Tête-à-tête with Navia Natarajan

Here is the unabridged text of Soumya Tilak’s interview with Navia Natarajan Menon . An edited version of the interview was published at Carnatic Darbar

In this day and age, when a lot of students of dance are lost to the IT industry or some other demanding careers, there are a handful of them who realize what they’re truly meant to pursue, and take the brave step toward it.

Navia Natarajan is one such student, who realized her real calling, literally while performing laboratory experiments as a research assistant. In her own words, “I would sit in front of an experiment and start to think of an item.” This isn’t surprising coming from someone who was attracted to the divine art form of Bharatnatyam at the age of 3 and was on stage at 4, although her formal training began while she was 7, under the tutelage of Smt. Radhika Kalyani, in Chennai. In just 3 years, she was on the dais, performing her maiden solo dance performance – “Arangetram”. The year after that, she was awarded the CCRT (Center for Cultural Resources and Training) scholarship in recognition of her talent. Later on, she trained under Smt. Padmini Ramachandran, in Bangalore, while pursuing her Master’s degree in Microbiology at the same time.

After her move to the United States, her bond with Bharatnatyam only grew stronger. She started the Navia Dance Academy to instill this pristine art form into other young students and bring out the wonderful dancers within them. She has given numerous performances in India, United States, United Kingdom, as well as the Middle East. She visits India every year to continue her advance training under Guru A. Lakshmanan and Bragha G. Bessell, as well as give performances.

The Department of Culture, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India awarded her a scholarship in the field of Bharatnatyam in 1998. Following that, she won the top prize in Bharatnatyam at the Yuva Sangeet Nritya Mahotsava conducted by South Central Zone Cultural Center in Belgaum, Karnataka. In recognition of her talent and efforts to elevate the cultural standard, she was awarded the Kalakusuma Award by the Aryabhata Cultural Organization, Bangalore, in 2000. In 2002, she won the competition held by Tamil Nadu Eyal Esai Nadagamandram, Government of Tamil Nadu, which gave her the opportunity to perform at several prestigious dance festivals in Tamil Nadu. She was upgraded to a top-grade auditioned artist in the “A+” category at Prasar Bharathi, Doordarshan, New Delhi in 2004. She is an empaneled artist of ICCR (India Council for Cultural Relations), New Delhi, since 2007.

Read along to know what Navia has to say in our tête-à-tête.

BN and WWW: When, where and how did your dance lessons begin?

Navia Natarajan: I was formally initiated into dancing at the age of 7 under the guidance of Smt Radhika Kalyani in Chennai. But it was at the age of 3 in Cochin, when I apparently saw our family friends taking dance lessons. I believe I was so mesmerized by the sheer beauty of it, that I asked my mother if I could also take classes. This is what my mother told me. That’s how I embarked on this journey. I was 4 when I first took to the stage for a folk number. We then moved to Chennai when I was four.

BN: Nowadays the dance field is losing a lot of students to the IT Industry or some other demanding career. You hold a Masters degree in Microbiology and have also worked as a Research Associate for a Scientific Research Foundation in Bangalore. How did dance fit into your schedule amidst all that? What would you tell students of dance who want to pursue or are pursuing a professional degree as well?

NN: Frankly speaking I have never analyzed all that. The reason being ever since I was a school going student, I was also a student of dance. Dance classes and classes at school went parallel to each other. This was possible only because my parents backed me and supported me thro and thro. There was no room for excuses for not having fared well in studies or dance. All of it was meant to be a part and parcel of my life. I doubt if during my early school days I was even aware of the intrinsic meaning of the word “dedication” or for that matter “passion”. I probably went about it like a normal chore. After I performed my arengetram in Chennai. My father got transferred to Hosur.

Hosur is approximately an hour away from Bangalore. He and my mother used to drive me to Bangalore every weekend for my dance classes with Guru Smt Padmini Ramachandran. We then moved to Bangalore.

During my high school days, ones the day ends I would rush to the dance class looking forward to doing the adavus or learning an item. While in college I would do the same except that at times I would be exhausted after all the experiments that had to be conducted. Even while at work the routine was the same, but the approach started to change. I was beginning to feel a tug at my heart. An emotional bonding that was surfacing towards my conscious level.

But even then, I used to only treat it as a hobby. It was during my days as a research assistant that I felt a deep urge to take dancing seriously. I would sit in front of an experiment and start to think of an item. That was an eye opener. That is when I decide to take dancing seriously.

So all that I would like to tell students of dance who want to pursue a professional degree is that, try to handle both and do justice to both. Never confine yourself, never limit yourself with self-inflicted “it is tough” thoughts.

I was able to juggle all this solely because of the constant encouragement and support of my father Mr. M. Natarajan and my mother Varada. They served and still serve as an impetus to fuel my passion and goals. After marriage, I also have my husband Rupesh who is a pillar of support, though he [is] still in the process of understanding the significance of dance in my life.

It may seem absolutely impossible, but it has possibilities as Nelson Mandela rightly put it “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” There will be a point when, they will be able to decide with conviction if they want to take up dance as their career or some other field.

BN: You have worked with dancers from different styles. Your initial training was in Vazhuvoor Bhani, you have collaborated with Madurai Sri. R. Muralidharan, you have worked with Malathi Iyengar and you continue advanced training with A Lakshmanan, who runs the Nrithyalakshana School in Chennai and Bragha G Bessell. Tell us about your working experiences.

NN: It is interesting, when one collaborates with artist of exceptional caliber. One gets to understand another artists working method, how their experiences mould their expression and vision, the kind of hard work they put in to produce and launch their productions. It has been a very enriching experience and I feel deeply honored to have worked them.

My advance training with Lakshman sir and Bragha akka has been extremely gratifying. While with Lakshman sir I am learning how to understand the body, the precision of body lines, how an amalgamation of grace and energy can enhance a performance, with bragha akka I am learning ways of interpreting a line, a passage, the kind of episodes that can be used to articulate, how even a slightest movement of the hand or a small twitch of a facial muscle can change the color and context of the item.

I derive a lot of inspiration from them, their attention to details and above all their total commitment and dedication to the art forms.

BN: Was it difficult for you to move to US as a dancer?

NN: Interestingly, it was actually after reaching this land that my personality underwent a progressive change. My dormant senses were aroused. Things that would have never crossed my mind earlier where all making their presence felt.

As initially I was unable to work here, I would spend a lot of hours contemplating. In India my life was fraught with activities I never had the time nor the inclination to spend some quality moments with myself. It was here that I actually became sensitive to my own personality, my needs and interests. So I would say that, it is this land, which, has actually been instrumental in the process of metamorphoses.

But having said that I do go to India every year to learn and to perform. I do miss India, its vibrant, energetic life. I often look forward to going to India, absorbing and basking in its rich cultural tapestry. Rushing for programmes amidst rehearsals, trying to understand another artists approach to art, themes, and interpretation without any bias. I savor the whole process of rejuvenating ones senses in India.

BN: You currently teach in US. Do you find a need for a different teaching strategy or adaptation of the teaching methods used to train students in Bharathnatyam students in India, while teaching at US? How about the difference in teaching Indian students vs. NRI students in US vs. Foreign National students, especially because the latter are not that aware of our traditions?

NN: To be candid, I began teaching only couple of years back. I was in Denver initially and with in a couple of years I moved to California. So basically I have been dealing with students who have just been initiated into Bharathanatyam. They all are still learning the steps /adavus. So right now I am not employing any strategy. But yes I have heard other teachers expressing difficulty while trying to teach them interpretive dancing. I am yet to face it. Will cross the bridge when it comes.

BN: You have performed both in India and abroad. Generally, the conception is that in India, the audience is a bit more familiar or informed or knowledgeable about Bharathnatyam, than in other parts of the world i.e. a foreign audience. Do you think it is so? If yes, can you share with us how you experienced that difference?

NN: Yes, performing in other parts of the world is quite different. That is because our Indian classical dance forms are steeped in philosophy and mythology. We as Indians are able to relate to it, as all this has been a part of our growing up in India. It is a way of life for us. We take pride in being a part of its rich heritage.

While performing nayika oriented piece say a varnam, in India we can go ahead and perform it without a lot of hassles as to whether the audience understand it or not. But in other countries, I have experienced that one needs to explain the emotional plight that the woman is in, what thoughts or desires she is journeying thro, and how the plethora of gods such as Shiva, Rama or Krishna are just protagonists in the piece. Emotions be it love, hate, anger, humor are all universal, so when an artist presents these pieces to a foreign audience we just need to package them in away that they will be able to relate. For example I recently did a piece “indendhu vachitivira”, where in a kandhitha nayika rebuffs Lord Venkatesha for being unfaithful to her. Here the audience did not know about the lord but were able to see the turmoil in the nayika.

If we take our mythological stories, there are Protagonist who are not ideal characters to emulate, some characters have shades of grey in them, some are perfect to revere and theses shades of characters can be found in all and sundry irrespective of the age/ era their hail from.

Foreign audiences do appreciate neat lines, the geometry in the execution of our steps and our grand eloquent movements. So I personally believe our art forms have various layers of meanings and contents. It is how we use those layers skillfully to present it to foreign audience. Presenting our items to them also help us to sit back and reflect on our work.

Well with the limited exposure that I have had, this is what I have felt and perceived, but then again probably I would be able understand it more as and when the journey unfolds.

Therefore a lot of dilemmas and perplexities [exist] but then I guess that is the whole beauty of being an artist, coastally evolving.

To learn more about this promising dancer and her upcoming performances, visit www.navianatarajan.com

Filed under: A.Lakshman, Arts, Bangalore, Bharatanatyam, Bharathanatyam, Bragha Bassel, Dance, Performing Arts, artists, talent , interviews

Rasa Unmasked by Sutra Dance Theatre

“Rasa Unmasked- Wisdom of India, Invoked and Savoured”

“Rasa Unmasked is a new dance work touring Australia and South-East Asia in March and April 2009. It is a sensuous, vibrant performance and the result of a remarkable collaboration, between:

Rasa Unmasked is a sensuous, contemporary dance work that sheds new light on India’s most vital aesthetic theory. The performance premieres in March in Sydney, Australia – before an international tour to Malaysia, Singapore and India.

Rasa Unmasked is the result of a collaboration between Anandavalli & Australia’s Lingalayam Dance Company, Ramli Ibrahim & Malaysia’s Sutra Dance Theatre and ethnomusicologist / composer, Alex Dea – all pioneers of classical art forms in contemporary contexts.

It is a stunning collaboration, seducing Malaysian dance doyen, Ramli, back to Australian shores after more than 25 years, since his time as dancer and choreographer at the Sydney Dance Company.”, says their Media Publicity pages

To watch a video

Find more videos like this on All Around You

Event Calendar

The Australia shows have concluded

Malaysia
KL :April 7th -12th:  Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, KLPac Website
Penang April 15th: Dewan Sri Penang, Penang, Penang Show Website

Singapore
April 19th: Theatre Studio, The Esplanade
India
April 22nd: Chowdiah Hall, Bangalore,
April 25th: Chinmaya Heritage Centre, Chennai
April 28th: Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi

For more details, reviews and to buy tickets visit: http://rasaunmasked.wordpress.com/media-release/

Rasikas vote (watched it- pl vote)

Filed under: Australia, Bangalore, Bharatanatyam, Bharathanatyam, Chennai, Dance, India, Introduction, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Madras, Malaysia, Male Bharathanatyam dancer, Performing Arts, South Asian Dance, artists, choreograhers, choreography, contemporary, dance drama, experiences, program, promotion , Delhi, Ramli Ibrahim, Sutra Dance Theatre

The legacy of Swamimalai K. Rajarathnam Pillai lives on…

Here is a reproduction of my interview with  Mrs.Jaya Kamala Pandiyan and Ms. Nrithya Pillai, daughter and grand daughter of Guru Swamimalai K. Rajarathnam Pillai for Carnatic Darbar

Guru S.K. Rajarathnam Pillai

Guru Swamimalai K. Rajarathnam Pillai (1931-1994) needs no introduction to Bharathanatyam rasikas. Doyen among natyacharyas, he was known for his musical talent, brisk jathis, elegant nattuvangam and choreography skills. A recipient of Kalaimamani, Natya Selvam and Sangeetha Kala Sikamani, he was an acclaimed teacher, propagating the Vazhuvoor style of Bharatanatyam. Malavika Sarukkai, Priyadarshini Govind, Srinidhi Chidambaram, Ramya Harishankar, Vidya Subramaniam and Sujatha Srinivasan are among his illustrious students.

“Rajaratham retrospective”, a commemorative dance programme on the occasion of his 77th birth anniversary on July 3, 2007, also brought out a booklet containing a fine compilation of his biographical details, and interesting recollection of memories by his daughter and students . This can be accessed at http://rajarathnalaya.blogspot.com.
Mrs. Jayakamala Pandiyan is his daughter and Ms.Nrithya Pillai his grand daughter. Mrs.Jayakamala Pandiyan resides in Bangalore, where she teaches Bharathanatyam. Nrithya Pillai, her daughter, currently pursues her undergraduate studies in Journalism. She continues her advanced training in Bharathanatyam and also trains a few students. Sangeetha Shyam interacts with them on very many subjects.

What are your early memories of your guru?
Jayakamala Pandiyan: When I was born, my father was an assistant to my grandfather Padmashree Vazhuvur Ramiah Pillai and was busy singing and performing nattuvangam for the great dancers like Kamala Lakshman and others. He used to have programmes almost every day. And, he was always on tour and busy with rehearsals. In fact, he used to tell me that he named me Jayakamala as I was born on the day he was away for Kamala Lakshman’s programme.

I am the last child after two sons and I was not very healthy since the childhood. Naturally, he never insisted and forced anything on me. He was also busy and did not have time to spare. Initially, there were no dance classes conducted at our home, as the house was very small. He would leave the home daily in the morning and return only late night. It was my mother who took care of us all and she was really a taskmaster. As a father, I remember him calling me `thangachi’ (younger sister). In our families, elders call daughter as `thangachi’ and son as `thambi’ (younger brother) and not by their names. Later, I asked him not to call me so as I did not like it.

As I was not a physically strong person, falling sick a lot many times, I could not be good in sports and other outside activities. But I was compensating in studies, music, dance, drawing and literary activities. I studied in Children Garden School in Mylapore, where appa was teaching Bharathanatyam for some time. I was given prominence in cultural functions. To out-beat others,I waited for my father to come home late night and made him to teach me. He used to teach me some good songs and steps at 11.00 p.m. in the night. Poor soul, after all the hectic rehearsals elsewhere, he would be exhausted and yet did not complain to teach. However, he would teach only once and go to sleep. Next day when he woke up, he would see me practicing seriously and improving further on that. The first song he taught me was “Jayathi jayathi bharathamatha” in Begada, and I got first prize in the first standard by singing this song. He taught me “Thathodaga thaam Pushpanjali” and I used to dance it with my own singing very often in the school. This late night teaching could not go on for long, as we shifted to our own house at Saligramam, a suburb in Chennai. Since it was far off from Mylapore, most of appa’s time went in traveling.

On the other hand, it was advantageous that he started his own dance school by name Kamala Kala Nilayam in 1970, [which was renamed as Rajarathnalaya Bharatha Kalai Koodam by our grandfather Vazhuvur Ramiah Pillai ] where I could learn dance with the group in the formal method. By this time, he was no longer working with my grandfather, but had his own students like Anuradha Jagannathan, Jothi, Banu,Vimala Ramanujam, Ramya Harishankar, Charubala, Jayashree and Rajshree Shankaran whom by themselves started having their concerts and thus he became busy again. At this stage, he was also doing nattuvangam and singing for Kanaka Srinivasan, Vyjayanthimala, Komala Varadhan, [Kamala] Radha and others.

This was the period which he took to establish himself on his own. It was also the period when I was very close to him. I still cherish those memories when he used to sing with rare sangathis while travelling from Saligramam to Mylapore. I used to envy people who sat next to him in the bus. After about ten years, he started having a supporting vocalist in his concerts but I would insist that only he should sing some special songs like baro krishnayya, krishna nee begane baro, chinnanchiru kiliye and ragas such as kalyanavasantham, sindhubairavi, karaharapriya, manji [Varugalaamo], devagandhari and suruti.

Nrithya Pillai: I remember thatha (grand father) mostly sitting in the hall on this laid back cane chair and moda (on which we had this kuchi palagai) teaching his students. He was a man filled with music. I remember him singing lullabies in neelambari for me. He used to call me kuttiyamma, and the lullaby used to go this way “ Kuttiyammava yaaradicha”. I never saw any kind of ego or even any kind of awareness that he held possession of so much knowledge. He was very easy to approach. As I was very young then, my memories are restricted.

Did you get to watch his classes closely?

Mrs. Jayakamala and Ms. Nrithya Pillai

JK: From the year 1975 onwards, he started getting fame. Students from abroad and other Indian states had started coming, staying and learning from him. From Kerala, many sincere students came. I had the opportunity to see how patiently he taught them. Other than dance, he used to take personal interest to guide them properly for their future. Many Keralites, who came to learn dance for the purpose of entering cinema, got proper guidance from him and went back to their village started teaching this art back home. They were quite successful at this too. He was very much wary of the cine field and, hence, did not want to go for any choreography even when many opportunities knocked his doors, as we were living in the Kollywood area of Saligramam.

How was it to learn from your father?
JK: Until if was eight years of age, my father had time to take me out in the evenings, especially to Vidya Bharathi School where he was teaching Bharathanatyam. I sat for more than three hours to observe and learn. After shifting to Saligramam, seniors like Mrs. Kala Shankar and Mrs. Kamakshi Jayaraman, who were having classes on their own, came to him to learn nattuvangam, teaching techniques and jathis. My mother would not allow me to study if this class was going on. She would push me to this class and my father reluctantly allowed me to sit for this class. But he was surprised to see me pickup the jathis at that early age and this helped me to start teaching the students whenever my father was away for concerts.

Though I was assisting him in teaching and doing nattuvangam since I was 14, I was very much afraid of singing and taking classes when he was present at the class. Once the students leave the class, he would correct me and teach me how to maintain kaala-pramanam and so on. He would never appreciate me on my face, but many a time told his colleagues such as Ms.K.J. Sarasa and others about my potential. She used to tell my mother that he was proud of me as I was good in studies and teaching dance. My father started telling parents that the students would be more comfortable with me to learn as I had more patience than him.

He would take me to music and dance concerts and ask me to put thaala for swaras and jathis. Muthusami Pillai thatha would appreciate me if I put thaala for his jathis without missing. This practice helped appa to compose more jathis with different nadais, for which I was the assistant to continuously follow with thala.

What was his approach to teaching?
JK: He was a man of patience, perseverance and perfection. Many a parent came to him with faith and he strove hard to meet their expectations. There were many instances when the child brought by parent’s compulsion would start loving the art and would not be willing to go home. The famous dancers of today Ms. Vidhya Subramaniam of the U.S. and Priyadharshini Govind have mentioned that they developed interest in dance only due to the excellent teaching methods of my father. I have never seen him scolding any of his students. He would say everything positively. He used phrases like “You can do better if you practice”, “I expect more from you”, “I have broken my head to do this choreography, if you don’t do, my efforts will become waste” to bring out the maximum from his students.

NP: We all remember thatha as a man who never got angry. I was his pet, but then even to his students he would never show anger or disappointment. He was a very patient man. And, he had an openness that you find rarely in teachers. Since was not a performer, he could digest different ways in which students could do the same steps. He was a great Carnatic singer. Yet, he would listen to Ghulam Ali’s Ghazals and make beautiful sangadhis of those numbers. He was a person who was ready for a change.

How was it to learn from your grandfather?
NP: I don’t remember amma or me learning from thatha in a serious teacher- student realationship. We learnt something just by being around him. When I was four, thatha made a recording of pancha nadai on the mridangam. When I, as a toddler, did steps for it, he would run into the kitchen and call ammama, his wife, to come over and watch my antics. He would appreciate me for it. I grew up watching the performances of Malaveeka Sarukkai, Srinidhi Chidambaram, Sujatha Sreenivasan, Priyadharshini Govind and many others when they were learning under thatha. I sang all those songs and danced alongside them in the sabhas while they were dancing on stage. There were times thatha used to make amma put the thalam, while he was choreographing jathis.

I have heard that he altered the choreography to suit his individual students… can you tell us about that?
JK: Students from the U.S., Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Kenya and Canada came to learn from him. They had learnt from other schools and still he could transform them and bring them to his own style without much strain. He would make the class interactive and he preferred individual classes because he choreographed each item according to the capacity of the individual student. Same Annamayya krithi will take different forms when taught for senior dancers like Malavika Sarukkai and other performing dancers of the day. From morning 6 a.m. to night 9 p.m. same Nadhanai azhaithu vaa Kambodhi varnam would be done by different students in different formats. One with flexible limbs would be taught with more mandi adavus; one with more skill in abhinaya would be taught with more sancharis; and one with excellent thaala gnana would be taught with tough jathis with different nadais incorporated.

NP: Yes, we always could see visible differences when he choreographed for different people. He would incorporate more mandi adavus and difficult poses for the students who were better at nritta. He kept in mind the height, the flexibility, strengths and weaknesses of the students before he choreographed. Thatha had this philosophy that “dance offers something for every body”. It is all about emphasizing on one’s strong point and reducing the stress on one’s weak points and finally giving a visually pleasing outcome. If I think about it, thatha’s choreography for Malavika Sarukkai was much more sculpturous compared to the choreoraphy of others. Srinidhi akka’s was more abhinaya-based so on and so forth.

Tell us about your class. How similar and how different are your teaching methods?
JK: I was teaching in my father’s school for more than 15 years under his guidance and supervision. He, as a teacher, would give more freedom for his students to put in their thoughts and creativity into their dance. That was the reason why he could produce maximum number of professional dancers. Likewise, he also gave me freedom to teach in my own way. Whenever there was more than one dancer to be staged, he used to appreciate if I suggest any formation and change of hands etc.

My method is almost similar to his. I don’t try to change much. I have had the opportunity to watch more concerts of other style dancers and this has forced me to adopt certain changes. Still, I guess, I have not deviated from my father’s method. I learnt Bharathanatyam theory from Mrs. Krishnaveni Lakshman and I was fascinated by her way of teaching. I learnt Carnatic music from Dr. S. Ramanathan and all my gurus were known for their excellent teaching. I wish God gives me more energy and patience to learn more and teach more.

It is getting harder by the day to see which parampara a dancer hails from. Dancers seem to borrow the Kalakshetra’s precision, the grace from Vazhuvoor and a few karanas from Bharathanrithyam. What is your take on this blending approach?
JK: If you ask me, I would say all of us hail from Bharathanatyam parampara. My father himself learnt from Vazhuvurar, Tiruvalaputhur Swaminatha Pillai (Mrs. Nirmala Ramachandran’s Guru) and Mylapore Gowri Ammal. Here in Bangalore, many students ask me whether in Vazhuvur style it is compulsory for all the steps to be accompanied by attami (neck movement). I was really surprised. There is no written rule anywhere that this style is like this and the other style is like that. I would welcome this blending approach as long as the final outcome is enjoyable.

NP: I don’t know about thatha or amma on what they think or thought, but I definitely have a different opinion. I don’t give as much importance to style and bhani as some others do. I think everyone has an individual style. One must do what they are best at. I don’t believe in competitions, in saying who is doing better abhinaya or better nritta. I think a dancer’s space has become restricted. We have every one emphasizing on aramandi, footwork, this and that. In the process, one forgets about the soul element. I see many a performance, where the dancers are trained full on, but they lack something. So, when you go back home and think about what you saw, you don’t really remember. I also see some perfect in all aspects, but they create a memory for you to take home. I think it is this that matters.

One more thing is that I feel that dance is a sensuous art form. Do what you may; it is an art where you show your body and form. When some people try to make it clinical it loses its charm. So, I think when you are aware of your body and you know your assets and you know to carry a message to the audience, you are deemed to be a good dancer. It doesn’t really matter which bhani you belong to. In fact, I feel miserable when I see people discussing dancers and calling them as good or bad, or saying someone is unto no good or some one is just great when things are all adjudged based on some very critical standards.

How has guru-shishya relationship changed with years in your view?
NP: I think there is a drastic change in the guru-shishya relationship. If I expected the same kind of respect that thatha’s students offered him, I would be disappointed. But respect in today’s scenario has changed. My students are my friends too. They are my young friends. They are more open in discussing stuff both on dance and beyond. In fact, amma keeps telling me to maintain some kind of professional behavior with my students. But then, I like to have a fun-filled class, which is joyous for both me and the youngsters. Amma follows a more rigid attitude.

JK: During the olden days, i.e. my grandfather’s period, I heard that students had bhaya-bhakthi (bayam – fear, bhakthi- devotion) towards their teachers. In fact, my father never talked to his guru face to face because of that baya bhakthi. In my father’s period, there was bhakthi only. Now, there is neither bhayam nor bhakthi, only friendly relationship. It is good. I feel that respect towards guru and the art is to be insisted, because it is the respect given for the knowledge and experience. To a certain extent, we should follow our tradition. Otherwise, we will forget our roots.

Tell us about others in your family who share a similar interest in the Arts.

JK: Both my brothers were very good singers. My father never encouraged us to come into this field, as he found it very difficult to come up in this field. He was prejudiced, I think, because of his bitter experiences. Later when we were settled with good jobs, he felt the vacuum and he brought my aunt’s grand son i.e. his sister’s daughter’s son Swamimalai Suresh and taught him nattuvangam. He grew in our family as my younger brother and now he is doing his best following my father’s tradition. My daughter Nrithya Pillai is very much interested in this art. My father used to be enthralled by her dancing and singing when she was young. There were times he would call us all from the kitchen and all over the house, for us to see her dancing. She has been awarded a scholarship in dance by her school Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan and has participated in all my group performances in Chennai, Chidambaram, Sirkazhi, Devakottai and other places. She has also given solo performances in Bangalore and Chennai. She writes to news papers and web portals about dance concerts. She has taken up the family tradition of taking dance classes and wishes to do more in this field. Also, my brother’s daughter Madhumitha and my son Arvind are good at singing. I am sure, in the years to come, they will all show more interest in this art form to keep up my father’s name.

What is your advice to upcoming dancers and students?
JK: In today’s world, the very word “advice” is not liked by the youngsters and, therefore, has no relevance. The following are my observations and suggestions for them. Upcoming dancers and students are very talented and capable of catching up things faster. In the process, they should not forget hard work and patience. These two qualities play a major role in bringing out excellence in any art form.

Contact email:

Mrs. Jayakamala Pandiyan: rajarathnalaya2000@yahoo.com

Ms. Nrithya Pillai- nrithyapillai@gmail.com

Filed under: Bangalore, Bharatanatyam, Bharathanatyam, Carnatic Music, Chennai, Dance, Dance Gurus, History of Bharathanatyam, India, Institutes, Madras, Malavika Sarukkai, Nattuvangam, Performing Arts, Priyadarshini Govind, Vazhuvoor, choreograhers, choreography, experiences, learning, students , interviews, Jayakamala, Nrithya Pillai, Rajarathnalaya, Ramya Harishankar, S.K. Rajarathnam Pilai, Srinidhi Chidambaram, Sujatha Srinivasan, Vidya Subramaniam

Hind Rattan Award for Malathi Iyengar

Malathi Iyengar

Malathi Iyengar, choreographer and artistic director of Rangoli Foundation will be awarded the prestigious Hind Rattan Award on January 25, 2009, eve of India’s Republic Day, at the 28th International Congress of Non Resident Indians in New Delhi & Jaipur.
Given by the NRI Welfare Society of India, the Hind Rattan Award (Jewel of India) honors Malathi Iyengar for her outstanding achievement and contribution in art & culture.
Iyengar, by special invitation will be observing India’s Republic Day parade (which showcases India’s military, economic and cultural life) along with other award recipients at Rajpath from VIP Enclosure..
For more information, please visit http://www.nriwelfaresociety.com http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hind_Rattan

Filed under: Arts, Bangalore, Bharatanatyam, Bharathanatyam, Dance, Dance Gurus, India, Malathi Iyengar, NRI, Performing Arts, Rangoli Dance Company, South Asian Dance, USA, artists, awards, choreograhers, talent

A Chat with Malathi and Lakshmi Iyengar…

   This is the draft of the interview with Malathi and Lakshmi Iyengar that I did for http://www.carnaticdarbar.com/

 Malathi Iyengar, choreographer and artistic director of Rangoli Dance Company based in Los Angeles inspires a lot of aspiring dancers with her astounding choreographic skills and excellence in Bharathanatyam. What makes Malathi very special is her effortless balancing of Home and Career. She truly reassures the women who wonder if such a fine balance will ever be a reality… While moving and living abroad may have a lot of stress associated with it, Art and Culture can bring in a little more than just the stability that one craves for…  

 Malathi was nurtured in an artistic environment amidst tradition and art. Her parents Sharada and Venkatachalan were actively involved in not only pursuing their own training in vocal music and the violin, but were also key figures in organizing music concerts, religious discourses called Harikathas and Gamaka Rupakas for Rama Navami Festival and other community events in a small village called Soladevanahalli (near Hesaraghatta, home of Nrityagram) in Bangalore, India. Her marriage to Suresh Iyengar, a practicing dentist in Los Angeles at the age of nineteen took her to LA.  Suresh is an accomplished sculptor and a visual artist. He supported Malathi’s passion for the fine arts. She began her dancing lessons along with her daughter Lakshmi with Guru Narmada. Her dedicated journey in the domain of Bharathanatyam has been instrumental in the establishment of the Rangoli Foundation of Art and Culture.

 

Rangoli Foundation for Art & Culture, a non profit organization was established in 1985 to realize a creative vision of presenting visual and performing arts of India.  Rangoli, the traditional Indian Visual art symbolizes Beauty, Hope and Tradition.  And it is from this Visual Art that the Rangoli Foundation derives its inspiration and has presented a wide variety of dance performances, festivals, music concerts, guest artists, visual arts exhibits, residencies, master classes and staged several productions ever since its inception. Rangoli Foundation is committed to developing cultural awareness and inter-cultural dialogue through the artistic expressions of dance, music, theatre and visual arts. The foundation brings renowned tradition bearers, dancers and musicians from India to the United States, often for the first time to work with company artists. In August 2004, Rangoli Foundation published ‘Dance & Devotion’ the first book written by Malathi Iyengar. Rangoli looks forward to celebrating its sliver jubilee in 2010.

Malathi  and Lakshmi Iyengar talk to us through this email interview. A few of the questions were addressed to Malathi and a few others were directed to Lakshmi. The mother and daughter dancers also share their hopes and vision, showing us how tradition and innovation can complement and supplement each other…

1.      How hard was it to adapt to living in the US after being raised in a village near Bangalore, India?

Malathi : I came to US in 1974 and there were not too many Indians at that time. It took several years to get accustomed to a foreign place because I was young, did not have friends or my immediate family members here. After I joined college and work, it got better as I started to have some identity, connections, and friends.

2.      I have read that you started learning Bharathanatyam along with your daughter, just out of interest and to be in a better position to coach and guide her. Tell us about this learning experience and what made you take it up professionally.

 Malathi: I was in my early thirties when I started dancing along with my daughter. Initially it was only to help her with the practice. Slowly I got hungry for more knowledge and experience. My teacher Guru Narmada was the main person who encouraged me to keep at it and take up performing, teaching, and also sat next to me and had me do nattuvangam for my daughter’s program.  She was generous and very giving.

 

3.      How did you manage your time while taking up higher learning at the University of California, Los Angeles? You were a dance student, teacher, and most importantly a wife and a mother all at one time!!!

 Malathi: Going back to do graduate program at UCLA was one of the most challenging periods in my life as I had to wear many hats and still be polite and courteous to all. This is mainly because I had to be a student all the time at home and outside of home.  It was also the most fruitful experience as it opened my eyes to endless possibilities. Had I not gone to do MFA in Choreography, I would have not had that edge or another perspective to dance making. I had to stay focused and have single minded devotion to learning. My family was very supportive, yet we all had our moments. When I went to UCLA in seventies, I pursued Graphic Design. Later in during 93 – 96, I concentrated on Choreography. I feel visual arts and performing arts go together. My experiences at UCLA both times have been very profound and necessary.

4.      Your choreographies have a geometrical aspect about them, not only are the spatial arrangements very balanced and neat, but the costumes never scream for unwarranted attention. They look like paintings/rangoli drawn in space. Tell us about your choreography process and how your interest in visual arts helps you with this.

Lets watch a Rangoli Dance Company titled  “Sacred Geometry”

Malathi: I generally like neatness in dance. I do not like clutter or meaningless movement. A strong choreographic piece begins with a strong intent and blossoms further. Elements like time, harmony, expression, body language, balance, level changes, speed, silence, grouping, space, shapes, jumps, leaps, transitions, all matter.  I put myself in the auditorium very frequently while I am choreographing. I often question myself – Will I sit through this dance ?

Pacing is very important in choreography as it affects both cast and audience.  I try not to have hierarchy in my works unless a particular character commands attention. I feel as a dance maker, it is important to make each cast member look, feel, and dance his/her very best regardless of the duration of the piece or the stage time given to a particular dancer.

I don’t get all ideas in one day. The thoughts come sporadically or sometimes in random sequences. I usually jot them down or try them on some of our dancers. Before I go to the studio to teach the choreography, I generally have multiple images and ideas. Sometimes ideas generate after seeing a dancer move in a particular way. I teach quite a bit in one session. I pack lot of material in a class. I give generously and I expect a lot from a dancer too.

I usually develop scripts, write out all scenes, entries, exits, rhythmic structure, narrative sequences, and then get music composed. Usually I need 2 – 3 years to develop and stage a piece.

Having  a visual arts background is very essential. The imagery and graphics we create or see on paper, canvas, or sculpture can be seen and created in movement too. They go hand in hand. A dancer must look at the positive and the negative space to shape movement.

I am inspired very much by the European architecture, industrial, and product designs, specially by the Bauhaus School of Design. It has influenced my choreography quite often.

Most of the costumes since 2002 have been designed by my daughter, Lakshmi Iyengar. Her background is in dance, theatre, production, Italian language & literature, and visual arts. She has a keen eye for design and style. She creates a full visual specification for the choreography including costumes and ornaments. We both like the dance to make a statement. Costumes and other body extensions are only meant to enhance movement.

My husband Suresh Iyengar creates sets made out of stone, wood, metal, and Styrofoam. His work is completely traditional and fits some of our works very well.

Now Lakshmi, Malathi’s daughter joins us in this conversation. Lakshmi Iyengar, a Bharatanatyam dancer is the disciple of Malathi Iyengar, guru Narmada, & Bragha Bessell. Lakshmi has also trained in Odissi from Nandita Behera. Lakshmi has performed extensively all over the USA, Canada, and India, including the December music and dance festival season in Chennai and Bangalore. As a lead dancer for the Rangoli Dance Company, she has performed in all choreographic works of Iyengar. Lakshmi, a recipient of the Alliance for California Traditional Artists 2004 Award, has received multiple Lester Horton dance award nominations for outstanding achievement in Performance. With two decades of dance experience and training in film and video production, Lakshmi has been a production designer for Rangoli productions since 2001. Lakshmi has studied Italian literature and theater at the Universita’ di Bologna, Italy and worked for the Cineteca di Bologna. Lakshmi has a B.A. in Theater (Production Design) and Italian from the University of California, Los Angeles. Lakshmi is currently pursuing a degree in Masters in Entertainment Industry Management at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh. 
The Los Angeles Times wrote “…Iyengar brought technical skill and emotional involvement to the solo, adroitly matching steps to the rhythms of the accompaniment in some moments but elsewhere managing to float free of the music, her concentration taking her deeply into a world of gods, demons and miraculous transcendence.” Visit Lakshmi’s website at www.lakshmiyengar.com

 How easy is it to learn a traditional Indian Art in Alien soil?
 Lakshmi: Learning a traditional Indian art in another country is not an easy journey; it takes a special kind of commitment, passion and determination to continue pursuing the art form for any number of years. I would like to note that my parents played a vital role in helping me cultivate my dedication for dance. Seeing that we are so removed from India, I can understand how one would lose interest in their artistic career, however I strongly feel that the people closest to you can create a strong support system.  

 Did you feel comfortable of this fact among your peers in the earlier stage?
 Lakshmi : By nature, I’ve always been a rather shy individual, especially when it comes to sharing my skills with others.  I think I spent a great deal of my adolescence finding a comfortable ground upon which to share my love for dance with my peers, it was difficult because Bharatanatyam is so different from anything my peers had ever seen before. Today I find it is much easier to share this part of my life with my friends and colleagues, essentially because we have all matured and developed our own level of respect for the arts.
 
How do your classmates view this today now that you have established yourself as a professional artiste?
Lakshmi : I’m very fortunate to have the kind of support and encouragement from my peers, especially because most of them are non-Indian, and have very little exposure to the classical Indian arts. Yet they come purely to support my family and our love for the arts.
 
How is the interaction among upcoming dancers in US?
Lakshmi : I find the interaction between upcoming dancers in the US to be a developing relationship. Because we are all second-generation artists who have unknowingly become keepers of Indian tradition and culture, there is a special connection we all share though we may not necessarily be close friends. There is certainly a healthy coexistence amongst artists born and raised here because we understand what it takes both in India and in the US, to be considered ‘established artists.’
 
Have you chosen to be a full time dancer/teacher/choreographer?
Lakshmi : I have not chosen to be a full time choreographer, dancer or teacher. This does not mean that I will ever stop dancing. I personally feel as though it is important to establish security not only in the arts but in our careers as well, therefore I have chosen to divide my time between dance and work.
 
How do you allocate time for practice?
Lakshmi : The classical arts require attention and time, therefore it must be taken seriously and one must simply make time for it. I like to practice in the morning; I feel it works the best for me because I feel the most alert in the mornings and it further creates time to proceed with the rest of my day. 
 

How similar or how different are your approaches to Bharathanatyam and choreography?
Malathi: I think I have shared my thoughts regarding this in part 1 of the interview. I approach Bharatanatyam as a way of life and culture and am unable to separate from my daily activities. In order to create, I must recognize and feel a certain urge within me. The need to choreograph or create a narrative or a technique piece is a divine process and it sprouts when I feel this spark or urge.
Lakshmi: I think my mother and I are similar yet different in our approach, I believe we have the same taste in what works and what do not, however our individual methods of approach vary.
 
Do you agree that it is easier for NRI kids/ foreigners to attain physical perfection and proficiency in Nritta, whereas it is harder for them to grasp and present the abhinaya rich pieces?
 Lakshmi: I agree that it is easier for NRI students to attain proficiency in Nritta over abhinaya, however it must be made clear that it is not impossible. I often feel as though abhinaya is like learning a new language, and the best way to master a new language is to live and experience the culture from which the language originates. With that being said, I believe presenting abhinaya pieces with proficiency can be achieved by immersing oneself in India’s culture – along with a great deal of practice of course!

 

 Indian and Western Audience- Do you find a difference between them?
 Malathi: The audience is different and as performers and choreographers we receive different types of feedback and fulfillment. The works also have to be catered many times according to the audience.
 
Tell us about the teaching methodology you adapt in your dance school. How varied is it from your Guru’s style?
Malathi: My guru enjoyed and specialized in creating pieces for a soloist. She was a prolific creator and in an instant would come up with umpteen varieties. She choreographed according to the strengths of a dancer and therefore custom designed the dances. She was a master in her abilities. My style of teaching is a combination of various influences.  I like choreographing both solo and group works.  I am very much inspired by my guru Narmada’s working ways and methodologies drawn from my graduate studies at UCLA. I have arrived at a path that is comfortable for me.
 
Your upcoming projects?
Malathi: I am visualizing our company’s upcoming 25th Anniversary celebrations in 2010.

I sincerely thank Malathi and Lakshmi Iyengar for graciously consenting to do this interview and sharing their experiences/views/thoughts with us, despite their packed schedule.

Filed under: Arts, Ashta Nayikas, Bangalore, Dance, Dance Gurus, Institutes, Malathi Iyengar, NRI, Nattuvangam, Performing Arts, Rangoli Dance Company, South Asian Dance, USA, artists, choreograhers, choreography, do's and don'ts for dancers, experiences, learning, students , interviews

Dance as a sibling?

Madhu Natraj article featured  in The Asian Age reads…

Dance is my sibling”.

Bizarre, pompous, precocious? But in my mind there is no ambiguity about this statement.

I have always felt that my mother (also my Guru) first conceived dance and then I was born!

My earliest memories are of watching rehearsals, playing with Ghungroos, reciting “bols” and subjecting unsuspecting guests to my own brand of movement.

Through all this was a quiet presence, my companion, my sister – dance.

Yes, dance is a woman, oozing Shakti, sensual, rebellious, demanding, at times unapproachable, raw, impulsive, gentle and completely indispensable!

Another interesting excerpt from the article

Legendary dancer Betty Jones (Limon technique) class was first. Next was Sara Pearson, looking like a New Age hippie. Her Rajasthani cap got me even more agitated about my pending shopping expedition.

Sara asked each of us to create 20 movements out of our index finger. I thought she had gone nuts and to add to my discomfort, she made me demonstrate my… (ahem) choreography!

And then it happened.

She said, “If you can create 20 movements with three of your joints, given your whole body will you ever be short of creating – movement?”

To read this complete article click here

Thanks to Mr.KT for providing us with the lead and link

Filed under: Arts, Bangalore, Bharatanatyam, Bharathanatyam, Conference, Dance, Dance Gurus, Performing Arts, artists, choreograhers, choreography, contemporary, do's and don'ts for dancers, experiences, learning, students, talent, upcoming artist , Madhu Natraj. Maya Rao

Aanandaa Festival Bangalore

The annual thematic music and dance festival in Bangalore, Aanandaa Festival will be on from Jan. 13 to 19, 2008. The concerts will be held at the Bangalore Gayana Samaja, K. R. Road, Bangalore. There will be multimedia presentations on the theme of each days’s concert. The schedule of concluded concerts is as followes: Jan. 13 – 5 pm : Janani Iyer, Bharatanatyam followed by Mandolin concert by U. Srinivas. Theme: Compositions of Thyagaraja. Jan. 14 at 10 am : Compositions of Mysore Vasudevachar – vocal concert by R. K. Srikantan. At 6.30 pm : Compositions of Syama Sastri – vocal concert by Nithyasree Mahadevan. Jan. 15 at 6.30 pm : Veena – Venu – Violin by H. K. venkataram, Ashwin Anand and G. Ravikiran featuring seven composers. Jan. 16 at 6.30 pm – Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar – vocal concert by Madurai T. N. Seshagopalan. Jan. 17 at 6.30 pm – Compositions of Purandara Dasa – vocal concert by Saralaya Sisters. The schedule of forthcoming concerts is as follows: Jan. 18 at 6.30 pm – Compositions of Swati Tirunal – vocal concert by Malladi Brothers. Jan. 19 at 5 pm Bharatanatyam ensemble by Mudrika Foundation choreographed by guru Minal Prabhu. At 6.30 pm – Compositions of Muthuswamy Dikshitar – vocal concert by T. M. Krishna. Admission to the concerts is free. For more details, visit http://www.aanandaa.com or call 080 – 4128 9549

Filed under: Arts, Bangalore, Bharatanatyam, Bharathanatyam, Dance, Performing Arts, artists, choreograhers, choreography, dance festival, program, promotion, talent, upcoming artist , recital