Dance of/in the now!
In a powerful and particularly relevant session titled, Re-imagining Dance during the Lockdown, acclaimed Kathak and contemporary dancer-choreographer, Aditi Mangaldas took participants of the Dance India Asia Pacific 2020 on a crystal clear journey into the creative thoughts, instincts and impulses that dictated and determined her artistic course over the last six months.“True art has to breathe the life of today,” Aditi said, referring to the title of this session and how she felt it was crucial for her not to remain in the past but adapt and use her art to reflect the narrative of the now. “I have been in two apartments, away from the earth but when I look out of my window, I see the ocean and the sky changing colours. I have been fortunate in the recent past to go to the countryside, smell the grass and feel life vibrating. I had to, in the last six months, keep the dance alive in my body, mind and heart.” Aditi allowed us to understand her process with re-imagining her own dance through the lens of six central ideas/words — Contemplation, Introspection, Compassion, Rejuvenation, Conception and Celebration. What was interesting about her entire journey was the honesty with which she envisaged the art in the current context. “I had to be conscious of my new reality,” said Aditi, “I felt it was not right for me to imagine Navarasa from an earlier production the way I’d imagined it before; so what you see in the short films re-interpret navarasa through various constrictions — bars, grills in windows, bubble wraps, tiny balconies, etc.” Central to Aditi’s talk was the importance of allowing your dance to become a window to the larger world, and not merely those who have typically followed your dance trajectory, so to speak. Elaborating on the idea of Contemplation, Aditi spoke about how a stage creates a certain physical distance between the artiste and the audience but somehow the lockdown became for her, a moment to reveal, share her vulnerabilities, anxieties and every day, in the early stages of the lockdown, she began sharing her dance within the confines of her home. “It was amazing how these videos travelled through the mountains and oceans and I had heart-warming responses from corners of the globe and even though they were saying thank you to me, I felt like I was saying thank you to them for reaching out to me within the space of my four walls .” Aditi’s re-imagination was also enriched by her own introspection and consciousness of not only her reality and sense of privilege but also recognising it in a manner that is inclusive, and one that moves forward. Born out of these ideas were a series of short films that were inspired by productions in the past and fused interestingly and innovatively with imagery and expressions current to the life of an artiste in the midst of a pandemic. Amongst the many projects and ideas that were born out of this period of contemplation, introspection, conception, rejuvenation and the need to celebrate the art within us, Aditi created Amorphous — The Zero Moment, a coming together of the original work Zero Moment choreographed by her way back in 2006 coupled with her creative impulse in the midst of a confinement where the concept of time seems warped. “It feels as though I am suddenly thrown into the river along with the rest of humanity and most strangely that the river has changed its course, from the ocean to the source. And this was the genesis of Amorphous — The Zero Moment.” Equally important was the notion of compassion that Aditi emphasised upon referring to how she collaborated with Raw Mango and ThemWork Arts to reach out to the thousands of artistic families that have nearly lost their livelihoods. “I connected with my dance company, and together, we decided to look at our past production, Within which was an interplay between brutality and humanity and using footage and music and the central concept of Within, we made six short films that were an interplay of freedom and confinement, lockdown and expansion.” The beauty of Aditi’s talk was that it was invigorating for a creative person to not merely appreciate the mind of an intelligent artiste like Aditi but also find within it, inspirations aplenty to re-look their own dance, through the lens of their own realities that pulses with life as we know now. Aditi’s most powerful statement was: “My dance is bursting through my bones but stopping at my skin. But that is my reality and yet there are myriad ways to conceive art through these very difficult times.” This session was moderated by Kathak dancer, Shivangi Dake of Apsaras Arts. Up next Light Design for Bharatanatyam by Gyan Dev Singh and Appreciation of Music and Poetry for Dance by Sujatha Vijayaraghavan, tomorrow September 10, 4.30 and 5.30pm (IST)
In the light of…
“In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary,” said Aaron Rose. Listening to Gyandev Singh’s hour-long lecture on his exploration and experience of engaging with Bharatanatyam productions and lighting them, for the Dance India Asia Pacific was the opportunity to appreciate how lighting becomes a “co-creator of sorts with the dancer on stage”. “Lighting has the amazing ability to augment and hold space for the dancer and allow her/him to create and express herself/himself in a way that the entire viewing experience is enhanced.” Growing up in Chandigarh, Gyandev began by admitting that he didn’t grow up watching Bharatanatyam. “Perhaps my first exposure to Bharatanatyam that I remember vividly was a performance that I watched of Leela Samson,” he said, “I remember my parents took me for the performance and I still recall being absolutely mesmerised by what I saw. I loved how Leela Akka imagined so many objects and characters and I was completely taken in by how she held the audience’s attention there, all alone on stage with only lighting on her face, and create these beautiful images allowing us peek into her imagination.”A graduate of the National School of Drama (NSD), Gyandev’s tryst with the world of Bharatanatyam was piqued by his own curiosity of the idea of abstraction of the very nature of Bharatanatyam itself. “My constant pursuit has been to see how I can create design contexts wherein the lighting doesn’t merely illuminate the dancer/s but also is able to create a standalone narrative of its own on stage. I like the whole idea of using the stage floor to create a pattern on stage. I also continue to be fascinated by the geometry of the bodies, the lines they can create and I’m always trying to see how I can use my lighting to create a third eye.” Gynadev allowed his audiences insights into his journey and pursuit in the world of lighting through a series of examples from productions he has been a part of! Anjaneyam: Hanuman’s Ramayana by Apsaras Arts Hailed a visual treat, Gyandev talked about how he gleaned concepts from musicals to create for this mammoth productions a sonography. “I also conceptualised the idea of using projection mapping to create scenes and sceneries that looked like magical, painted backdrops,” he said. Disha: Spanda What happens when geometry and architecture decide to have a conversation with each other? Gyandev referred to Spanda’s Disha, a production where he used lighting to have a voice of its own, lighting dancers but also using the stage floor to weave interesting patterns on stage and for the audience to understand the interplay of lighting itself. “I’m also very intrigued by the idea of using lighting breaking up the body into parts and to see how each of these parts respond to lighting.” Gyandev also talked about his experiences with Thari by Malavika Sarukkai and spoke about how Malavika Sarukkai involved and included him right from the beginning of the production. “That way you understand it, in-depth from the start and start thinking about it collaboratively,” said Gyandev. He also shared excerpts from Mara by Mythili Prakash, Agathi by Apsaras Arts and The Tiger and the Bull by Ananda Shankar Jayanth. In Agathi for instance, he said Gynadev talked of how the lighting in itself became a sutradhar of sorts directing the viewer’s eye to the story. He shared a powerful scene — the boat sequence — where the lighting itself creates a pattern of a boat on stage. Here’s an excerpt: Equally powerful was a scene Gyandev shared from Parama Padam by Mohanapriyan Thavarajah of Apsaras Arts to demonstrate how “light and dance can play with each other”. Followed by an interesting Q & A, this session was moderated by Vidhya Nair of Apsaras Arts! Up next Appreciation of Music and Poetry for Dance by Sujatha Vijayaraghavan
Of words, and beyond
In yet another curation masterstroke by Aravinth Kumaraswamy, Gyandev Singh’s session on lighting was befittingly followed by a session on the importance of appreciation of music and poetry for dance by the versatile and knowledgeable Sujatha Vijayaraghavan. In a beautiful hour-long lec-dem, Sujatha Vijayaraghavan shed light on how the dance blossoms when the dancer digs deep into the poetry and the music of the dance and also offered interesting insights on how to do it, breaking it into simple, practical ways that could help enhance a dancer’s relationship with both these aspects. This session was hosted by Kritika Rajagopalan of Apsaras Arts. “You see, dance is often described as drishya kavyam, which means visual poetry and not visual drama mind you,” she said, “It’s the poetic quality of this form of dance that appeals to the rasika through the subtleties and evocative nature that it creates through the abhinaya.” How does one therefore set off their own understanding of poetry? How does one begin to appreciate and engage with poetry? Should one only be reading poetry that pertains to dance? “Not at all,” Sujatha said, “In fact you should read any poem; if you are familiar with a vernacular language, preferably your mother tongue, then that would be the best. This is because every language brings with it its own tradition, culture, thoughts, context, et al.” An important tip she shared was to always when starting to engage with a poem to interpret in dance is to find its most authentic source. “Don’t look at the internet,” she said, “Look for the right source and once you do that, attempt to find its contextual meaning. Read around the word looking to see what context it attempts to emphasise; try to get to what the poet is actually trying to convey.” Once you establish context and comfort, she suggested you move towards contemplation. “Read not the word,” she said, “introspect and ruminate over the poem, the words, let it marinate within and create some vibes and then after a while go back and read it again,” Sujatha Vijayaraghavan also referred to finding the poetic core and talked of the legendary Subramanya Bharathi’s compositions — a poem titled Agni Kunjondru Kanden and talked of how it allows the dancer to find in it interpretation possibilities, aplenty. She also talked of a verse from the Thurukkural and alluded to the importance of finding in those two words, the core essence of what is being said. “We know the core as finding the sthayi brava but sometimes it goes a little beyond that,” she said, “Sometimes the core may be in a single word. Like a pada varnam by maestro, Lalgudi G Jayaraman — Innam en manam ariyAdavar pOla irundiDal nyAyamA yAdava mAdhavA. The core word here, is Pola (meaning something like in Tamil), which actually reflects the state of mind of the woman who is entreating Krishna. Once you figure out the core word, your body language is dictated by this awareness. In this case, you recognise she is very much in love with him; all she wants from him is comfort and reassurance.” Speaking of music, Sujatha Vijayaraghavan spoke about understanding the ragam, layam and the sahityam. Carnatic music, she said, is ragam-based music and to appreciate it you have to listen to it, and a lot. “You have to make it a preoccupation,” she said, “Ragams are like colours; they create emotions and are evocative.” Speaking of layam, she talked of Jathiswaramn and Thillana that is an interplay of swaras but lending with its variations in layam, possibilities aplenty in terms of dance. The most powerful was the concluding piece Sujatha presented. A Pudu Kavidai by Vairmathu that was performed by them way back in 1992. “Woven around the concept of trees, this poem has no metre so it’s a challenge to set it to music and yet it has a flow. The final lines in the poem talk of how every tree is a Bodhi tree, a tree of enlightenment.” Perhaps, the hidden meaning is that there’s something to learn from everyone and seeking and learning are the best ways to enlighten ourselves! Up next on September 12, Lalgudi Thillanas by Lalgudi GJR Krishnan and Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi 4.30 to 5.30pm (IST)
Dance of Music, Music of Dance
In the penultimate webinar of Dance India Asia Pacific 2020, Lalgudi G J R Krishnan and Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi presented an hour-long live session on Lalgudi’s Thillanas that reinforced not only the ingenuity of legendary maestro, Lalgudi G Jayaraman but also the classic and aimless quality of his compositions that continue to woo, and wow performers and audiences alike across the world. Carrying forward this tradition, the Lalgudi bani, the duo, musicians in their own right and with accolades and awards aplenty, brought to fore the quintessential aspects that add a quality of distinctiveness to the compositions of Lalgudi Jayaraman. “You know, my father was often asked why he composed more of Thillanas and Varnams,” said Vijayalakshmi, “And his response to it was that his inspiration is both the laya and the melodic aspects of music and both these compositional forms allow me ample scope to express these aspects and layer it with my own imagination.” On a lighter vein, Krishnan spoke about how to a listener a Lalgudi composition may sound like “jalapeño pepper dipped in chocolate” but honestly, he said, “performing any one of his compositions requites a great amount of skill and practice”. Originally a ritualistic composition, credit to give the Thillana a face-lift and pride of place goes entirely to Lalgudi G Jayaraman who created compositions that forced people to “sit up and take notice for the way he wove into it musicality, melody, rhythm, poetry, emotions and the raga bhava, and all so naturally. In his scheme of things, nothing was ever contrived,” Krishnan said. On this day, dancers continue to dance to the compositions of Lalgudi Jayaraman and the duo spoke about how he used the concept of space in music almost like a dancer — “like the way, a dancer uses space on stage, you can see the concept of space in his music,” Vijayalakshmi said speaking also about he uses phrases intelligently and also one that defined the very essence of the ragam itself. Flamboyant in its very form and appeal, Lalgudi’s Thillanas are true embodiments of the idea of the marriage of contrasts — strength and beauty, melody and mathematics, aesthetics and freedom and restraint. “I see in his compositions, a poet, a painter, a sculptor, an architect,” Vijayalakshmi said, “He knew the colour of the notes, he used phrases like a poet, approached the laya like a sculptor and an architect and built an aesthetic edifice using them all. Quoting an example, Krishnan spoke about the popular Thillana in ragam Mohanakalyani, and talked about how when he plays it, his father almost imagined it like a deer that ran up a mountain and stopped every now and then, to look back and assess its course before it began jumping and running up the mountain. Or the Madhuvanthi Thillana, it’s almost like leaves falling down with a gentle sway and when you place the notes, it’s like you can see the leaves falling.” As a constant seeker, innovation was at the core of his compositions. Just like a dancer creates sancharis, his music too, they said, danced and had sancharis of its own. “There is in his music, an invisible continuum of its own,” Krishnan said. Here’s a little excerpt on his concept of Sruthi Bedham The lec-dem was also packed with anecdotes aplenty. Vijayalakshmi spoke about a story where when she was in college, her friend, dancer Sujatha Srinivasan evinced interest to perform her father’s composition in Kaanada. “I knew this was one of the compositions that was a part of the 8 Thillanas for Dance of Sound and I also knew my father hadn’t penned the lyrics yet. But when I put forth the request to him on behalf of my friend and suggested he could use the flower and the moon in the poetry, I remember how he beautifully did that and in hindsight, every time I think or perform this Thillana, it’s impossible to think or believe that the lyrics came after the composition was already set. To be a genius, is to be inspired and no one better than Lalgudi G Jayaraman who lives his life in a state of “being inspired”. The amazing thing about him, the duo said, was that he was so generous and equally inspired by a child as he was by a well-know dancer. It is a state we all seek and perhaps humility, empathy and sensitivity are amongst lessons wee can learn to appreciate from geniuses that created and whose compositions we continue to dance to; some literally dance, some others, like us who don’t dance on stage, let it dance in our minds! Up next is a conversation between dancers, Priaydarsini Govind and Shobana at 8pm (SGT)
God is in the detail…
The grand finale in the series of the webinars as part of the Dance India Asia Pacific 202 was Nataraja & the Cosmos by the vivacious, versatile, and knowledgeable V R Devika. In her world, when things unfold, they tumble out like stories that draw you in, and allow you to imagine, and experience the story itself. Starting off her lecture with a personal story of how she first became familiar with the world of dance, and that of Shiva, and to the world of Nataraja and Chidambaram, Devika began by acknowledging the many people who have been a part of helping her nurture her innate curiosity and interest as a “non-performing dancer” in all things to do with art, astrology, mythology, history, and culture. Her foray into Chidambaram and the fascinating world that temple encompasses began by dancing in the thousand pilar hall, with her gurus, The Dhananjayans. “I still remember it rained that evening and there was a beautiful sheet of water between the artistes’ performing and the audience sitting,” she said, “And from thereon, Nataraja for me became a passion of sorts; of course, I must say that I was first introduced to his world by the very knowledgeable Dr Nagaswami who has the ability of transforming everyone with the kind of passion he has for Nataraja.” Devika’s lecture allowed audiences a glimpse into the very layered world of Nataraja, a world that is a coming together of science and imagination. Taking us through a series of slides, and images, interspersed with stories, she spoke of the many aspects of Shiva, the formless, the nirguna, the lingam, and of course the Nataraja, Devika’s lecture was filled with facts, and interesting pieces of trivia that surround them. It isn’t a matter of coincidence that Devika’s lecture coincided on a very auspicious day — considered to be an occurrence once every 400 years where all the planets, the time-keeping tools of the universe, are supposed to be in their own respective grahams (homes) — and the lecture attempted to celebrate the innate connection between the Nataraja and the cosmos, at large. Amongst the many stories that Devika shared was one of a handsome king who had 27 wives and spent a little time with each of them, daily. Unfortunately, his 26 wives felt he was particularly partial to one of them, Rohini and spent a little more time with her. Following a complaint to their father who cursed the king and later went to amend the curse, the king grew in size a little by little every day to appear in his full form once every 15 days and disappear little by little thereafter, only to appear again. “Of course we know this as the waxing and the waning of the moon but what’s interesting about this story is that Rohini, the star in the constellation of Taurus is considered to be many light years closer to the earth and in reality, the moon, while moving around the earth actually spends a little loner time with Rohini. Now isn’t it amazing how they made up a story like this?” Devika’s lecture brought to fore the unique relationship of the gods we worship to the cosmos and talked of the “inter-mingling of science and imagination” in making them as fascinating as they are, ensuring dancers and scholars continue to engage with it, attempting to unravel layer fact and fiction, one after another. Spending time on the Nataraja itself, she also highlighted the fantastic art and iconography that it has come to be; how it incorporates the five elements, the way the hair stands horizontally, making us wonder how Shiva in this form is dynamic although static, and still even while seeming in the middle of a movement. What’s equally fascinating is how the Nataraja itself has been chiselled to detail by one sculptor after another and how artistic liberties have lead to so many similar but unique versions of the Nataraja. Like god is in the detail. Befittingly, the lecture ended with a performance by Gayatri Sachithanandar of Apsaras Arts on the famous Natanam Aadinaar by Gopalakrishna Bharathi. This song refers to the story of Agastya, Tillai in Chidambaram and the Sollukattu swaras in it, make this dance energizing, interesting and beautiful. It is a celebration of Shiva, the cosmic dancer, who balances creation and destruction.
Travel Diary
Dance for the Royalty By Seema Hari Kumar “It is not very often that you get to perform before royalty and, that being a piece that brings to life the artwork of their ancestor, makes it more than just a ceremonial treat! This is exactly how I would sum up my experience of having performed at the inaugural Ladies’ International Symposium organised by the All-Malaysia Malayalee Association (AMMA) in Kuala Lumpur in August 2016.” It is always exciting to get an invitation to perform in Malaysia because despite being the closest neighbour, the number of times a Singapore-based dance company like us performs there, are fewer than several other countries on the map. So when this invitation came to Apsaras Arts, I was really happy to be selected as part of the very small cast that was going. I recall Aravinth anna reading out the invitation and their request for us to feature segments from our production entitled “Heroines of Raja Ravi Varma” which first premiered at the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay in 2012. Its naissance was vividly etched in my mind – there were countless meetings in which Aravinth anna would bring the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma to show Maami and she would excitedly put on her reading glasses to scrutinise every detail of accessory, hairdo, makeup and fabric that the painted heroine adorned to make notes for requisition. Perhaps it was the care that both of them took to breathe live to these timeless works of art, through the music and carefully picked lyrics right up to the costuming detail, that made this a popular request by several organisers in the years that followed. We re-staged segments from this production subsequently on different occasions but what struck me was the nature of these invitations. It could not have been pure coincidence that all the prosceniums that presented the “Heroines of Raja Ravi Varma” espoused class and were for an audience that were steeped in art appreciation. Fast forward to this event in 2016, it bore semblance to these occasions in which the production was re-presented. This time it was even more special because we were to perform the highlights of the “Heroines of Raja Ravi Varma” before Her Royal Highness, Princess of Travancore, Kerala, Princess Aswathy Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi who was presiding the Ladies International Symposium. This was reason enough for me to leave my then 2-yr-old Deeksha home for the first time since her birth, on this two-night getaway to don my role as “Radha” in the production! The decision went unregretted because we had the opportunity to meet the princess up close on the day we arrived, where we had the great privilege of having lunch with her. We watched her quizzing Aravinth anna on the conceptual journey of how her grandfather’s works were brought to life through music and dance. Her unassuming personality and grounded nature were extremely humbling. I went back to the hotel room dreamily getting ready for that evening’s showcase and as the curtains went up, seeing the Princess Gowri amma in the first row first gave me a jolt of anxiety. As the performance progressed, I couldn’t help notice how her eyes lit up in appreciation when I struck the pose that her grandfather had so beautifully brushed into a painting. And just like a fairy tale, we had a happy ending to that event each one of us wistfully looking forward to the next special moment that the hero behind these beautiful heroines would bring us!
Interview
About childhood memories, lockdown reflections and questions on Bharatnatyam? A tete-tete with Anjana Anand By Vidhya Nair “It was simple. They were proud that a student from Singapore was studying at Kalakshetra, their alma matter. They spent an hour with me, walking around the campus. We went to various classes, they introduced me to others they knew in Kalakshetra. I’ll never forget Mami’s “Hi da, how are you?” She had tremendous warmth, a largess of heart which touched me,” says, Anjana Anand in this tete-tete with her childhood friend, Vidhya Nair.When we reach life’s mid-point, it’s important to look back, ponder, reflect and move forward. Anjana Anand is one such artiste who often revisits and reconfigures as she navigates through life. We first met as Malayali teenagers in Singapore, engaged in girl-talk and school banter so this conversation was a meaningful stock-take of how growing up with dance and becoming a dancer came to be. We met up over Zoom and this is how it all transpired. VN:Where are you really from, Anjana? AA: Ha-ha! The most daunting question I’m often asked! I was born in Mysore, my parents are Malayali, although I never lived in Kerala, then we moved to New York, then Singapore when I was 12 (PSLE year!) and I studied at both a local school and United World College (UWC) for 2 years and then to Kalakshetra. So, lots of unconventional moves. In the early years, I have fond memories in Mysore with my grandmother. In New York, my elder sister (Anuradha) and I were placed in a Greek orthodox convent so by the time we came to Singapore, we both spoke Greek fluently yet, we still able to adapt to a new environment. VN: How did dance get introduced? AA: First in New York with Mallika Parthasarathy. It was very informal, in basements of apartments on Sunday. One of my earliest memories was learning “Kamalalochana” (Meera Bhajan). These were gatherings of young mothers who amidst bringing pot-lucked food, engaged their children in these cultural corners while braving snow and ice. Kudos to my mother and her perseverance! For me, proper dance training began in Singapore at SIFAS. The formalised structured learning with Uma Rao initially and then with Shanta Ponnudurai. I recall that all my time outside school was at SIFAS. It was like a Gurukul. Those rickety steps at the Balestier Road campus! I loved my time there. It was a real grounding which also opened up my exposure to music through the visiting artistes we encountered there. By the 9th standard, I had decided to go to Kalakshetra. My parents were hugely supportive. My father being a doctor, was keen that we should not pursue medicine. He felt the arts is the best place to feel fulfilled and they were a huge encouragement. My sister too learned the mridangam and my mother having learned the Veena and lived as a part-time student at Kalakshetra, all this made these decisions uncomplicated for me. VN: What were your earliest memories of dance classes?AA: In New York, I loved the family environment, aunties in the background making food. At SIFAS, it was the timing, systematic syllabus, the well-dressed saree-clad teachers, it used to hold us in awe. The rigour of the class, methodical way of learning, treated in all seriousness. There was no opportunity to be bored with the discipline. VN: I can so relate to that. Tell me, how did you come to encounter Apsaras Arts and its people? AA: I first met Aravinth (Kumarasamy) in Chennai in 2010. He has since become a true friend and guide. We had initially connected through FB and met after a program at Krishna Gana Sabha. I had known of him in Singapore but never personally. Even Neela Mami, I knew of her in Singapore but there was no interaction. My earliest memory of her was in my 2nd year at Kalakshetra when I was suddenly called to the office because I had overseas visitors. It turned out to be Neela Mami and Satyalingam Mama. They were the sweetest. I was taken aback why they wanted to see me. I had been a SIFAS student, they are Apsaras, why had they come to see me? It was simple. They were proud that a student from Singapore was studying at Kalakshetra, their alma matter. They spent an hour with me, walking around the campus. We went to various classes, they introduced me to others they knew in Kalakshetra. They were shooting for their own show at Kalakshetra. I’ll never forget Mami’s “Hi da, how are you?” She had tremendous warmth, a largess of heart which touched me. When I came later to Apsaras Arts later, I reconnected and enjoyed her mentorship in the work I did in Singapore. Aravinth in our first meeting, offered and invited me to be the Guest Choreographer for his new production, “Nirmanika.” At this time, I had completed my Masters in Dance at Bharathidasan University (she had earlier completed her B.A in Music from Madras University) and I was mostly a solo performer. To take up the challenge of group choreography, it was a major breakthrough. I enjoyed working with him and the team at Apsaras Arts. The approach was systematic and a tremendous learning experience for me. The faith that Aravinth had in me to first chose and recognise me is still unforgettable. I was thoroughly impressed with the group of dancers I worked with. I had by then left Singapore for a decade. To see these working adults attending rehearsals straight after their day jobs and staying to practice up to 11pm nightly and then return to their job the next day astounded me. To see this level of commitment with part-time dancers was amazing to observe. In Chennai, you only saw this with fulltime dancers. VN: In your career, what are some of the significant dance performances you have been a part of? AA: There have been several significant performances that has made a difference in my life and introduced
Digital Performances
On the Virtual Stage On the virtual stage of Apsaras Arts, we are excited to have premiered a series of new works in the month of September. Starting with the Dance India Asia Pacific inauguration at Singapore, a collaborative presentation of three classical dance styles, Kanna Va was released, in quest of the divine love of Lord Krishna. Natya lahari was premiered by Raga online series by Esplanade Theatres on the Bay in collaboration with Apsaras Arts, featuring 14 Singapore dancers across the industry, presenting six choreographies by DIAP faculty members. In remembrance of legendary M S Subbulakshmi on her birth anniversary, “Geetham Madhuram” a digital dance presentation by Apsaras arts Dance Company was premiered. We are humbled by the encouraging support we have received from our viewers of all these new digital presentations through likes, comments and shares. On September 4th, at the Dance India Asia pacific inauguration, IndianRaga Singapore in partnership with Apsaras Arts premiered a collaborative dance video “Kanna Va.” “Kanna Va” depicts three searches with one quest for the divine love of Kanna (Krishna). A nayika who pines for another meeting with her beloved Krishna. A nayika who yearns just to get a glimpse of Him. A nayika who relives His embrace. Just as their experiences differ, so do their forms. Featuring three dancers presenting the styles of Bharathanatyam, Kathak and Odissi, Kanna Va showcases the seamless co-existence of solo abhinaya experiences in an ensemble setting. Notice how the three dancers do not have any interaction with each other yet have a common connection through their love for Krishna individually. The seamless use of a common ensemble space while showing the individual styles and expressions is a delight to watch. What makes this performance even more special is the soulful rendition of a Tamil song as the supporting music for all three dance forms – truly bringing to life the message that dance and music are beyond boundaries! Credits: Creative Director & Choreography: Mohanapriyan Thavarajah Original Music composition: Madurai R Muralidharan Singer: G Srikanth Performed by Apsaras Arts Dance faculty members: Bhartnatyam- Seema Hari Kumar Kathak- Shivangi Dake Robert Odissi- Soumee De On September 11th, Dance India Asia pacific in collaboration with Esplanade theatres on the Bay, Raga online series, premiered NATYA LAHARI, a dance presentation that showcased selected choreographies learnt at the master classes held over the years during Dance India Asia Pacific (DIAP) programme. Performed by Singapore dancers, it included three Indian classical styles such as Bharatanatyam, Kathak and Odissi, which have held regular workshops at DIAP since 2012. The choreographies featured in NATYA LAHARI were creative works by DIAP faculty members Shreejith Kirshna, Priyadarshini Govind, Rama Vaidhyanathan, Bragha Bessell (Bharatanatyam), Vaishali Trivedi and Birju Maharaj (Kathak) and Ratikant Mohapatra (Odissi). The online showcase commences with a Ganesh Vandana followed by the Kathak dance Sargam and Thevara Thirattu in Bharatanatyam. Following this Ardhanareesawara Ashtakam is presented in Bharatanatyam, subsequently a pure dance item called Pallavi delivered in the Odissi tradition, Javali in Bharatanatyam before the showcase concludes with a pure dance item called Thillana, in the Bharatantaym style Click Here.On September 15th, IndianRaga Singapore in partnership with Apsaras Arts Dance Company premiered a new work as a tribute to the legend M S Subbulakshmi on her birth anniversary (September 16). “Geetham Madhuram” is a dance presentation that brings to life 2 musical masterpieces popularised by MS Subbulakshmi – Madhurashtakam and Kurai Onrum Illai. Madhurashtakam expresses the qualities and deeds of Lord Krishna which have been described to be as sweet as nectar. The dancers dazzle as Gopis with their interpretations of Lord Krishna and bring out the experience of Madhura Bhakti (the Divine Love). The Gopis subsequently dance to the beautiful Kurai Onrum Illai melody blending into the Madhurashtakam piece. As beautifully depicted by the dancers, this segment highlights how in the divine grace of the Lord and his benevolence, there is nothing more to ask for! Immerse completely in the devotion depicted by the Gopis who also represents the relentless pursuit of the Atman to be one with the Paramaatman. Artistic Director: Aravinth Kumarasamy Choreography: Mohanapriyan Thavarajah Music composition: Dr Rajkumar Bharathi Singer: Savita Narasimhan Performed by Ashmita Prakash Kshirja Govind Nikita Menon Maanasa Sri Ganesh
Dance India Asia Pacific 2020
Special Feature “Dance India Asia Pacific 2020 has been a special experience for the organisers, faculty and participants in making it happen in the new normal braving the current pandemic precautionary measures. We are proud to have successfully completed Fourteen (14) Master Classes, Twelve (12) Webinar sessions, Six (6) choreographies during the DIAP Showcase performance, Three (3) DIAP Residency programs, Two (2) DIAP Highlight Conversations, , One (1) Panel Discussion, One (1) Kids Dance Workshop, One (1) Fringe Event, One (1) Special Choreography for the inauguration of DIAP, and One (1) SPOTLIGHT talk series, across Ten (10) days between 4th to 13th September 2020. We are pleased to have introduced Indian classical music master classes and music lecture demonstration sessions this year on this 9th edition of DIAP. Our gratitude to all the faculty and participants, who have made DIAP2020 a grand success!” says, Mr Aravinth Kumarasamy, Curator and Convenor, Dance India Asia Pacific and Artistic Director, Apsaras Arts Singapore. Dance India Asia Pacific has been a visionary annual industry development initiative on Indian classical dance education for students, teachers and performers at Singapore and Asia Pacific countries. Since its inception in 2011, Dance India Asia Pacific has expanded it’s curricula to offer master classes in several genres namely Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Odissi dance forms. Dance India Asia Pacific 2020 was conceived as a hybrid blended program with physical classroom and online sessions, in alignment to COVID-19 health advisory guidelines and observance of social distancing safety measures. DIAP 2020 also introduced Music master-class training based on popular demand. Dance India Asia Pacific 2020 was organised by Apsaras Arts and supported by National Arts Council and Esplanade Theatres on the Bay. DIAP2020 was inaugurated on 4th of September 2020 with the video messages from Dr Padma Subrahmanyam (Dancer, Scholar, Choreographer, Advisor for Apsaras Arts), Rosa Daniel (CEO, National Arts Council), Alok Nayak (CEO and Artistic Director, Milapfest UK), Yvonne Tham (CEO, The Esplanade Co. Ltd), Priyadarsini Govind (Dancer, Choreographer, DIAP Faculty since 2012), Rama Vaidyanathan (Dancer, Choreographer, DIAP Faculty since 2015), Malavika Sarukkai (Dancer, Choreographer, Speaker DIAP Webinar 2020), Aditi Mangaldas (Dancer, Choreographer, Fcaulty DIAP2020), and Sriram Emani (CEO and Founder, IndianRaga). We thank them for enabling DIAP2020 begin with a positive note. This was followed by the premier of our new work “Kanna Va” performed by Shivangi Dake Roberts, Seema Hari Kumar and Soumee De and choreographed by Mohanapriyan Thavarajah. On conclusion of a successful learning journey over 10 days, we would like to thank our faculty members for their unparalleled support and adaptability during the workshops, namely: Music faculty: Dr S Sowmya, Sikkil Gurucharan, Patri Sathish Kumar and Dr Sridhar Vasudevan. Master class Dance faculty : Priyadarsini Govind, Rama Vaidhyanathan, Bragha Bessell, Mohanapriyan Thavarajah, Aditi Mangaldas and Dr Ileana Citaristi, Mohanapriyan Thavarajah and Gayathri and Chachithanandar, faculty of Apsaras Arts for conducting the daily morning warm-up, Adavu and dance therapy session; Soumee De, Apsaras Arts Faculty for conceptualising and conducting the Navarasa for Kids workshop. Apart of the above in-person masterclasses DIAP2020 Webinar sessions ranged over a variety of topics related to Indian Classical Dance and Music in order to gain a holistic multidisciplinary learning through the week. We are pleased to enlist the detailed the write up about each of the webinar content covered by Aalaap Concepts founder, Akhila Krishnamurthy. 4th Sep: What’s Your Voice in Dance with a panel that comprised four young Bharatanatyam dancers — Dakshina Vaidyanthan, Kavya Muralidaran, Manasvini Ramachandran and Mohanapriyan Thavarajah. The conversation was moderated by Aravinth Kumaraswamy, Artistic Director, Apsaras Arts and Akhila Krishnamurthy, Founder, Aalaap.Click here 5 Sep : In Conversation with Alarmel Valli : Poetry in Movement – Click here 5 Sep: Priyadarsini Govind: The Dancing Body – Click here 6 Sep: Swarnamalya Ganesh – Evolution of the Maargam Like a rolling stone: Click here 6 Sep : Malavika Sarukkai – Re-Imagining the Solo Performance The Dance of Life:Click here 7 Sep : Dr S.Sowmya – Veena Dhanammal’s School of Padams The Aha Moment!:Click here 7 Sep: Rama Vaidyanathan – Tumris in Bharatanatyam The Dance of Passion, and vice versa!: Click here 8 Sep : Chitrasena Dance Company – Kandyan Dance Soul of the Soil: Click here 8 Sep: Dr Srilatha Vinod and Anjana Anand – Silapathikaram – Dancer’s delight Stream of Consciousness, Dance of Human Conscience: Click here 9 Sep : Dr Ileana Citaristi – Sancharis in Odissi between the lines: Click here 9 Sep : Aditi Mangaldas – Re-Imagining dance during lockdown. Dance of/in the now: Click here 10 Sep : GyanDev Singh – Light Design for Bharatanatyam. In the light of: Click here 10 Sep : Sujatha Vijayraghavan – Appreciation of Music and Poetry for Bharatanatyam Of words and Beyond: Click here 12 Sep: Lalgudi GJR Krishnan and Vijayalakshmi – Lalgudi Thillanas Dance of Music, Music of dance: Click here 13 Sep : Dr V.R Devika – Nataraja and the Cosmos – Special SPOTLIGHT Series God is in the detail: Click here DIAP2020 would not have been possible without the commitment and handwork by Team Apsaras Arts : Vidhya Nair, Vijaya Nadesan, Mohanapriyan Thavarajah, Sankari Elavalahan, Seema Hari Kumar, Periaychi Roshni, Soo Mei Fei and the support from Bethanie Xavier. The team had to work extra hard to ensure we keep the master classes safe and adhere to the COVID19 health advisory guidelines. Special thanks to Akhila Krishnamurthy from Aalaap Chennai for penning the daily reviews. Our heartfelt gratitude to our collaborators, Esplanade Theatres on the Bay for their continuous support and collaboration for DIAP since 2012, and for presenting the first ever digital performance of “Natya Lahari” – DIAP Showcase as part of their Raga series, featuring Singapore local artistes. We thank Mudra Cultural Society Singapore for their collaboration this year to present Chakkayar Koothu with artistes from Kerala. A big thank you to Aalaap Concepts, Chennai, for promoting DIAP2020 amongst young dancers in India and covering the webinars in depth and also to to Sruti Magazine, India and Focus Malayalam Singapore for the publicity for DIAP2020. Gratitude to our sponsors and supporters from stART Fund, Temasek Foundation, Arts Fund and Lee Foundation and to National Arts Council of Singapore for their support and guidance. Last but not the least, our heartfelt thanks to Dr Prashant Nayak from Milapfest UK, who envisioned Dance India in Liverpool almost two decades ago and for the continued support from Alok Nayak and Archana Sashtri of Milapfest, UK for being with us on this journey for the past nine
The Tour to Sri Lanka, which meant so much for Neila Mami
By Yashvini Raveendra “All of the dancers and the rest of the team made a vow. A vow to make Neila Maami proud and show people the talents that has been produced by Apsaras Arts. We do know for a fact that even though Neila Maami has left us, her legacy will never end. We will keep fighting for what she started and keep the spark of dance alive, ‘ says Yash Raveendran as he reminisces his memorable travel tour to Sri Lanka. I was a blessed child to have grown up under the guidance of both Sathyalingam Mama and Neila Maami. I first started as Mama’s student, learning Carnatic music from the tender age of 5 and it was truly a sweet memory. I would remember frolicking into their house in Potong Pasir with my pink princess bag – the bag that Mama thought was bigger than me. I would then sit down on the carpet and lay down while he sang to his heart’s content and that’s when Neila Maami will come downstairs and laugh at our “singing” classes – which was just him singing and me playing around. And he would always argue back saying that I was always listening to him and from that, I would pick it up and become a great singer. Neila Maami was such a beautiful woman, inside and out. She always made for me all kinds of food and made sure that whenever I came over, I’d have a plate of food. And we both shared a love for modakam, especially the ones made by the Ceylon Road Temple – Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple. She’d always make sure I had one or she’d pack it up and send it to me through my mother. She held me, fed me and took care of me like I was her own grandchild. She truly gave me a memorable childhood and a family that I can never part with. But most importantly, she showed me a beautiful art form that has impacted my life in so many ways. Neila Maami had also taught me life lessons and skills through this art form and her passion for Bharathanatyam has always inspired me. She was a person a lot of people aspired to be – a strong-willed woman with such elegance, intelligence and a smile that could light up a person’s day. Our Sri Lanka tour meant the world to Neila Maami. Going back to her’s and Mama’s hometown brought immense joy to her. She told us to not come back, no matter what happened. She was upset that she could not join us but nonetheless, she showered her blessings upon us before our first show at Nelum Pokunar Theatre. One of the dancers even mentioned how calming it was to hear Neila Maami’s voice and it immediately washed away all their fears. And to sidetrack a little, Neila Maami always had that effect. She knew the right words to say and her voice always brought ease to others. When the news broke, we were a wreck. It was hard to digest the fact that our guru has left us but we picked ourselves up and pushed on to give everyone a fantastic performance and showcase the talent we had in Apsaras. The talent Neila Maami nurtured and produced. People were impressed and I was amazed by the amount of passion and dedication our dancers had put into the performance. The dancers performed at Jaffna Hindu College, one of the most famous colleges in Jaffna. The stage was beautiful, not very big but just sufficient for the production. Even the lighting was amazing and it helped bring out the magic of Alapadma. Alapadma showcased the different Hindu mythologies in a more contemporary style. There was beautiful chemistry between the dancers and everyone looked simply stunning on stage. The energy was really great and the dancers gave their very best and all their hard work really paid off. I felt so mesmerised and so at ease while I was watching them. It made my heart squeeze in joy as I knew Neila Maami was watching them from above and she was certainly very proud of the amount of hard work, passion and dedication they had put into Alapadma. All of the dancers and the rest of the team made a vow. A vow to make Neila Maami proud and show people the talents that has been produced by Apsaras Arts. We do know for a fact that even though Neila Maami has left us, her legacy will never end. We will keep fighting for what she started and keep the spark of dance alive.