These experiences underlined several issues about how, why and where an engagement with the arts as a social concern is both possible and necessary. A space to learn, to play, to gather, to grow, to appreciate, to imagine … and to have a whole load of fun.

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Bharatanatyam: Present and future at the hands of NRIs - Prathiba Natesan

In recent times, I have witnessed several jaw-dropping, wonderful performances in Dallas and Houston (Shijith Nambiar, Rama Vaidyanathan, Spanda) that I have left the auditoriums giggling like a teenager, almost drunk with the beauty of these performances. Today’s dancers, even the traditional ones, incorporate interesting and different movements in their dances to add dynamism – an excellent example of evolution.  At the same time, there also seems to be something that is stagnant in its practice and even an evolution in the wrong direction, if I may be so bold.

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Uma Sharma - Ashish Mohan Khokar

“Nazar bana! Nazar bandh!” These words of my guru Shambhu Maharaj echo in my ears. He taught me how to use eyes for dance. He said, if you don’t know this, you are not meant for dance,” reminisces Uma Sharma.

Born in Delhi on November 20, 1942 to a family of litterateurs, which comprised of Acharya Pandit Vasudeva Sharma, Sanskrit vidwan for a father and Ratna Devi for mother, Uma grew up with her elder sister Rama.

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