Promising Youth

Here is an opinion article by Leela Samson, a well-known dancer and director, Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai featured in the Hindu.

Spirit of daring

LEELA SAMSON

Chennai’s famed December season of music and dance showcases the talent of a number of young performers. What does this infusion of young blood hold for the future of the classical arts?

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Can anyone say that young artists do not live for their art or are any less committed than their mentors?It is time to pack our bags! There is no reason to delay it in my opinion. Although the truth is harsh, yet, in the world I live in, it is true as gold.Youth in the dance scenario are taking our breath away. They are bold, ride roughshod, are rude and often do not listen to words of caution. Much of what they do may be hackneyed stuff in new packaging. It is often far too complex and clever for my liking. They are copycats and do not shy from hiding it. They are not subtle. They will steal an idea and even a theme, as it comes out of the fire from a senior dancer.

Nevertheless, for the moment they are speaking true. And there are some among them who do some original thinking as well. Luckily for us, it is still difficult to do an ‘easy take’ of a good padam!

So what are they up to? I do not meet enough of them to know and cannot speak for them all. But I have met a few who are putting all their eggs in one basket for this season’s offering and am in awe.

A flair for rhythm

The young and very talented K.S.R. Anirudha, son and scion of the renowned dancer, Prof. Sudharani Raghupathy and trained under another legend, the mridanga vidwan Umayalpuram Sri K. Sivaraman, is a recipient of several State awards and is already known in the field for his particular interest in the varied rhythms of dance.

He has a flair, of that there is no doubt. He accompanies students of Shree Bharatalaya and has already released CDs and now DVDs on unusual concepts, besides accompanying senior dancers like his mother. He has provided the soundscape — rhythms and lyrics for several of Anita Ratnam’s productions.

He also writes poems in Tamizh and is popular for his embellishments of dance recitals per se.

This year, he is pivotal to the new production that Shree Bharatalaya presents ‘Mammudha’ on the theme of Manmatha, a role his mother will play. I do not know too much about the production, but was struck by the commitment of this young man.

To launch a large production these days with pre-recorded music is no mean matter. To produce a professional audio track for a dance drama can cost anything up to Rs. 12-15,00,000! Add to that, the time taken to have the production researched, the music scored and recorded, the choreography completed before recording begins, the costumes readied for 30-odd dancers, rehearsals scheduled and you are talking about a year or more of hard work.

At the end of it, no assurances of how this mammoth production will be received by a restless and unforgiving audience. The young man is only 30 and I look forward with excitement to a long innings from him, of work related to dance.

Preethi Athreya is another young person who is ‘thinking’, said the article I read on her this week by Gowri Ramnarayan! I am not sure I agree with the byline. This somehow implies that the traditional dancer does not think or is not intelligent, but I do not disagree with the choice of Preethi.

Beautiful expression Her recent work titled “Porcelain”, showcased at The Park’s New Festival was only 40 minutes long. Now you have to have some conviction to do just that and say no more. From what I gather, she worked with a European musician who draws inspiration from the sounds of porcelain. Preethi photographed the fragile porcelain objects and was inspired by the minor contours formed in the pieces.

These inspired movement and without any one form dominating another, one was witness to a beautiful expression on stage, aided admirably by some very deft lighting and projection of the photographs as a backdrop to the work. Once again one is witness to that spirit of daring and conviction which rises above the work and its outcome or acceptability.

Nurturing a dream Closer to home, I am witness to the madness of a young man who has nurtured a dream for some years. I am proud to have him as one of us here in Kalakshetra. Like Anirudha, he too has won a national award at a relatively early stage of his career and has, in the few years I have known him, taken huge strides forward in every department of his work. He dances solo, takes major roles in our dramas, plays the mridangam deftly, sings well, is a teacher who is loved and, most of all, inspires others to hard work.

Sheejith Krishna has carried this tale in his heart, collecting every bit of material related to it, from films, to costumes and properties, and pictures of places and events. The story is alien — Alexander Dumas’s “Masquerade”: The Man in the Iron Mask. Inspired deeply by the story, he had it translated into Tamizh by that wonderful friend to all dancers and scholar par excellence, Prof. Raghuraman.

Having done that, his young wife Jyotishmati, a true partner and talented musician began scoring the music for it. Another friend Deepu Nair, a musician and self-taught wizard on the computer who worked on recordings, was the third musketeer in the drama. It is satisfying to mention that all three are degree holders from Kalakshetra. Whatever money Sheejith earned from small shows went into the purchase of odd bits of costume. Only when he began to grow his hair and refused to cut it was I let into the secret.

Collective spirit It is this obsession and the collective spirit of these young people that moves me. They were already on the job when I offered to take it on as Kalakshetra’s new production for this year.

Did we ever work like this, I wonder? Can anyone say that these artists do not live for their art or are any less committed than their mentors? Were we as talented or driven as they are? How can you put such enthusiasm down?

Source: The Hindu

Filed under: Aniruddha, Arts, Bharatanatyam, Bharathanatyam, Chennai, Dance, Dance Gurus, Institutes, Kalakshetra, Masquerade, NRI, Performing Arts, Sheejith Krishna, Sudharani raghupathy, Three Musketeers, artists, awards, choreograhers, choreography, do's and don'ts for dancers, experiences, leela samson, promotion, review, students, talent, titles, upcoming artist

DVD releases

Vyjayantimala Bali has launched two DVDs, Sri Andal’s ‘Sanga Tamizh Malai’ and Tirumangai Azhwar’s ‘Siriya Tirumadal,’ both being solo dance-dramas, choreographed and presented by her. The DVDs compiled from live recordings, were released by K.Parasaran, former Attorney General of India and received by Mrs. YGP at Bharat Kalachar. These products are being brought out and marketed by eParampara Infotainment under their Kalakriya series and will be available by Pongal at leading stores like AVM Sound Zone, Music World, Landmark Limited etc.

Vyjayantimala’s earlier Bharatanatyam DVDs, compiled from live recordings, namely Aradhana and Sampradaya, are already available in markets across the country.

Sudharani Raghupathy releases a VCD based on Abhinaya titled “Dancing”. This VCD begins with “Pallandu Pallandu pallayirathandu” the verse from Divya prabandham and ends with a Javali. The compositions featured include “Thathai Mozhiyal”,Kalyani raga, Evvade O bama in Sankarabharanam , Subrahmaniya Bharathiyar’s “Asai Mugam”. in Jonpuri,and a Javali “Geliyai Ponathadi” in Behag. As said earlier this VCD gives importance to abhinaya pieces and not nritta. Plesant watching for a relaxed evening says the reviewer, Charukesi in Kalki

The Music has been composed by Madurai.N. Krishnan.

Voclaist: Nandini Anand

Mridangam:K.S.R. Anirrudh

Violinist:Vijayaraghavan

Price of the VCD:Rs. 350(INR)

Available at Sri Media Solutions, 8, 2nd cross road, Mogappair West , Chennai-95

Source:The Hindu and Kalki Tamil Magazine

Filed under: Abhinaya, Aniruddha, Arts, Bharatanatyam, Chennai, DVD, Dance, Dance Gurus, Performing Arts, Shree Bharathalaya, Sudharani raghupathy, VCD, Vijayanthimala Bali, artists, choreograhers, choreography, learning, promotion, review, students

So what’s new?

What exactly makes a presentation novel? Three young dancers share their views with Gowri Narayanan in their interview featured in the Hindu.

“ Except for the stars with assured audiences, dancers know that the margam, however well-honed, and in the best style, has few takers, unless framed differently. Apart from the natural changes that come in with the times, and personal growth in life and art, dancers are compelled to recognise that the tag of novelty is vital. ‘Mammudha,’ not ‘Manmatha’. Packaging is all.

How do artists satisfy their own urge to create without forcing themselves to do something offbeat for novelty’s sake? Bharatanatyam artists Sheejith Krishna and Gayathri Balagurunathan from Kalakshetra have been recognised for their group and individual choreography. Gayathri has also worked with the innovative Sarabhais at Darpana Academy, Ahmedabad.

Both have premiering works this season: in ‘Masquerade’ at Kalakshetra, Sheejith transforms Alexandre Dumas’ novel into Tamil dance drama, while Gayathri’s ‘Aran Adal’ is her take on the eternal theme at Hamsadhwani. After ‘Mammudha’ premiered this season, lawyer K.S.Anirudha is best known as the lyricist and mastermind behind the dance drama.

All three snatch time between their rehearsals and shows to share their personal take on that eternal conundrum: so what’s new?

Sheejith begins, “Bharatanatyam is as much my language as my spoken tongue, to interact with students, audiences, and myself. As I try to communicate better with it, the ‘new’ happens, naturally. But this ‘new’ has to fascinate me first.”

For K.S.Anirudha novelty is variety in presentation and brevity in content. “Today if someone narrates the whole Ramayana in two hours for ‘En Pallikondirayya,’ the audience will either sleep or exit.”Less depth and layers, but how many viewers are knowledgeable enough to regret that?

“Whether people understand or not, I like to stay within the classical, the aesthetic,” Sheejith interpolates. “But what’s classical? Once they called Therukoothu folk, now it’s classical,” Anirudha argues. “Be truthful to the grammar of the form, and do everything you like within it,” Sheejith counters. Gayathri laughs, “You need sound foundation in the grammar for such new take offs! Trying new things is not just to please others, it’s to learn so much more.”

Familiar but unperceived

A new world opens when alphabets are combined to make words, sentences and paragraphs. “Finding the language makes you identify its spirit and pull it out into light,” says Sheejith. ‘New’ can be something familiar, but hitherto unperceived.

Sheejith believes that Bharatanatyam is not confined to Hindu thought, mythology and epics alone. Any ambience or culture can be depicted by this universal genre. Anirudha who has used multi-arts and multi-genres in his work warns, “Not unless it sheds Carnatic music.” Sheejith has to agree. Has he not used an orchestra for his ‘Masquerade’? Its Mohanam is something else.

With greater exposure to the global world, novelty is an elusive, even illusive concept. Fusions, blends, blurring borders are all natural corollaries of widening frontiers. From her Darpana days Gayathri knows that even old wine in new bottles will have different flavours. “In Mrinalini and Mallika Sarabhai’s choreography, Kurukshetra echoed female foeticide, dalit oppression and terrorism. We found our identity as individual dancers from different stylistic backgrounds as we drew our feelings within that boundary.” All three agree that media support is essential for survival.

Think different and you instigate change and progress. A Thota Tharani Ganesha is a splash of colour, unlike anything from temple wall or Thanjavur painting. “But it makes you think, you can’t take it for granted,” agrees Anirudha. This demands an open mind. “For any experiment I expect sympathy, tolerance and ‘biaslessness’ from audiences,” he insists.

Adds Gayathri, “And the patience to watch!” She believes that clarity in thought and getting that thought in the body will find its target. “Do it for yourself first,” warns Sheejith. “Work hard,” comments Anirudha, and muses, “But mediocre work is also practised hard. So who’s to say what’s good?”

Sheejith answers at once, “Definitely I’m doing good work. I trust my intuition. I’ve to be clever like a journalist or politician to communicate my message, can’t cheat. The audience — lay or informed — has to take something back: values.”

“Aha!” exults Anirudha. “You’re coming to my side: make it accessible, lokadharmi.” Gayathri laughs, “I believe in spirituality, meditative spirituality beyond creeds. It will touch hearts, unfailingly.”

Filed under: Aniruddha, Bharathanatyam, Gayathri Balagurunathan, Kalkshetra, Madras dance Festival, Sheejith Krishna, artists, choreography, upcoming artist