Too many questions can confuse us. On the other hand, one
good question may bring about profound change through its
call for significant efforts to explore meaning and to
find answers. I definitely realize the power of ‘what’ and
‘why’ when a Question becomes a Quest.
Dance has taken me to many places over the years, and most
recently, the University of Toronto, Canada. Here I was
fortunate to meet and work with a number of dance artists
and academicians, each of whom left their mark on
challenging my thinking and work as an artist.
Darcey Callison, a choreographer, dance scholar and
cultural theorist planted the following seed in my mind
that “everything does not have to make sense.” Simple, yet
transformational words, pushing me to ask myself… crossing
internal boundaries as a choreographer, and to my
surprise, utilizing a ‘smart phone’ for the first time to
aid artistic endeavor. Similarly, Carol Anderson, a
choreographer and dance writer, observed me during a
choreography session. Whilst reflecting on my movements
she forced me to think about it from a new direction,
which ultimately led to my exploring how to dance from my
‘bones.’ As an Indian classical dancer, I have become so
accustomed to the story telling element of Kathak which
requires me to emote to express my inner feelings and to
communicate rasa to the audience. Carol was essentially
challenging me to talk to different parts of the body
before creating any movement. The highlight of this
process of dancing from the ‘bones’ was actually
connecting with bodily elements in a new way that enabled
the creation of movements that were strangers to my
body-unexplored. I observed how my movements became
enriched - extending my movement vocabulary - yet outside
of the comfort zone of storytelling. To my surprise,
without any narrative in mind, it was as if my body
elements were creating their own stories and in doing so
providing a burst of fresh energy in dance.
Read the article in the site
Shambhu Maharaj is today the distinguished holder of the
country’s most coveted honors – The Sangeet Natak Akademi
award and the President’s award. Still he is unaffected by
success and is never tired of repeating that he owes his
position to his brother Guru Achan Maharaj.
Speaking of abhinaya in which Shambhu Maharaj is yet
unrivalled, he says that he had watched Bindadin and his
disciples performing abhinaya standing. While Shambhu was
intrigued with the subtle variations in bhav (expression),
he felt that the variations in music were not developed
fully. So, when he learnt music he paid special attention
to the melodious patterns one can create in singing a
certain line of a thumri and then render them in
bhav. Hence he chose to sit and perform abhinaya as he
could get more clarity in expressive movements and develop
them with unhurried ease. Thus, in course of time, Shambhu
Maharaj developed a style of his own in abhinaya.
Shambhu Maharaj is not only a renowned dancer but a
reputed guru also. He can be easily identified with the
ideal dancer and dance teacher immortalized by Kalidasa in
his Malavikagnimitra. Most of the leading Kathak
dancers of the younger generation are the disciples of
Maharaj. He works very hard with his students endeavoring
to leave the stamp of his style on them. He aims at
perfection in every step and movement. He is forever
creating new dance sequences emphasizing the lyrical
aspect. He never lets his student leave the class until he
is assured that he or she is able to perform a new lesson
with confidence.
Read the profile in the site
I was once riveted by
a play on Broadway (New York City of course) and ever since,
have been wanting to sit down and write a similar script.
Any assistant script writers out there.....you are welcome
to come help me! It was called MASTER CLASS, and it was
based on facts and worked for theatre in a clever way. The
chief character in that play is one of my favourite
personalities in world music - Maria Callas the opera
singer. When I wrote my book on M.S. Subbulakshmi, I think
somewhere I have mentioned Callas. The play as you may have
guessed from the title was set in a master class conducted
by Callas. What a treat the whole play was! It was a close
encounter with the artist as mentor, and revealed a lot
about her self-worth, her personal vulnerability, her
imperious confidence in her art...... And more!
Recently, I dropped in to see the fabulous one and only
Vyjayanthimala Bali conduct a workshop for ABHAI. She was
amazingly sprightly and so correct about what she taught.
The small details such an expert artist can show students
are difficult to catch in a big class. However, she was on
her feet to show the finer points in a simple Thillana and I
sat by her side, feeling privileged to see the real thing.
The smallest details in postures and movements had a touch
of correctness. ANGA Shuddham is more often than not simply
bandied about as a catch phrase. We see today, more and more
ANGA distortions than ever before. What to do?
Read the article in the site
Sankaradeva Movement is an attempt to promote Mahapurusha
Sankaradeva’s philosophy and the culture of Assam.
It is an initiative of Trend MMS, the most reputed
Socio-Cultural Trust of North Eastern region. They have
taken up many initiatives to promote the region. North East
Festival is also the initiative of Trend MMS. In November
2013, North East Festival was organized at Indira Gandhi
National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi, where 8
State Governments of the region joined hands to promote the
region’s culture and highlight the various issues. It was
the biggest occasion to project regional culture of North
East. Earlier, Trend MMS organized 'Samannaya' - a musical
journey of integration, wherein leading singers of the state
travelled across Assam, especially in the trouble torn BTAD
areas to promote harmony. The two earlier events were
organized in 2012 at Kamani Auditorium in Delhi and in 2013
at Chowdiah Memorial Hall in Bengaluru.
With Taj Mahal Palace, on17th May, Trend MMS organized
‘Colours of North East’ at Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai to
showcase tourism, culture and fabrics of the region. On a
grand scale, the Sankaradeva Movement celebrations were held
on 18th May evening at the prestigious Jamshed Bhabha
Auditorium of National Centre for the Performing Arts, when
a record crowd of majority of Assamese community and of
North East region gathered to support the Sankaradeva
Movement.
Read the review in the site
At this point of time in the evolution of Kuchipudi,
one doesn't suppose Lahiri has had to make such a
careful choice of gestures, postures and expressions.
Yet one notices a certain aesthetic control being
exercised over them, thanks perhaps to the training she
has received in Bharatanatyam from Leela Samson.
- Shanta Gokhale, The Times of India, January 12,
2012
Thanks to Shanta Gokhale for the above statement as I feel
her comment makes it easy to communicate to the readers
about Amrita Lahiri and her Kuchipudi - evolution.
Evolution is a continuous and accumulating process and it
gives an apt context to this interaction with Amrita.
Classical dancers like Amrita Lahiri bring in their
performance a fresh perspective about creativity and
reinforce faith and belief about the conventional
knowledge and wisdom in the potential of the dance forms,
Kuchipudi to be more specific. Here’s the follow up of
Shanta Gokhale’s review about Amrita’s performance.
Fortunately, the control does no harm to
Lahiri's spontaneity, expressed in her darting
eyes and lively smile. All the items that she danced,
choreographed by her present guru Jaikishore
Mosalikanti, combined complex footwork, clean
lines, an unflagging pace and infinite grace. Her leaps
and jumps were executed with the lightness of a gazelle;
and one of the more awesome moments in the choreography
was when the movement of her body exactly matched the
meend of the bol "dheem."
Kuchipudi is a living and enriching dance that grows and
adapts to the times without losing its fundamental and
essential character. The very essence of how Kuchipudi is
evolving and reaching and like a banyan tree spreading to
find dancers like Amrita Lahiri is very inspiring. This
conversation with her will help understand more about her
and her beautiful dance.
Read the interview in the site
