P3 - Panchavaktram, Purvajanmam, Prabhu - Dance Matters: Column by Ashish Mohan Khokar

 

Rarely, if ever, there's one production that leaves one mesmerized for its complete artistry. Rarely, if ever, a group of 25 dance equally well on stage. Rarely, 5 Indian classical forms merge seamlessly and simply, like a bunch of blossoming flowers. Rarely, all other aspects of a huge dance drama work - music, costumes, colors, commentary, contexts and concepts - become one wholesome canvass of arts and aesthetics. R for rarely and R for Reva University on outskirts of Bangalore, just 10 year old. Its Performing Arts and Indic Studies Dept. has put up this all-students production Panchavaktram and thereby hangs a tale.

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Parampara Festival features changing face of inheritance in dance - Taalam: column by Leela Venkataraman

A Pariwar Parampara, at least over two generations, the Reddy family of Raja, Radha and Kaushalya, have diligently passed on the Kuchipudi heritage to daughters Yamini and Bhavana, at a time when children taking to the parents' profession, particularly in dance, is not very common. The annual Parampara Festival conducted by the Reddys in the open-air auditorium, so thoughtfully constructed as part of their residence cum school in Delhi's Saket, has been featuring annually through this festival, the contemporary face of various dance forms, which trace their birth to a deep past.

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Sparkling Spanda synergy - Taalam: column by Leela Venkataraman

Choreographies of Leela Samson presented by her group Spanda, at the Kamani, Delhi, showed how group energy can be an experience of immersive joy in the dancers, while executing within the same space relationships both reciprocal and distancing. Within the group symmetry, Leela's choreography getting away from the frontal faced dancing looking at the audience, comprises movements having dancers facing different directions, the simultaneity of various types of actions forming part of a larger picture not spelling dissonance. An example was the curtain raider - an obeisance to the Sun, Bhaskaraya Namaha, based on verses taken from the Krishna Yajurveda Taittiriya Brahmana, with the Beejaksharas as the seven colours of the sun representing the seven horses of Surya's chariot. The sounds Ha and Ra, standing for Akash (the void of the sky in which the Sun rises and sets), and Agni (fire ball that the sun is) respectively, both constituents of the sun. Addressing Surya as the Mitran (friend and well-wisher) and destroyer of all evil, the dancer praying for the welfare of all, energizes her/his body, the instrument of movement, by offering salutations through the Surya Namaskar. There is stillness punctuated by sudden bursts of energy. As the sun rises, the world wakes up, with plant, bird and all living creatures coming to life. Each of these actions gets performed in unison, with dancers in varied actions facing different directions, all as part of one large frame - with Rajkumar Bharati's music in all morning ragas - Suryakanti, Ravichandrika and Surya....

It is after a gap of several years that one got to witness the Modern Dance creation of Kolkata's Sapphire Dance Creations headed by Sudarshan Chakravorty. The Company is celebrating its 30th year of existence - no mean feat, particularly for an institution pursuing 'creative dance', which does not have the kind of support that, what is known as 'classical' dance in India, enjoys.

Sapphire's evening of Interface began with the Subijaya awards in memory of Sudarshan's parents who perished in a plane accident, conferred on persons in the field of arts viz...Odissi dancer Sharon Lowen, Dadi Pudumjee the puppeteer and Kathak specialist Shovana Narayan....

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Young talent played its part too - Taalam: column by Leela Venkataraman

While much of my writing surrounds high profile events held in the capital, one tends to forget the part played by young talent. Belatedly, to compensate for the lack of coverage given to their participation, I begin with mention of Nava Lavanyam, presented by International Academy of Mohiniyattam, wherein one was treated to how Mohiniattam dancer Jayaprabha Menon's approach to training her students with constant exposure to Theyyam, Kalaripayattu and Sopana Sangeetam, along with providing sufficient room for self-expression by the student, supported, when needed by teacher guidance, would seem to be paying dividends. The evening saw a presentation of self-choreographed, original items by most of the students, and what impressed was the apparent effort, varying ability in each performer notwithstanding, at internalizing the chosen theme, instead of a superficial treatment. The evening began with a Swathi Tirunal lyric Madhupavalitakhandam, sung in viruttam and set to ragam Hamsadhwani, dedicated to Ganapathy, presented by the entire group, and even while each dancer seemed involved, Jayaprabha's concept of group choreography, while adequate, is not exceptional.

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Josh and Joshi; Shruti and Smriti - Dance Matters: Column by Ashish Mohan Khokar

Natya is an all encompassing art. It partakes of drama, of course, dance, music and literature. NSD or National School of Drama is the epicentre of post- independence theatre training and movement. The great Ebrahim Alkazi gave it leadership, when it delinked from the SNA in the mid 1970s. I recall those days and times, when at helm of SNA, my father had great friendship with Alkazi sahib and yet they had to fight for a cause! Pula (Deshpande) often stayed with us when he would come from Pune or Bombay those days to attend SNA meetings. There were a few hotels but he had bonds with our family from Baroda days of the 1960s. Even when NSD delinked from SNA, Alkazi sahib kept his friendship with Mohan ji. Those days, people kept the personal away from the professional. Mutual respect was there for work, not judgeMENTAL attitude!

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Profile - Kshetrimayum Ibetombi Devi (1936-2022)- Sinam Basu Singh

Kshetrimayum Ibetombi Devi (popularly known as dancer Ibetombi) passed away on October 20, 2022. Her contribution in the field of Manipuri dance is immense. Through her, Maibi Jagoi / Maibi dance of Lai Haraoba is known worldwide. She brought the traditional ritual Maibi dance for the first time on proscenium stage and it is successfully performed worldwide in the present day. This is her great contribution.

In conversation with her, Guruji told me that she was the first woman who performed ‘Khousaba’ of spear movement from Manipur martial art Thang Ta and Pung Cholom from Nata Sankirtan. It was my good fortune that I met Guruji in her late stage of life, since 2016 onwards.

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Remembering Rohini Bhate - Taalam: column by Leela Venkataraman

Coinciding with the year of India's Amrit Mahotsav, Nrityabharati Kathak Dance Academy established by Kathak legend Rohini Bhate (1924-2008) at Pune in the year 1947, also observed its seventy fifth year of existence. And what more fitting way of celebrating the occasion could there be than dedicating it to the founder Guru, by going down memory lane through a film Amrutmanthan, recapturing her enormous multi-dimensional work, coupled with performances of her compositions, by senior students of the Academy. The three -day Delhi projection, starting with a two-day event at the Habitat, signed off with a screening of the film at SNA's Meghdoot theatre.

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Anita says...November 2022

 There is value only in those things

that burst forth from inspiration,
Which springs from
the irrational depths of our being
I delight in the barbaric and spontaneous
Elan of inspiration
Effervescent spiritual states,
Essential lyricism and inner tension
- Romanian philosopher EMIL CIORAN

Fresh from the exhilaration of completing 8 shows of THE JUNGLE BOOK in Palo Alto and Houston, I returned with a menu list of injuries... In spite of some fabulous reviews for my role as KAA the serpent in THE JUNGLE BOOK, I felt like a wounded soldier returned from battle. Feet sore, forehead swollen with acetone infection, tired, overweight and listless. Add Vertigo to that list and you can picture me flat on my back for 10 days! I have spent most of October recovering and literally putting my feet up. Sprains, twists, hairline fractures all take time to heal and nothing helps more than REST.

I did manage to see several shows (yes, I hobbled to and fro carefully) - Bharatanatyam only - and realised how much I had missed listening to good Carnatic music and watching Bharatanatyam in the ambience of my Alma Mater- Kalakshetra. This month I will focus on the performances I watched in Chennai and the questions that arose from the varied experiences.

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