Dance Symposium on ‘The Art of Composing Dances’
November 8, 9, 2003-A Report by Indu Raman
The Valedictory Address presented by me is followed by a report of the lecture Demonstrations by the participants.
To commemmeorate the Centenary of Rukmini Devi Arundale, who established Kalakshetra in 1936, I presented a portrait for the Gallery of Greats of the Shanmukhananda Sabha.
Symposium on Dance held by Shanmukhananda Sabha in
2003
Valedictory
Address by Indu Raman
It is with
utmost humility that I stand before this august audience of illustrious
personalities from the field of Classical dance. It is an honour to stand here
facing you all in this magnificient auditorium to participate in the
prestigious Natya Kala Vidwat Sadas organized by this venerable organization
Sri Shanmukhananda Sabha. I thank Sri. S. Seshadri and his committee for giving
me the honour of being present on the same hallowed ground as the great masters
we have seen yesterday and today, to present the Valedictory Address to
conclude this event. I believe the valedictory speech should be not only a
comment on the discussions, but also bring present a learned viewpoint on the
theme of the symposium.
Sri Subbudu in
his keynote address has addressed all the woes that plague dance –Bharata
Natyam in particular- today. With an economy of words that carry the thrust of
authority and experience, he has pointed out the flaws that a dancer composer
should look out for.
The classical
dance form demands rigid conformity to tradition. A visionary and highly
evolved artist can transcend the tried and tested form to create anew. Again,
just dedication, or hard work cannot lead one to this stage. It needs a deeper
understanding, of the self and the art.
The dancer’s training leads her down the well-trodden path, the known
and established. The dancer’s exploration should open the inner eye to newer
vistas and open wider horizons. The technique of dance gives way to new
interpretations. Grammar transforms into poetry. It is easy to conform. It
needs courage to change and then stand by your convictions facing the
criticism.
In the paper
presented by Smt. Kalanidhi, she has brought out many a point very valid for the
practice of Abhinaya in Bharata Natyam. Among them is one which I would like to
reiterate for today’s generation. Over dramatisation, Smt. Kalanidhi states,
i.e. ‘constant switching of personalities is not necessary … the characters
should be portrayed as a fluid transition from the main character and back and
not like a mono actor establishing different characters in different places.’ I
would support this opinion wholeheartedly. Bharata Natyam is a narrative art.
It has now become a practice for dancers to enact dramatic scenes even in a varnam or padam. The art of narrating a story requires subtlety and skill and
the dance composition must project this skill. At this point I would like to
say that aesthetics are important and even if elements of lokadharmi
is included, one must be careful about not allowing ‘virasam’. One example that comes to mind--I have seen very young
girls, and adolescents perform the Draupadi Vastra haranam in such great detail
with violence and vicious relish that it is alarming and disturbing. As a woman, as a sensitive artist, I
personally would prefer portrayal of the consequences of the action, the distress
of Draupadi and her despair and shame rather than show Dushassana disrobe her.
How different is it from the mandatory rape scene in a film? It creates virasam and probably makes some in the
audience into vicarious voyeurs. It is a point for debate.
Shri Sachin
Shankar has made the powerful statement that ‘a choreographer is a powerful
person.’ he can contribute to society. He also says that Choreography has no
limit. A worthy scion of the famous Shankar family, he describes the Uday
Shankar method (of dance) a new, delightful, magnetic form of a dance style
which opened up a new direction. He spoke with great conviction of how he can
compose dance on any subject, to tell the story of today –where classical dance
has its limitations.
We recollect the
words of Sri Aurobindo: (he says)
“Between them,
music, art and poetry are a perfect education for the soul; they make and keep
its (the soul’s) movements purified, self-controlled, deep and harmonious. These, therefore, are agents which cannot
profitably be neglected by humanity on its onward march or degraded to the mere
satisfaction of sensuous pleasure which will disintegrate rather than build the
character. They are, when properly used,
great, educating, edifying and civilising forces."
At this moment let
us pause and silently bow our heads to the unknown composer of the dedicatory
item called Alarippu. What a fine work of art! Here is an item which lasts for
three minutes, but adapts itself to be performed in any of the five jaathis. It
is popularly described as the flowering of the body, beginning with the
delicate movements of the eyes, the neck, shoulders, arms, and wrists. With
what ingenuity, the composer has included the three mandalas denoting the three
worlds. Geometrical precision and symmetry includes magical floor patterns in
various directions. The choreography incorporates the slow, medium and fast speeds.
It is a brilliant and dynamic capsule presentation of the most important facets
of Bharata Natyam. And it has withstood,
for three centuries or more, its original core, incorruptible, against the
innumerable variations that dancers have tried to experiment. That is the test
of an ideal dance composition.
A dance composition
does not happen overnight or just on the spur of a moment. Or sometimes one
feels it happens when it is least expected. It is often the result of a long
subconscious process. The quest begins with sights and sounds of life’s
experiences, the artistic environment, and the excellence of training and
internalization of the guru’s words, is assimilated by the mind. One meditates
constantly on the subject; there is frantic positioning and re-positioning. A
spiritual current then galvanizes the mind and body and truth flashes before
you.
Thomas Jefferson
once said, ‘In matters of style, swim with the current, in matters of
principle, stand like a rock.’ If we follow this mantra, then choreography will
not miss the mark. If a dancer stands
like a rock by her tradition, and then swims with contemporaneous thought, she
should be on the right track.
Both Smt. Jhelum
Paranjpe and Ms. Anita Ratnam have proved this premise right with their
cerebral approach to their work. The kind of introspection and thought process
that goes into works like Leelavati, Narmada or Nachiyar, one can see that
tradition serves the challenges of modern thought.
Kalidasa, in
Malavika Agnimitram, supports this contention saying,
PURAANA MITYEVA
NA SAADHU SARVAM
All that is old
is not necessarily the best
NAA CHAPI KAVYAM
NAVAMITYA VADHYAM
Neither is new
literature without merit
Dance, and
specially Bharata Natyam is like water, adapts itself to its carrier. It does
not matter whether there is classical Carnatic music, north Indian music, music
without rhythm like raga or shlokas, music without words like thanam, words
without music like poetry recitation, rhythms with no music like shuddha
nrttam, or just silence- a dancer will still dance.
This year,
dancers and cultural organizations around the world celebrate the birth
Centenary of the pioneer of Dance in our country, Rukmini Devi Arundale. Rukmini
Devi and Dr. Arundale believed that their ‘work in art would advance the
emancipation of our nation. It could be used as a channel for the spiritual
power of Nataraja. So people working in this Kalakshetra should dedicate
themselves to the highest ideals for which it was established.’
One of my gurus,
Smt. S. Sarada (Peria Sarada) in her book ‘Rukmini Devi-Kalakshetra’ highlights
the nitty gritty of dance composition during the first few dance dramas. These little
anecdotes are extremely important and significant. Remember, Rukmini Devi was
facing a blank canvas. The idea of creating a new composition was not exactly
in practice, as only traditional dance items were being performed by traditional
dancers and gurus. In a path-breaking exercise, Rukmini Devi composed dance for
Kritis that were till then only heard in a music concert. To create a new
composition, one had to start by selecting songs. To select songs one had to
really go back to unearth those suitable for exposition. Dance itself was newly liberated. The joy and
excitement must have been electric. A short excerpt from the book describing
the making of the famous Kumara Sambhavam gives an insight about Rukmini Devi’s
approach to the art of composing dance.
Tiger
Varadachariar, the first Principal of Kalakshetra, was asked to compose music
for this ballet. Rukmini Devi gave a general guideline about what she needed
for the stage presentation of the story as well about the music. The opening
scene was to be the invocation to the Himalayas ,
the abode of Siva and Parvati. Rukmini Devi desired that ten verses of
description should be set to music which should be grand to suit the majesty of
the great mountains. This music should resemble thanam without tala, and only
have a general rhythm. It should not like any set type of music. Rukmini Devi
had wished that the poetry which described the birth of Parvathi should be like
a padam. She particularly wanted that the central piece of music of the dance
drama should proclaim the greatness of Lord Siva, in the slow tempo. Tiger said
he would compose two verses each in the five Ghana
Music just
flowed from him in all its glory. Tiger’s musical composition blended with the
meaning of the poetry to enhance its beauty. “(* S.Sarada,’ Kalakshetra,
Rukmini Devi’)
I chose to
narrate this anecdote to bring out the importance of poetry and music in
composing dance, a subject unfortunately not touched during this conference. I have
personally felt this deeply when I studied the kritis of the saint poet for the
making of “Sumati Tyagaraja”. ‘Evening after evening we sit and listen to our
artistes rendering kritis of Tyagaraja. We seem enchanted by the melodies and
repetition does not sour our ears. But let us turn our ears to the lyrics and
let our thoughts dwell on his verses, contemplate on his poetic fancies, moral
precepts, moods of anguish and joy, feelings of endearment and gratitude. All
these make his songs come alive when presented in visual expression. ** (Indu
Raman-‘Sumathi Tyagaraja)
Similarly, music
changes according to the language of a composition. The stronger languages like
Sanskrit or Tamil demands a handling different from a lyrical Telegu
composition. The dance composition also changes accordingly. This was brought
home to me recently when I faced the challenging task of producing a
traditional bhagavata mela natakam in
Thanjavur Marathi. Some compositions would just not set in very traditional Ghana
We saw this
aspect demonstrated by Dr. Padma when the dance movement adapts itself to the
rhythm and music of non-Indian music. One cannot rigidly juxtapose traditional
dance on such music, but one has to respond to the implicit rhythm in that
music. This is in fact, the beauty of the Bharata nrityam style which
incorporates the lyrical swings and circumbulatory movements of dance. Music
cannot limit dance and when talent like Dr. Padma’s which gushes forth like the
Niagara, nothing and no one can inhibit or limit its application.
I have always
emphatically and proudly declared that it is the dancer who does a music
composition and its composer real justice. Whereas the singer is occupied in
learning the raga, the pallavi,
anupallavi, and memorising the number of sangatis, the dancer begins at the beginning---- the composer
himself. When you study Tyagaraja or Subramania Bharati one has to attempt to
study his philosophy, the events that moulded his thought, and experiences
which inspired his compositions. Similarly, I discovered that in Maharaja Swati
Tirunal’s brief and youthful life, he was torn between royal duty, love for
music and dance, and responsibility towards the progress of his kingdom. Then
one understands why he suffered, and died so tragically in his youth. This gives
a new insight into interpreting his padams and varnams. The dancer must satisfy herself as to the
context of the song and its suitability to an exposition. The dancer decides the tempo based on its
mood, and whether it requires additional raga prelude, or an appendix of swaras. She dissects the lyrics, studies
it word by word, explores the various shades of meaning, the possibilities of
extending its reach and relating to allegories and only then makes a visual
presentation to bring out its essence and correct representation. If only music
students are taught the meaning and the context of the kriti they learn, I
think it will make a huge difference to their presentation. They should
similarly be taught the correct enunciation, and the appropriate kaala pramanam of the song. It is
disappointing that many singers on the concert circuit refuse to sing for
dancers. As my guru Adyar Shri Lakshmanan points out, a singer for dance
acquires the quality of emotional depth. The dancer is visually representing
the meaning of the words. This is an important aspect for all singers, but
sadly neglected as they prefer to project technical mastery over rhythm and
vocal pyrotechnics. Shri Lakshmanan also throws light on the importance of accompaniment
on the mridangam, the correct use of the thalam or cymbals. Smt. Nalini Raghu
took this a little further to demonstrate the actual use of intricate rhythmic
patterns in Bharata Natyam. I still
remember that even Sangeetha Kalanidhi Umayalapuram Sri. Sivaraman has himself worked
with Shri. Lakshmanan, to study the art of accompanying dance.
The predominant
Rasa when viewing the Manipuri and kathak dance demonstration is adbhuta or
astonishment. The sheer physicality and intricacy of its rhythmic
infrastructure reveals the mastery of body, mind and rhythm. The grace and
fluidity of these styles are a visual delight. I must congratulate Smt. Asha
Joglekar and Smt. Darshana Jhaveri for their excellent presentation.
Smt. Sobha Naidu beautifully explained the use
of sanchari and elaboration of the padams. Deeply rooted in classicism and
faithfully anchored to tradition, she demonstrated to us that our classical
literature and its interpretation in dance today have only touched the tip of
the iceberg. There is this fathomless ocean before us which will yield an
infinite number of priceless gems.
Describing the
art of netra abhinaya and the various techniques practiced in Kerala, Smt.
Kanak Rele gives us an introduction to the highly-evolved techniques used by
the Chakyars in Kutiyattam and Nangiar Koothu. It is in this style that eyes
are used to its maximum possible potential to express an object, a mood, an
animal or a story. There are innumerable legends surrounding the power of
abhinaya of the Chakyars. One of them, my favourite, is that as soon as a child
is born, the father takes a red hibiscus flower and begins to train the baby to
move his eyes.
It is a paradox.
Scientific progress in this civilized world and global awareness of matters
relating to health, care and nutrition has not stemmed the prolification of
disabilitiy. We see children with
various degrees of disability and to discover that our ancient dance and
theatre forms could be used as therapy is wonderful and Smt. Ambika Kameshwar
deserves appreciation for her outstanding work in this field.
Once, I was addressing
a group discussion of about fifty dance students, when one of them asked, “How
do I know what is right and what is wrong when I choreograph something?” I was initially stumped for an answer. When you
speak to students, one has to carefully weigh every word one utters. Finally, my
reply was, “It is not something I or even your own teacher can tell you. If you
are a highly-evolved artiste, well versed in the philosophy, theory and
practice of dance, then you will find the answer within you. You will
know. Hopefully, so will the audience.”
Like the
churning of the milk ocean which brought to the surface both poison and the
nectar of immortality, symposia like this one, churns up many ideas and brings
to light many achievements. Some become immortal and others sink to the bottom
of the ocean. Some form strong bridges which link artists around the length and
breadth of India
Namaskaram.
Indu
Raman
Smt. Indu
Raman trained under the guidance of Rukmini Devi Arundale and other eminent
gurus at Kalakshetra, Chennai.
“Sumati Tyagaraja,”, “Jaya Padmanabha”, and “Yamini”,
are some of her thematic productions which received acclaim.
Awarded the
Shringar-Mani by Sur-Singar Samsad (1976), Indu Raman is a writer on dance,
music and theatre and has published features in leading art journals,
newspapers.
As Chairman and
Patron of Melattur Bhagavata Mela Natya Vidya Sangam of Tanjore from 1993-2002,
Indu Raman dedicated herself to the revival, promotion and presentation of this
dying tradition of Bhagavata Mela Natakams. Indu is the Producer/ Designer/
Director of a Marathi Bhagavata Mela Natakam ‘Sakuntala’ was successfully
staged in a four-day festival in Mumbai in 2002.
Indu has
been teaching dance since 1977.
Dance Symposium on ‘The Art of
Composing Dances’
November 8, 9, 2003-A Report
by Indu Raman
Dr.Smt. Kanak Rele.
Dr. Smt. Kanak
Rele is a distinguished scholar-educator and an exponent of Kathakali and
Mohini Attam. As Director, Nalanda Dance Research Institute, Rele initiated research
in dance and allied subjects and is the Founder Principal of the Nalanda Nritya
Kala Mahavidyalaya. Her extensive work with the scholarly poet Kavalam Narayana
Panikker rejuvenated the repertoire of Mohini Attam and restored the Sopanam tradition of music .
In the paper
submitted for the symposium, titled ‘Theatrical Nuances In Kerala Performing
Arts’ Smt. Rele outlines the concepts such as rasa, Natya Dharmi/lokdharmi, Dhvani and touryatrika as given in Natya
Sastra. She further describes theatrical nuances of Kuttiyattam
and Kathakali , where artistic
devices of stylisation like manodharma,
pakarnattam, make-up and the specialized technique of netra abhinya .
In her
demonstration, Smt.Kanak Rele was accompanied by vocalist Gireesan, Kathakali
artist C.Gopalakrishnan on the Nattuvangam, Sri. Nambisan played the Edakka and maddalam, while B. Anathanarayan gave the
melodic touch for Mohini Attam items on the violin.
Kanak Rele first
performed Nakaratundi Lalita in Kathakali
as taught to her by her Guru Karunakara Panikker, who was renowned for his
interpretation of ‘Panchali’. There
is no such fury as a woman scorned goes a famous quote. Feelings of desire ,
anger and hurt flits across the mind of the woman who was spurned by her lover.
The face is a mirror of artistry and Kanak Rele ‘s expressive face registered
every fleeting nuance of these emotions.
The oft-performed
episode of Puthana Moksham was repeated on this occasion too, but Kanak Rele
selected an imaginative scene where the gopis are churning butter. The churning
session becomes a gossip session and then, more interestingly, an ideal time to
fix up a rendezvous with the lover. It was a treat to watch this veteran with
her mobile face and large expressive eyes depict these situations with saucy
humour. Smt. Rele paid a tribute to her mentor Prof. K. Srinivasan who gave her
these ideas.
In Mohini Attam,
Smt.Rele was on more familiar ground and excelled in ‘A Mother’s Lament’ where
she portrayed her anguish at her daughter’s eloping. In ‘Gandhari’, Kanak Rele
depicted the queen whose self-imposed blindness is interpreted not as just a
blindfold but as shutting her eyes to evil. After the war, she goes to the
battleground where all the evil souls lay dead. She could now open her
blindfold and look at the bodies of her dead sons whose poisonous blood had
stopped flowing for ever. The queen leads her blind husband away from the
battlefield to the forests where they can spend the rest of their lives in
repentance.
Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam
Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam
‘s lecture demonstration was disappointing for the young students in the
audience. There had been no paper submission, and the lecture was a walk down
an autobiographical memory lane where the main characters were family. ‘Jatayu
Moksha’, her composition to Tchaikovsky’s Overture in ‘Romeo and Juliet, was
screened. A student was asked to demonstrate three of the karanas used in the
composition. Dr. Padma sang Chinese, Azerbaijani and Russian songs beautifully
and recounted the occasions where she had sung them. This was of course an
unexpected bonus. The heavy expectancy and excitement before her appearance was
palpable in the auditorium. The large number of students and art lovers present
had awaited Dr.Padma ‘s appearance with bated breath. Here is one artiste whose
tremendous contributions to choreography are milestones in our dance history.
The highly receptive audience would have benefited immensely to hear Dr.Padma
speak about her work and her approach to creativity. This would have raised the
symposium to meaningful heights.
Adyar Sri Lakshmanan
Adyar Shri Lakshmanan
is the disciple of Rukmini Devi
Arundale . He was one of the senior most students and trained in music,
mridangam, and dance. He was honoured by the President with a Padma Shri in
1991. His institution Bharata Choodamani in Chennai has produced several
dancers of high caliber.
His paper on the subject ‘Nattuvangam And
Dance Music’emphasises the important role played by the Nattuvangam artist in a
dance performance. The Peria Melam is the Nadaswaram ensemble where the cymbals
are played in a fixed rhythm (sarva laghu) even while the raga is being played.
Chinna Melam is the dance ensemble where the cymbals are played by the
conductor (Nattuvannar) who is the main leader of the party.
The Nattuvannar
must be well-versed in vocal, mridangam, languages, the sastras, and dance. The
nattuvannar plays a three-fold job of singing, recitation of the thirmanams,
and wielding the cymbals. There are not many artistes today who are versatile
enough to do all three.
In his
demonstration, the veteran dancer/singer/Nattuvannar/mridangist/Guru explained how to practice the recitation of
syllables. Giving an example of the third speed in Alarippu, he explained that
the silent akshara is filled in with an extra suitable akshara when reciting
the second and third kalam.. Sometimes, silent aksharas in a Thirmanam enhance the recitation. He demonstrated a
composition of his on which used TOM as the main syllable. Nandi Chol, another famous and favourite
composition of his, incorporated the word NANDI. This was created as a tribute
to the great Nandi, the bull who not only carried Siva on his back but also
accompanied Him on the drum when He danced. Among his many innovations in
dance, he cited the example of Vasanta Jatiswaram which was done in two speeds
(kala). As a teacher, he had experimented in teaching students who could not
sing to recite the swaras. This would give them a grip on laya and tala of the
item they were learning. Any lapse in this area would be the teacher’s fault,
he pointed out.
A sense of proportion
is required when one composes thirmanams for varnams. The present trend of
lengthy thirmanams during a varnam distracts the flow of the lyrics and should
be avoided, he said.
Regarding music,
Sri. Lakshman pleads for more experience and expertise in singers who sing for
dance. He reminisced about the experience of a Balasaraswati performance where
Tanjavur Gnanasundaram sang and Bala was inspired by him to improvise on his
music. The musician needs his freedom to
improvise and the dancer should respond with suitable movement or gestures.
Sri Lakshman
demonstrated two important contributions he has made to the art of nattuvangam. One is the double beat used when
there are two simultaneous steps. The nattuvangam follows the footsteps of the
dancer, and when these double-steps are performed the nattuvannar used to play
only one beat. The double stroke of the cymbal correctly reflects the sounds of
the feet.
Another valuable
idea was the invention of a special cymbal (thalam) which eliminates the mishap
of the cymbal beating a silent stroke because it hits the thread which juts out
of its face. He has invented a flat faced thalam which can be screwed on to the
stem. The end of the thread handle is hidden inside the stem.
The lecture
ended with his composition Sri. Parthasarathy (Madhyamavati) performed by his
disciple Anita Ratnam.
Smt. Nalini Raghu
Nalini Raghu,
who underwent Gurukula training in Bharata Natyam under Smt. B.Lakshmikantam of
Sri Pichaiya Pillai School in Thanjavur presented a well-thought out lecture
and demonstration. Sri Pichaiyah was the son-in-law of the legendary Guru
Meenakshisundaram Pillai. Smt. Raghu is associated with the Anushakti Lalit
Kala Sanstha in Mumbai for over 25 years. Her students from this school
demonstrated the items. She was accompanied by Smt. Saraswathi Subramaniam
(vocal), Sankaranaraynan (mridangam), and B. Anantharaman(violin).
In her paper
‘Cross Rhythmic Adavu Choreography’ Smt. Raghu explains the use of a device
which may be incorporated into dance composition to enhance the beauty of the
nrrta sequences. ‘When the rhythm of the footwork (adavu ) takes a different
pattern from the rhythm of the swara pattern of a jatiswaram or of the rhythmic
syllables of Jati, cross rhythms come into the picture.’ This is best
demonstrated in the Tisra Alarippu where the ‘tat tai ta ha’ in the third speed
is performed in chatusram. In the Jatiswaram (Kirvani) the thirmanam was
depicted in three ways. First the adavus followed the jati . Then the adavus
went from 1,2,3, when the jati was 3,2,1 and vice versa. This kind of
composition gives an interesting dimension to the nrtta composition. Another
possibility is the adavus being set in the offbeat- (Usi) when the recitation
is on the first beat (samam).
The students of
Lalit Kala Sanstha who demonstrated were impressive. They revealed clean and
correct bodyline, angashudha, and dedication to the art and the guru. The final
Thillana composed by Nalini Raghu was an ode to atomic energy as Shakti.
What is the
difference between a thirmanam and makuta jati? Answering this question from
the audience, Smt. Raghu explained that our arts had an oral tradition, and
there would be differences in the nomenclature of many terms. Both thirmanam
and makuta adavu mean the same, i.e. the final ‘kita thaka dhari kita tom’
adavu used to end a sequence. Thirmanam is also a word used to denote the
recitation syllables of a sequence like the Trikala thirmanam in a varnam or
the shorter one in a jatiswaram, she explained.
In Tamil the
word thirmanam means conclusion or determination. In dance the concluding
sequence is repeated thrice .
Jhelum Paranjape
, disciple of Shri Kelucharan Mahapatra , the maestro of the Odissi style, has
been steadfastly been presenting a number of productions on contemporary
topics. A performer with a busy schedule and a competent and dedicated teacher,
Jhelum runs Smitalay, a dance institute named
after a dear friend, actress Smita Patil. She has participated in theatre
performances and directed dance sequences in TV serials and films.
Choreography for
groups using the Odissi technique is a special passion for Jhelum, who won
appreciation for ballets like Maya Darpan, Leelavati, and Narmada .
In the paper
submitted by Jhelum Paranjape, she has traced the history of Odissi, a style
which won acceptance as a classical style after efforts by her Guru, Kelu Babu,
Guru Mayadhar Raut, and D.N.Patnaik, a dance scholar. It was dancers like
Priyambada Mohanty and Sonal Mansingh who popularized the art with their
performances. The devadasis (Maharis) originally danced only in the temples.
Their abhinaya was simple and did not use much footwork. This tradition was
passed on to young boy dancers called gotipuas who dressed as women and
introduced jumps, acrobatic movements and jerky movements. Jhelum ’s
students demonstrated these steps which included a full backward bend.
Kelucharan Mahapatra was himself a gotipua in his childhood. His wife came from
a Mahari tradition. He felt the need to enhance the style without distorting
its body kinetics. Jhelum demonstrated the
original style and then the aesthetically
refined style.
Another major
change was in the language. Many regional language compositions were added to
the repertoire which till then had used only Odiya and Sanskrit. This he felt
was one way of introducing the style in the interiors of the country.
‘One should be
careful about innovation,’ says Jhelum , ‘as
there lies a thin line between exploration and exploitation.’ In an attempt to
depict mathematical problems by using “Leelavati” a treatise by 12th century
mathematician Bhaskaracharya, Jhelum and her
students depicted one problem about a snake and a peacock. Strictly adhering to
the Odissi technique, but innovating in costume and music (Vivaldi’s Four Season’s),
the production was an impressive milestone.
Sometimes the
theme compels one to create new mudras, charis and sthanakas or use them in
variance with tradition.
Jhelum
Paranjape’s lecture covered the theme of the symposium with relevance. It revealed
the doubts and obstacles that arise during dance composition at every
stage—concept, music, language, movement and the degree of innovation that will
be accepted.
Guru T.K. Kalyanasundaram
The Sri
Rajarajeswari Bharata Natya Kala Mandir was represented by Guru T.K.
Kalyanasundaram . Several noted students and members of his own family
performed excellently as dancers and as accompanists. Gurus Shri.Vasant and
Shri Vishwanath were ably supported by the young vocalist Vidya
Balasubramanian. Shri Hari Krishna did a double act as mridangist and dancer. The
following time-honoured items from the vintage repertoire were presented:
- Paalum Thulithenum –Ganapati
invocation
- Kauvutvams- Ganapati, Kartikeya,
Nataraja, and Rajarajeswari
- Radha Krishna Leela
- Andal Dream sequence
- Pandu Adithal- Vasantavalli
- Solla Vandaye
- Thillana
Guru
Kalyanasundaram’s son Hari Krishna danced a nrtta sequence to his father’s
recitation of n intricate thirmanam. The
performance concluded with a detailed history of the historic Tiruvidaimarudur
family and a display of the portraits of their ancestors. This session was
performance oriented and though it spoke volumes about the eternal beauty of
traditional compositions, could have been supported with an informative
lecture. This symposium would have been the ideal platform to effectively
project the value system embedded in our traditional approach to classical
dance.
Smt. Kalanidhi Narayanan
Smt. Kalanidhi
Narayan gave a brief display of Ashta rasa as found in some popular padams. She
performed relevant portions of the following compositions. Her accompanists
were Deepu.K.Nair (vocal), Srisukhi (Nattuvangam), T.Viswanathan (mridangam),
and Vinod Kumar (violin).
- Mooshika Vahana
- Sive sringara –Ashtarasa slokam by
Adi Shankaracharya
- Chaliye kunjananme-Rati
- Jagado Dharano- Bhakti
- Edai kandu- Bhibhatsa
- Etta irundu Pesu- Roudra
- Vadiga Gopala- Bhaya
- Yaar endru- Veera
- Payyada – Karuna
Smt. Kalanidhi had submitted an excerpt from her book ‘Aspects of Abhinaya’
for publication. Her demonstration followed an identical pattern. Many would
not have agreed to her statement that Nrrtta sequences introduced in an
abhinaya piece distracts from the sthayi bhava. An example given by Smt. Narayanan
was that Bhakti in Natanam Adinar cannot become evident if nrtta dominated the
kriti. It is possible surely, in the opinion of this writer, that nrtta in
capable hands could aid depiction and enhancing of moods. In the specific
example, the grandeur of Nataraja’s tandava is shown by suitable adavus
incorporating the various poses of Siva. This in turn should evoke bhakti rasa.
In ‘Krishna Nee’, Vatsalya rasa was chosen as an option to
shringara. The nayika portrayed in the padam Vadiga gopalu experiences mixed
feelings of shyness and fear of a bride entering the nuptial chamber. She
explained that criticism against enacting some padams as unwarranted. The
dancer is merely depicting a character portrayed in the song. Viewers must not
confuse the dancer with the character, she pointed out.
Smt. Kalanidhi’s excelled as usual in the concluding padam, Payyada
Paimeedi
The demonstration projected the immense possibilities of depicting
the innumerable shades and hues of Mood (Bhava) and Sentiment (Rasa) by a
dancer. There is nothing wrong or correct, only suitable and unsuitable. The
connotation associated with Rasas like Roudra and Bhayanaka is usually dark and
negative. Violence is subtly implied. A nayika’s Roudra is unlikely to be so
intense but only a milder form of tentative anger. The science of dance offers
these myriad variations to the dancer to fully exploit the art of dance
composition.
Smt. Asha Joglekar
Smt. Asha Joglekar, a respected Kathak guru based in Mumbai,
presented a well thought out paper on the use of Chakkars and Bhramaris in
Choreography.
Her students demonstrated with grace, competence and diligence. Smt.
Joglekar spoke in her mother-tongue Marathi and won the hearts of the proactive
audience which appreciated her sentiments. She hoped that the dance
demonstration would speak more effectively of her work than mere words.
Teaching for over forty years as Director of Archana Nrityalaya after training
under Pt.Gopi Krishna and Smt. Rohini Bhate, Smt. Joglekar is the mother of
Archana Joglekar, the popular actress and dancer.
Pirouettes (Chakkars ) and
turns (bhramari) are as important a
part of choreography in Kathak as the
planets in space which revolve and rotate constantly. It is probably from
Mother Nature that we have adapted this movement. Other important aspects of
Kathak are, foot movements (Tatkar) in
various degrees of complicated rhythms and Paltas.
Paltas are used to show change in
expression and location. If depicting a Radha and Krishna
story , the dancer does a palta turn
when she changes character. Usually the hastas used during executing a chakkar is pataka or tripataka.
The dancers demonstrated two from a variety of chakkars -Utpluta or
jumps, and Garuda. The astounding sense of poise and balance displayed by the
dancers executing the 11 –turn chakkar was
astounding. The next was Ashta Disha Chakkar Toda where at each turn the
dancer’s faced one of the eight directions. From this writer’s experience, this
is technically difficult and requires greater control. The fixed focal point of
the eye aids balance, and when this keeps shifting, the dancer has to depend on
her mental equilibrium to maintain her bodily balance. In fact fluidity of
movement and grace were the hallmarks of this style.
Kathak is not only all nrtta, explained Smt. Joglekar, and went to
bhava –oriented items. Selecting a 15- matra tala cycle called Gajachampa
(4-4-3-4), the students demonstrate a lighthearted Hori as the concluding item.
The veteran singer, Sri. Sharad Jambhekar assisted in the demonstration with
his mellifluous voice.
Smt. Darshana Jhaveri
‘Rhythm Patterns in Manipuri Dance (Rasleela & Sankirtan)’ was
the title of the paper submitted by Darshana Jhaveri, the youngest of the four
Jhaveri Sisters. Actively associated
with Manipuri Nartanalaya at Mumbai, Kolkata and Manipur, Darshana spoke about
the innovations and contributions of her teacher, Guru Bipin Singh.
A young dancer Ms.Surbala assisted Smt. Darshana in the
demonstration.Vocal support was given by A. Chatterjee and Latasana Devi. On
the mridang were artistes from Manipur, Sushanta Das and Projen Singh.
The performance of Raas and Sankirtan are the highest form of
expression of Vaishnavism in Manipur, where it is a living tradition even
today. It is considered a sacrificial act equivalent to a Mahayagya. Gaudiya
Vaishnavism, the devotional cult of Hinduism advocated by Chaitanya Prabhu
pervades the way of life in Manipur. Kartal Cholom is dance with large cymbals.
Pung Cholom is dance with drums. These two highly developed dance forms are said
to be conceived by Chaitanya Prabhu. Every gesture is significant as it conveys
symbolism and mysticism associated with the spiritual practice. The mrdanga
(Pung) is revered as an embodiment of Krishna .
During Ras Leela, the player is seated but he dances during sankirtan and rituals.
The syllables of mrdang raga representing the making and
consecration of the image are played at the beginning of Sankirtan. The
pilgrimage to Navadwip and Vrindavan is
composed in Raj Mel Tala . Beginning with a slow tempo it increases speed to
indicate the three stages of union (sambhog) . This is followed by Tal Tanchep
and Tal Menkup which denote the ultimate union.
Smt. Darshana and Ms. Surbala demonstrated the Tal Raj Me which has
7 beats with variations e.g. 4+3, 5+2, Triput Savari 11/2 + 11/2 + 4 which is
used in Kaliya Daman, Yatra Rupak – 2+5 or 4+10 for the playing with a ball.
An interesting piece of information was the description of Yati in
Manipuri Tala System.
The Yatis in Carnatic music denote the possible formations of a
jathi syllables or thirmanam. Gopuchcha Yati, (4-3-2-1) for instance, is when
the pattern is in descending order, resembling a cow’s tail. Srotovakam
(1-2-3-4) is when the pattern is in ascending order, compared to the origin of
a river which begins as a trickle and increases to a wide stream . Smt.
Darshana described the yatis as a combination of speeds, meaning gopuccha yati
the syllables begin in a fast speed and decreases to a slow tempo.
In a detailed and educative lecture, on the aural content of
Manipuri style , Smt. Darshana described
music as being divided into two- Anibaddha and Nibaddha, In the first music
does not have a definite metric arrangement, similar to alaap. There is an
underlying rhythm (chanda) which creates a serene and meditative
atmosphere. Mrdanga raga mentioned
earlier, belongs to this group. Nibadha has a fixed time measure and usually
follows the anibadha music.
When two or more compositions of tala are grouped together it is
called tala Prabandha. There are different talas for tandava and lasya.
Smt. Darshana performed
Prabandhas ‘Radhe Govinda’ and one on Krishna .
A swara prabhandha and Tanom
( tarana) in Tal RajMel by Surbala were well received by the enthusiastic
audience. Krishna as an acrobat and the
killing of Bakasura used appropriate movements. The session ended with a
demonstration on the Pung in Tal Daskosh of 7 beats by both Guru and the
student.
Dr. Sobha Naidu
Dr. Sobha Naidu‘s performance of various compositions of the
Kuchipudi repertoire was supported by an orchestra from her own institute,
Hyderabad Kuchipudi Art Academy. A disciple of
Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam, Sobha Naidu has carved a niche of her own
with her excellent portrayal of mythological heroines and successful
choreographic productions.
The demonstration brought to the Mumbai audience the pristine purity
of the art of Kuchipudi with all its feminine graces and lyrical beauty.
The performance began with Satyabhama Pravesam from Bhama Kalapam
which in its full Natya Natakam form would need three days of five hours
duration each day to complete. Her guru had edited it to a two hour performance
without losing its characteristic essence. The symbolic ‘Jada’ (plaited hair)
is hung over the screen (tiraseela) held by two dancers. Satyabhama executes
six varieties of footwork and 41 hand gestures standing behind the curtain.
This was followed by the conversation with her confidante Madhavi where she
describes her beloved Krishna in myriad ways. Sobha
excelled in portraying the shringara rasa laced with sweet shyness in ‘Siggayanamma’.
An excerpt from the Ramayana ballet ‘Jagadananda karaka’ followed where Smt.
Sobha Naidu, assisted by her students performed to Tyagaraja’s composition ‘Samaja
Vara Gamana’. The protection of Viswamitra’s yagna in the forest by the young
Rama and Lakshmana, Ahalya Shapa Moksham, Sita Apaharanam and Jatayu moksham
were some of the episodes covered in this item. One is not sure whether the
item was edited to suit the time frame but the rather skeletal choreography of
each episode was not completely satisfying to the rasikas.
Padmavathi Pravesam from the natakam ‘Kalyana Srinivasam’, and a
Tarangam ‘Nanda Nandanam ‘ were adequate to demonstrate the stylization in
Kuchipudi .This was followed by a spirited version of the Javali ‘Vani Pondu’
in which a heroine (nayika) ‘shows her anger, indifference and hatred towards him in various ways.’
Ignored by her lover for many days, the nayika is enraged to find him
stealthily creep into the house early one morning. She calls her maid and asks
her to tell him,’ I have had enough of his company. Ask him to go out.’ Sobha’s
uninhibited abhinaya for this piece brought back many fond memories for many in
the audience of earlier performances when Sobha‘s technical brilliance and expert
abhinaya had earned her the reputation as one of the topmost artistes of
Kuchipudi. It is to the credit of the organizing committee of the
Shanmukhananda Sabha who remembered to honour this exponent by inviting her to
participate in this symposium.
Ms.Anita Ratnam
‘Floating Across Borders’ Traditional motifs in group choreography’
was the title of Ms. Anita Ratnam’s paper submitted for the symposium. Using
the free flying kite s a metaphor, Ratnam claims that she wanted to be like
it,’ with no boundaries, no borders, no religion, no nationality.’ She ‘has
repeatedly returned to the ‘aksaya patra’ of tradition which has never been
empty of ideas or inspiration ‘for her work. She was assisted by Revathi
Shankar, the popular singer/actress who has captured everybody’s hearts with
her ‘Nara
In the demonstration she chose to discuss the choreographic ideas
explored in the production ‘Nachiyar’ which was to be staged the next day. “A piece
of unstitched cloth , the genius of Indian artistry,” was used as a stage- screen (tiraseela), a
canopy, to denote a sanctum
sanctorum, mirror, water, garland, a
garbha graham, a drape and even a flute.
A composition of Revathi Shankaran ‘Penne penne’ was a strong
statement on the position of women in society. They seemed to be caught in a
figure of eight (8) where they are in constant motion in a journey of selfless service
that leads nowhere.
Describing today’s dance scenario Ms. Ratnam stated that earlier
dancers danced in close proximity to the audience, in temples or small
enclosures. Today the auditoria are huge, distancing the dancer from the
audience. So when the performance space
has changed, the dance too has to adapt itself. Groups are more entertaining
than a solo, and anyway there are not many opportunities for solo
performances. Group dances also meant a
different kind of training where the understanding of space in relation to
others plays an important part. The group formations on the stage freed the
dancer from ‘the tyranny of the centre’, she said. The entire space opens up to
you and there are no restrictions on space.
Choreography for a piece on ‘Nightmare’ was accompanied on an
unconventional soundscape of instruments like clappers, wind-pipe, cluster
rattles and wooden castanets. In the central idea of this piece, the
protagonist dreams of falling off a cliff. The movements reflected the fear and
chaotic thought process that underlies the action. The classical vocabulary can
thus be used to great effect to portray contemporary subjects.
Anita Ratnam is an enchanting blend of the modern and traditional.
Blessed with a charming personality, she is a statuesque beauty who projects herself
with supreme authority and confidence. Her total involvement, professionalism
and dedication to her career are impressive. She imparts a sense of beauty and
aesthetics to her art, surely a stamp of Kalakshetra training.
Nachiyar by Anita Ratnam
One watched
‘Nachiyar’ with mixed feelings. The effect was illusory. Andal the devotee
never surfaced. The familiar story line, the images of the early morning
rituals, a selection of the time-honoured lyrics- it was all there. Inspired by
the story of Andal, the heroine was “recast as a radical woman, whose passion,
stubbornness and poesy made her the earliest voice of feminism.” Yet one missed
here the powerful image of the father figure which offset the endearing essence
of Andal’s youthful innocence. One wonders in what context Andal may be termed
a feminist. She was steeped in tradition, a staunch devotee and a spiritual
poet, the qualities which set her apart from similar Kuravanji heroines. Anita
elaborated on the famous line ‘Karpooram Naarumo’ as the main body of the
production.
Revathi Shankar
as the foster mother, Anita Ratnam as Nachiyar dominated the cast which
included four girls and two male dancers. The dancers were competent but they
wore not even minimal makeup. Their blue/pink costume blended with the dark
blue backdrop and dulled any visual effect that was planned. The procession of the
idol and the concluding Thillana were cleverly choreographed. The music was of
a high standard with Jyotishmati (Vocal), Jagadeesh (mridangam) carrying the
show on their able shoulders. A temple
sevakan
Dr. Ambika Kameshwar
Dr. Ambika
Kameshwar is the founder –director of RASA (Ramana Sanritya Alaya), which is
dedicated to the rehabilitation of children with physical and mental retardation.
Music, dance, drama and crafts are used as developmental tools.
As dancer,
choreographer, teacher and musician, Dr. Ambika has been reaching out to children with her arts. Her doctorate was
based on her research towards the system of movement application as therapy.
She has also trained in Bharata Natyam, Kuchipudi and creative dance.
The paper
entitled ‘the Use of Natya as a Holistic Development Tool’, Dr. Ambika quotes
the Natya Sastra extensively to describe Natya. ‘Natya’, she states, ‘gives
courage, energy, intellectual development, relief from sorrow, fame and general
good. In fact Natya and its performance is an education in itself.
Development is a
continuous process of qualitative change in a person which occurs from the
cradle to the grave. Smt. Ambika ‘s contention is , and rightly so, that Natya
is an enjoyable non-threatening medium to experience life’s lessons. Children
in need of special care also need help to function in areas of everyday
activities where interaction with society is expected. A developmental
programme is therefore designed to include training in mobility, language and
communication skills, and even self –expression.
Giving an
example of exactly how this is put into action, Dr. Ambika explains that normal
movement like walking, jumping, turning or skipping is incorporated into a
dance to assist in gross motor development. Training is given in hasta mudras,
painting and making costumes for fine motor development. Above all, it is a fun
experience, the best way to develop without constraints of rigid expectations of
a fixed standard performance.
Dr. Ambika has an
effervescent personality. Bubbly, enthusiastic and bright, her rapport with the
audience was instant. She called upon the audience to come and participate in
her experiments in creating tableaus, and improvise on word suggestions
prepared by her. In spite of the time constraints, she could put across the
ideas of her programme effectively.
Sachin Shankar
Sachin Shankar and
his wife Smt. Kumudini are beloved figures on the art scene in Mumbai who seem
to have an endless fund of energy and enthusiasm. His lecture and the demonstration by his
students was an entertaining and enjoyable session. Born in 1924 in Varanasi
In his paper
‘Dance in Symphony’ Shankar states that it is moment of deep gratification when
one completes composing of a production.
He claims to have first used the word ballet in 1953 to name his
productions. The everlasting beauty of Indian classical dance will ever remain
the sole inspiration for creative dancers, he said.
Creative dance
is the medium to tell the story of today. Here classical dance has its
limitations. Why have we lost the sense of appreciating Mother Nature’ beauty,
the full moon, flowers or the ocean? This is one of the first lessons that a
dancer has to learn. To appreciate one’s surroundings, and an awareness of the
environment leads to creativity. One must be able to tell a story about any
object, animate or inanimate.
Sudha Shibe, the
dance teacher of the group, and other dancers demonstrated the art of
responding to beauty by holding a branch of a tree and dancing with it. Sachinda,
as he is affectionately called, demonstrated many classroom techniques like
variations in walking, group and solo tableaus showing joy, sorrow etc. Such
exercises expand the mental horizon and helps in honing imaginative skills in
choreography.
The use of
props, like strands of ropes, creates visual beauty and open up creative
possibilities. The same rope could be a barrier, partitions, or transform into
water when shaken. Lyrics and song are not important, Sachinda said, and we do
not have to interpret it word by word. The essence and spirit of the song is
important. Concentration and meditation exercises are as important as mental
images must be formed in the mind’s eye for visual expression.
Every part of
the body, the hip, wrist shoulder and neck should move with discipline and must
be used for maximium effect. This was the Uday Shankar magic mantra which
created the snake-like movements of the undulating arms.
Although the Shankar
style has a very strong foundation, and audiences are open to contemporary
productions, there seems to be no direction for artists in this category.
Sachin Shankar bemoaned the fact that sponsors are hard to find and “we are dancers, composers, financiers, and
the sufferer when we want to stage any production.”
Priya Darshani Govind- Bharata Natyam Performance
Priyadarshini
Govind, an artiste who is receiving extraordinary appreciation for her
performances, performed in Mumbai after a long time. A dusky beauty with
luminous eyes, she was a surprise packet for many connoisseurs in the
distinguished and discerning audience that evening.
Presenting a
refreshingly traditional style replete with a strong adherence to correct
bodyline, Priya began the recital with Pushpanjali (Aarabhi). The music was of
a high standard, featuring young vocalist Deepu.K.Nair, M.S. Sukhi
(nattuvangam), Vinod Kumar (violin) and T.Viswanathan (mridangam). The
musicians were controlled, evocative and added an unhurried strength and repose
to the performance.
‘Nityakalyani’
the popular Ragamalika kriti (Rupakam) told the story of Madurai Meenakshi from
her birth to her marriage to Siva. Priya depicted the episodes in an
imaginative manner. The four thirmanams were unobstrusively introduced without
breaking the flow of the 40-minute item.
A student of
Kalanidhi Narayanan for abhinaya, Priya displayed a myriad emotions fleeting
across her face. However she maintained a strict formality in her hand
movements and refrained from depicting any coquettish mannerisms. In the ashta
rasa slokam Sive Sringara , Priya depicted each rasa very briefly before going
to the padam ‘Siva Diksha Parulunnara’. The heroine here has taken a monastic
vow and was a devotee of Siva. Her lover accosts her where she is engaged in
rituals. She tells him to go away, and not disturb her vows. But while her lips
speaks thus, her heart speaks another language. Priya’s depiction of this
dilemma was indeed enjoyable.
The javali
‘Samayamithe ra ra’ was a contrasting situation where the lover hesitates at
her threshold, while she encourages him to come right in. This is the ideal
time for you to come and spend time with me, she says, my husband is away and
my father-in-law is safely asleep.
The
Krishnakarnamritam slokam describes the scene when Krishna
and Balarama enter Kamsa’s court. Each person reacts to them according to their
relation to the two young boys, while Kamsa sees them as Yama, the women see
them as innocent youth. The gopis fall in love with them and the gopas regard
the as a friend. Priya excelled in showing the varying reactions of the crowd
in quick succession.
A kavadi chindu
by Oothukadu (Mayil Ondru) took the performance to a medium paced conclusion to
be followed by a Thillana (Kadanakuthuhalam by Dr. Balamurali Krishna)
Vande Mataram
brought the recital to a meditative end. Priya ably compered the show herself
with an earnestness and humility rarely seen in today’s dancers.
What happens when
a group of achievers in a chosen field come together and give an exposition of
their accomplishments? What is the aim of such an exercise? As observer and
participant one has attended various such gatherings in the dance and music
arena. The observation has been the same. The theme of the symposium is largely
ignored by the participants. No issues are addressed. No valid or tangible
conclusion is arrived at. The combined forces of artistic minds and creative
personalities can create magic. Each such gathering should offer a tangible
effect to unify our arts and spread awareness. The many problems that beset the
arts must be solved. The doubts of younger artists must be clarified. New
path-breaking efforts must be projected. The organizers are faced with the
challenge of dealing with a temperamental bunch of artists with varying
requirements. The logistics of herding them together from different parts of
the country itself is an onerous task.
And when one knows that such a magnificent job has been executed by
volunteers for the sheer joy and love of arts, it deserves a round of applause
for the people behind the curtain.
The symposium
began with an unusual invocation to Sri.Ganapati through dance. President
V.Shankar stated that the Sabha is continuing its journey of fifty years with
renewed energy. He took justifiable pride in the fact that the Sabha had
completed a hat-trick by holding three symposia for three consecutive years. He
pointed out that our classical dance has an ancient history, but carries with
it marginal changes in the passage of Time .
It would be appropriate therefore to pause and examine the traditional
and the transformation at this moment.
The erudite
speech of Shri L.M. Singhvi of the Indira Gandhi National Institute of Arts
delved deep into the subject of Choreography. He paid homage to the founding
father’s of SSFAS, Prof. T.V.Ramanujam , R.S.Mani, and Dr.V.subramanian who had
passed away recently. He plid glowing tribute to the spirit of the Sabha which
rose phoenix –like from the ashes after the mishap. The story of the Sabha , he
proclaimed, is a singularly important epic in the history of arts in our
country.
The Art of Composing Dance- a
Symposium held on November 8, 9, 2003
What is a
symposium? It is a meeting of professionals for discussions on a particular theme of their specialty. What
happens when a group of achievers in a chosen field come together and give an
exposition of their accomplishments? What is the aim of such an exercise? As
observer and participant one has attended various such gatherings in the dance
and music arena. There is a concerted attempt to address the theme of the
symposium. Allied issues are raised and sometimes valid or tangible conclusions
are arrived at. The combined forces of artistic minds and creative personalities
can offer guidelines and make a meaningful contribution of an academic nature.
To ensure that this happens, the organizers should draw up a strict format to
be followed by the artistes. Each such
gathering should offer a tangible effect to unify our arts and spread
awareness. The many problems that beset the arts must be solved. The doubts of
younger artists must be clarified. New path-breaking efforts must be projected.
The organizers are faced with the challenge of dealing with a temperamental
bunch of artists with varying requirements. The logistics of herding them
together from different parts of the country itself is an onerous task. And when one knows that such a magnificent
job has been executed by volunteers for the sheer joy and love of arts, it
deserves a round of applause for the people behind the curtain.
In the Dance
symposium under review, the artistes were requested to speak and demonstrate on
the art of composing dances –choreography. The top-ranking veterans like Dr.
Padma Subrahmanyan, Smt. Kalanidhi Narayan, Dr. Smt. Kanak Rele, Shri.Sachin
Shankar, Guru Adyar Lakshman, Guru T.K.Kalyanasundaram, Smt. Darshana Jhaveri
and Dr.Sobha Naidu did not address the theme directly. Their exposition was
a presentation of their work in the
field and not entirely relevant to the symposium.
It was difficult
to pin them down and ask questions. The large student audience participated
with great enthusiasm and when their questions were asked, the concerned
artistes were not present.
The younger artistes
like Anita Ratnam, Jhelum Paranjape, and Ambika Kameswaran addressed the choreographic
theme, spoke of their ideas and how they used them in their work. Smt. Nalini
Raghu and Smt.Asha Joglekar gave academically focused lectures and used their
students to effectively demonstrate their ideas.
One of course
wished that one entire slot could have been reserved for discussion when all
the participants are present. Time is the essence and when one artiste does not
respect the time warning and eats into another’s participant’s time the
organizers are hard put to even out the situation. The organizers of this dance
symposium achieved this to a great extent and one must express our appreciation
for the excellent teamwork and efficiency with which the event was conducted.
The symposium
began with an unusual invocation to Sri. Ganapati through dance. President
V.Shankar stated that the Sabha is continuing its journey of fifty years with
renewed energy. He took justifiable pride in the fact that the Sabha had
completed a hat-trick by holding three symposia for three consecutive years. He
pointed out that our classical dance has an ancient history, but carries with
it marginal changes in the passage of Time.
It would be appropriate therefore to pause and examine the traditional
and the transformation at this moment.
The erudite
speech of Shri L.M. Singhvi of the Indira Gandhi National Institute of Arts
delved deep into the subject of Choreography. He paid homage to the founding
father’s of SSFAS, Prof. T.V.Ramanujam , R.S.Mani, and Dr.V.Subramanian who had
passed away recently. He paid glowing tribute to the spirit of the Sabha which
rose phoenix –like from the ashes after the fire mishap. The story of the
Sabha, he proclaimed, is a singularly important epic in the history of arts in
our country.
Sri Subbudu, the
eminent critic, could not be present due to ill –health. His Keynote Address
was read out by Dr. P.N.Krishanmoorthy, Principal of the Sabha’s music school.
No comments:
Post a Comment