Spotlight on Mohiniattam
Dr Tara Rajkumar introspects on Mohiniattam then, and now and comments that with aspiring young dancers practising and researching this dance form, Mohiniattam is all set to shine It is now more than half a century since I first delved into the dance art of Mohini, the proverbial Vishnu Maya. The enchanting illusion of Lord Vishnu, all prevailing, is often depicted in Hindu mythology as a powerful beacon of beauty, grace, and enchantment. Mohini then becomes a divine force to reckon with, destroying evil and restoring peace on earth. When defining Mohiniattam the aim of the dancer should be to try and capture at least that desirable element of the Lord and embed it in the dancing and storytelling. Yet, beyond mythology, reality sadly speaks of another truth. Mohiniattam was rather desolate in the immediate post-colonial past. The dance and its practitioners were shamed into disownership and destitution. A cultural resurgence and re-establishment through the 1930s and 1940s all over India took root in Kerala as well. In the deft hands of the visionary poet Mahakavi Vallathol, the Kerala Kalamandalam was established. The revival of Kathakali and the performing arts of Kerala was propagated with care and deep commitment. Mohiniattam too was given a new lease of life. Dominated by Kathakali in its own home and by Bharatanatyam outside it, Mohiniattam languished, and progress was slow in the first few decades. Many of the gurus who choreographed for Mohiniattam were primarily teachers of Bharatanatyam and watered down their advaus to suit the wide stance, soft footwork, and undulating movements central to Mohiniattam. This resulted in a less than exciting and lacklustre repertoire and Mohiniattam was often referred to as the poor cousin of Bharatanatyam. Fortunately, Mohiniattam has gained immensely through the astute, exemplary, and extraordinary work of a few pioneers who have made major inroads and added invaluable facets which have lifted this style as a major Ekahara lasyanga form to emerge from Kerala. For example, the work of Padmabhushan Kanak Rele in the late 1960s and 70s highlighted the strength of abhinaya, the powerful signature of the theatre arts of Kerala arts and its seminal role in realising the potential of Mohiniattam. The genius of Kavalam Narayana Panicker provided a whole new dimension with his emphasis on the Sopana style of music and its bearing on Mohiniattam performances through the expansion of the Mohiniattam repertoire. The pioneering work at the Kerala Kalmandalam was defined by two fine gurus Chinnammuamma and Kalyanikutti Amma. Their parampara/lineage has sustained the Mohiniattam style, its growth and evolution through the decades. Learning Mohiniattam from guru Smt. Kalyanikutti Amma in the mid-1960s was a great blessing for me. Over the decades I have worked hard to build my repertoire with deep research and actively developing choreographies that mirror the growth of the dance style. Every decade is marked by a few additional practitioners who leave their mark on enhancing the dance form. I also had the unique good fortune and opportunity to study the sopana mode of music from the edakka maestro Njaralathu Rama Poduval. My years of intense training in Kathakali, the Kerala tala systems and sopana music and the intrinsic knowledge gained through this experience was invaluable and essential for the evolution and growth of my Mohiniattam repertoire. The leading practitioners emerging from the main schools of Mohiniattam have rich legacies to protect and enhance. Every committed dancer has the responsibility to stay true to pedagogy while at the same time enhancing one’s own performance through theoretical and practical research. The past two years of COVID isolation come with a silver lining. The phenomenal reach through internet technology became the unexpected saviour by linking like-minded artists towards an international awakening and coming together. This is benefitting the performing arts, emerging artists as well as the gurus, and provides a powerful window into the world of Mohiniattam and the Kerala theatre arts. Among the bright, aspiring young dancers, there is a healthy number researching Mohiniattam and working towards their postgraduate degrees. This augurs well for Mohiniattam which is all set to shine. It was 1973, just a year after I came to London, the city which was quite the centre of the arts world. I received a gift parcel from the eminent dance historian and critic, late Padma Shree Dr Sunil Kothari, Sunil Bhai, who had encouraged me in the 1960s in India when I was striving to develop a complete repertoire in the Mohiniattam style. His gift was the March 1973 issue of Marg on Mohiniattam with his message dated 6 July 1973: “To Tara Rajkumar with best wishes and wanting her to take off further from this number and enrich the style further”. My efforts were drawing accolades and starting to find success when I left India for England. The respected dance and music critic Subbudu gave me a memorable send off by putting me on the cover of the well-known Tamil magazine Dinamani Kathir in September 1971. From then, I have never looked back. Presenting and dancing Mohiniattam all over Britain, Europe, and later in Australia, I have had the privilege of growing with the style, adapting and enhancing the presentation for largely non-Indian audiences. I was privileged to start the first schools for Mohiniattam in Britain in the 1970s and Australia in the 1980s. Those were early days with fewer Indian diaspora interested in the classical performing arts. Running a Mohiniattam school in Melbourne with a large number of students from many different ethnic backgrounds and presenting numerous arangetrams were ground-breaking. We worked with a pioneering zeal to take Mohiniattam and Indian performing arts to prestigious festivals and venues across Australasia. Monash Asia Institute, Monash Performing Arts Centre and the Music Department at Monash University allowed me to foster several collaborations and courses. Thirty years on, it is fantastic that the Indian Performing Arts Convention (IPAC) is bringing the performing arts of India to Melbourne and specially at Monash University later this year. The writer, recipient of Medal of
TRAVEL DIARIES
Of lights, tours, board games and Sri Lanka Chandigarh-based lighting designer, Gyandev Singh, brings to life his experience of touring Parama Padam through cities and the sights and sounds of Sri Lanka Parama Padam The game of Snakes and Ladders- Touring Sri lanka- The pearl of Indian Ocean Since its premier back in 2019 in Singapore, the performance of Parama Padam has had many successful shows. This thematic production gives an insight into the ideas behind the Vaishnavites game of the same name which teaches the core moral values of human life. Copied later by the British (naming it snakes and ladders), this board game has a hundred squares which are replete with snakes and ladders. The ladders in the game represent good virtues and the snakes indicate vices. Ladders take you up as the good deeds take us to heaven, while the snakes bring you down as a cycle of rebirths. The final goal is to reach Vaikuntha or heaven. My collaboration with Apsaras Arts – Mohanapriyan and Aravinth ji – was particularly interesting because it was a play between technology and the human body. The intersection between the dynamics of the body having a dialogue with lights and both parties intruding into each other’s spaces, creating a dance of its own kind, bordering between chaos and harmony. Between the spontaneous and the computed. It was an experiment to empower the digital, the computed to find its own spontaneity and intuitiveness and become an independent co-player in the performance. We were very excited to take Parama Padam to Sri Lanka because of two reasons. First, it is the country of birth for both Aravinth ji and Mohanapriyan. And secondly, we wanted to see how the production would do in smaller less equipped auditoriums. And to break the general misconception that this production was tech heavy and could not be done in less equipped auditoriums. In our minds, it was important to share this theme with people of Sri Lanka, even if it meant we had to alter and redesign a few parts. The tour first started in Jaffna, north of Sri Lanka. Being an area torn apart during the bloody civil war, the audiences resonated with the theme of the production, which was, how to escape the snakes of deceit, greed and ego to reach the 100th block, the place of moksha. We performed at the NCOMS auditorium, which has been a center of Tamil art and culture in Sri Lanka for decades. What was really heartfelt was that this performance was organised by the dance teaching community of Jaffna. All the ladies came to watch the performance in beautiful sarees. I remember, during the performance the electricity went away but none of the audience moved out of the auditorium. They were transfixed, almost as if they were dancing with Mohanapriyan themselves.It was really fulfilling to receive all the love and appreciation from the audience. After that we were invited to perform at the opening of the Jaffna Cultural Centre. This center is a state of the art eleven storey building interestingly funded by the Indian government. I was happy that India was contributing to the development of art and culture in Jaffna. The performance was attended by many distinguished guests from India and Sri Lanka like the Indian foreign minister, and many Sri Lankan Cabinet ministers. It was an honour for all of us at Apsaras Arts to be performing at the opening of such a grand and prestigious arts center. The next performance was at the Jaffna University. Mohanpriyan even conducted a workshop on dance and I gave a talk on lighting design in classical dance. It was so refreshing to have young energies to come and participate in these interactions. The performance was held at the university hall which was a rather small stage with no lighting bars at all. I spent an evening redesigning the lights. We hung some lights on the projector screen, some on side stands made out of isles from the art department and some on the floor. At the back I put some lights vertically on four stands. This surprisingly gave a beautiful effect for the climax of the show. Many Students of dance, theatre and the arts came to watch. All faculty members of the University were also present including the Viceroy. It is always satisfying to have a full house and they all loved the performance. We got a standing ovation for about seven minutes. They all loved Mohanapriyan who was absolutely fabulous with his energy and soulful abhinaya. Then we travelled to Colombo, the country’s capital. Our performance was going to happen at the Lionel Wendt theatre. A theatre with a very distinct old world charm about it. A 600 seater hall with great acoustics and amazing sight lines. It had wooden chairs with cane mesh. Not the plastic ones, but an actual cane mesh. Also, The place looked like it was run and maintained by passionate people who were genuinely interested in promoting the arts. I saw the country’s first lighting dimmer which was the size of an almirah! A few days before the performance, we got to know that there would be a curfew in the city. This was because of the protests against the economic crisis that the country was facing. It was inspiring to see even women and children, joining in the protest saying, enough is enough!, things would have to change now. But we, along with our colleagues at the Lionel Wendt Centre decided that we will not leave without performing here. During a collective crisis like this one, art is the only thing that grounds the people and reminds them about their innate human nature of love and understanding. We wanted to do our bit too. We decided to postpone our show for two days till things settle down. The people who had already bought tickets were informed about the shift and were given the option of either watching the performance
Work-in-Process
Monuments, architecture, music, costume, lighting and imagination intersect in this production called AMARA by Apsaras Arts. An interview with its creator, Aravinth Kumarasamy Aravinth, what was the genesis of this production? When it was born, how did it develop? What is the kind of research that went into this? In 2013, I had conceptualised a dance theatre production ANGKOR – An Untold Story which was based on the historical details and events on how this grand monument in Cambodia was built by the Khmers. As part of the research for this production, we had also studied, researched and visited Banteay Srei, a smaller and earlier monument to Angkor Wat in Cambodia. A brief description of this monument was included in the narrative of the production of Angkor. In 2020, during the lockdown due to the pandemic, we decided to work on a digital dance film using CGI technology, and at that time, we decided to tell the stories carved on the walls of Banteay Srei through dance and music. The earlier research done was handy and further details of the monument were researched. Banteay Srei has some interesting details which inspired us to write lots of stories, like the following: The Jewel of Khmer Architecture: Due to the miniature size of the structures, uniqueness of the tiny details, and exceptional refinement of the sculptures, it is popularly admired as a ‘Precious Gem’, or the ‘Jewel of Khmer Art.’ Can you give us an insight on the Aharya abhinaya, especially for this production. Mohanapriyan Thavarajah, worked on creating a Cambodian inspired costume, accessories and hairstyling of the dancers. The dancers take on the role of the yoginis who were celebrated in this temple, hence we gave them an appearance of divine Cambodian demi-gods. The challenge was to create all the costumes in Singapore itself as we could not travel to India or to any international destination due to the pandemic. Singapore had all the required Cambodian fabrics, however, we had to get tailors who make regular sari blouses to make dance costumes. Mohanapriyan spent many hours sitting alongside the tailors to get this done for their entire cast of eight dancers. What about the music? Why is the music of Amara unique? Were there lyrics specially written for the theme? Dr Rajkumar Bharathi and Sai Sharavanam created the original music score and got it recorded in Chennai working remotely and online with me. This was the first time where we were not in the studio to discuss, or be present when the music was being recorded. Rajkumar Bharathi created exclusive compositions for Amara which resonated with the beauty of the monument and the secrets it held within. How have you drawn parallels with the Khmer regime and the Indian subcontinent? This attempt to identify connections and linkages is crucial to the work of Apsaras Arts, right? I have been inspired by the diverse cultures of Southeast Asia and its roots with Indian culture and Hindu concepts and legends. Amara is also along the line of our exploration at Apsaras Arts to bring cultures together . Banteay Srei contains details of bas relief carvings on many Hindu stories, which Amara brings to life through dance. My two favourites are: Mohanapriyan has done a wonderful job of choreographing these stories and the cast of dancers brought each carving alive through their dance. How has the architectural beauty of Bantaey Srei been captured in this production? What is Apsaras Arts’ fascination with capturing architecture onto stage in the form of dance? Monuments have been my fascination for a long time. In 2010, my journey started exploring architecture through the production Nirmanika, then Angkor, followed by Anjasa and then with Amara. Each of them brings out different aspects of the architectural marvels of the monuments. In Amara, the audience sees the bas reliefs come alive.
COVER STORY
Privilege, possibilities and experiences… We reached out to six Bharatanatyam male artistes from across the globe and asked them a common set of questions to feel enriched with a plethora of ideas and insights on inclusivity, gender-neutrality, exploration and experimentation, research and expression and about the beauty of art and how it enables the artiste to be vulnerable in a world so frail and chaotoic We asked a few male dancers their opinion on privilege, exploration and takeaways in the field of Bharatanatyam for them. We are very happy to share their take with you all. Read on to know more. Mavin KhooBharatanatyam Artiste The greatest privilege of being a male dancer in the world of Bharatanatyam and the most crucial takeaway from it? I think for me personally, I have always been resistant to the underpinning of gendered roles in dance. So to equate notions of being male, alongside the privileges it may bring, is slightly problematic. The defining of the male dancer brings with it so many layers that I have never felt comfortable with – prescribed notions of masculinity or even worse, hyper heterosexual masculinity. In all the performative elements required to justify the gendered role, I have always asked, where is the dance? A quick reflection of my Guru Lakshman Sir – I was performing Shringara-based Varnams in the early 90’s when male dancers were expected to dance only bhakti based works. In one performance, a senior guru approached Sir and questioned him for allowing me, as a male dancer, to dance Manavi Chekona in Sankarabharanam. Sir’s reply was, ’I don’t want him to dance like a man, I want him to Dance!’ As a male dancer have the possibilities of exploring the world of Bharatanatyam been liberating or limiting? I have always felt that the identification of being a male dancer would be limiting to my growth and development as an artiste. The body is the strongest, visible construction on stage that reads numerous things. I wish to only Dance as a presence and energy force that is man, woman, neither, both. That is where I feel, a kind of liberation occurs; when I can be everything and nothing. Your favourite character or piece from your repertoire that is closest to your heart, and why? I guess Radha is a state of being that I am most familiar with. Firstly, because we are all Radha and she sits within us a spirit that is so human in her desires, her needs, her flaws. Secondly, I specifically refer to her as a state and not as a character because she is not a performed role- instead of playing Radha I try to reveal the Radha in me. Radha is Mavin, and Mavin is Radha. It is the best way that I can find the truth in ‘our’ voice.—————— Mohanapriyan ThavarajahBharatanatyam Artiste The greatest privilege of being a male dancer in the world of Bharatanatyam and the most crucial takeaway from it? Firstly the greatest privilege of being a Bharatanatyam male dancer is to have received immense encouragement and refined training so far, in my dance journey. When I left home to go to India,in my early teens, to live by myself, to chase my dance dream, I realised how privileged I am to be able to be supported by my parents and pursue what I love. Today when my audience appreciates my art, I realise how privileged I am, to be able to be taught and guided selflessly by my teachers and mentors. It is that love for dance that has never let me look back, as I started to discover more and more in the world of Bharatanatyam. I feel my bond with Bharatanatyam became stronger and a larger part of my life, helping to develop a distinct personality, who I am today. I always wanted to accumulate and imbibe deeper knowledge not just in dance, but everything that is connected to dance. My crucial takeaway is to have trust in everything I do, learn to appreciate what I see, be grateful for what I have and not take advantage of my body but to care for it at its best, so that I have a smooth run in my career. As a male dancer, have the possibilities to explore the world of Bharatanatyam been liberating or limiting? It is a notion that male dancers have limited sources because mostly Bharatanatyam compositions are based on Sringara rasa, but for me as a male Bharatanatyam dancer, exploring sources for Bharatanatyam is definitely liberating. I have come across beautiful compositions from the vocal concerts by great artists, explaining their origin and beauty. This has inspired me to create a lot of dance compositions. I have delved into many interesting compositions of Nayanmar from the seventh century Bhakti movement and the outcome of these research has resulted in some of the best compositions to be brought on stage, which are not known to many. Literature is another gem of sources that allows dancers to explore human emotions which is common for all of us. Modern day poets have different approaches in their composition and that is something to consider. After all it is one’s creativity and ability to be able to give life to a composition, with the right intent and conviction, so that it can be as enjoyable to spectators as well for the dancer. In my approach, I study a composition thoroughly, right from the lyrics to the subjective nuances, like intention of the words and meaning, the stories, the situations and the composer’s approach. This thorough study allows me to give perspectives, when I want to choreograph and perform it for my audiences. Interestingly this process has led me to discover lesser known contents from what we have in the form of texts. Your favourite character or piece from your repertoire that is closest to your heart, and Why? I love the compositions which have a sense of wittiness (Hasya rasa) like Nindastuti. I
In-Sights
Vidhya Venkat shares her observations on Apsaras Arts performance space Avai, and in India, also performances by visiting international artistes and Singapore based artistes. Gibran “I love you when you bow in your mosque, kneel in your temple, pray in your church. For you and I are sons of one religion and it is the spirit “ – Khalil Gibran, The Prophet We were treated to an evening of wisdom from Khalil Gibran. While we have been used to dance and vocal concerts in Avai, this was a very good break from that. Excerpts from The Prophet were narrated by Ramesh Panicker who conceptualised this show. He was accompanied by Azrin Abdullah on the Arabic Oud, a lute-like stringed instrument. The setting was reminiscent of an Arabic tent and Gibran’s works were shared in the way of storytelling. Three days fully sold out and we were all treated to some inspiring words from Khalil Gibran – looking forward to more of such programs. The performance was the brainchild of Audrey Perera and produced by Passion Purpose and Apsaras Arts. Balinese Classical Dance Performance We watched a beautiful performance of Balinese dance by Prof I Wayan Dibia and Geok Ensemble Dancers on July 16, 2022, at Avai. Aravinth Kumarasamy Artistic Director mentioned in his introductory speech that the Natya Sastra is the root and then we have the many beautiful manifestations of this text and that evening we saw one of the most beautiful manifestations. As Prof Dibia detailed, there are so many common elements in these dance forms. We saw Aramandi, Chowk, Tribhanga and also an amazing display of the Sthayi Bhava of Vira rasa, something which we don’t come across so much. The eye movements were almost hypnotising- diagonal, side and down. And finally, Prof Dibia ended the show with his solo – The masked man. As he rightly said, the challenge is to bring the mask alive and I think he did just that. Costumes were so detailed and so beautiful, each one of them. When asked for advice to budding dancers, Prof Dibia said, “Learn physical movements first and then learn how to use energy on them. You then move on to the norms and ethics of the dance form, spiritual contemplation and philosophy of the dance. Dancing is about love and when you dance with love, it comes from the heart.” I came away with this message in my mind, a thought which must echo in every dancer’s heart. A huge world of learning and research opened up for me. A befitting first anniversary for Avai ! And awaiting many more. Aaradhana for Nadopasana concert series remembering S Sathyalingam. Hindustani performance of Aaradhana was presented at AVAI at Apsaras Arts featuring Shibani Roy (vocals) and Debashis Adikari (harmonium) from SIFAS and Lalitkumar Ganesh (tabla) from TFA, Singapore. Shibani performed a good selection of ragas and very delightful ghazal. Sparsh – The Touch A Kathak performance by Amprapali Bhandari as part of Darshana series on 2nd July at Avai. Amprapali started the evening with a traditional choreography in Teental. This was in the traditional Jaipur Gharana that blends abhinaya with nritta. She covered the veer rasa, bhakti rasa and shringara rasa. We then journeyed into the monsoon season. The sky is changing colouras though being robbed of lifeAs thunder rolls, lightning strikesThe sky splits in halfDrop after dropThe rain arrives The above verse from Ritusamhara started the next piece. The human being is as complex and multilayered as the monsoon. Rather than only focussing on the colours and rainbows, we must learn to accept all parts of ourselves. This piece which was choreographed by Amrapali herself talked about the multi dimensions of human emotions – passion, anger, love and surrender. She had approached the choreography in a contemporary style with just a sarangi playing in the background. It was very refreshing and new. AMARA: India Tour August 2022 Apsaras Arts Dance Company presented the world premiere of the live performance of AMARA, Dancing the Stories of Banteay Srei in India for the celebration of Nirthyodaya’s 80th anniversary and for India at 75, at the Kalakshetra Foundation. Banteay Srei is unique among Cambodia’s famous sacred buildings. It stands out from other ancient Angkorian temples with its petite size, the pink hue of the hard, red sandstone from which it is made, and the intricacy of its exquisitely sculpted wall relief carvings of motifs, figures and scenes from the Hindu Mahabharata and Ramayana epics. Built by Khmer courtiers in the 10th century, Banteay Srei was originally named Tribhuvanamaheshwara, and its surrounding town named Isvarapura, both in dedication to Lord Shiva, though the temple venerates both the gods Shiva and Vishnu. Later on, it was dubbed Banteay Srei or Citadel of Women in Khmer, perhaps in tribute to the plethora of enchanting female devatas (deities) adorning the temple’s walls as well as the life-sized sculptures of yogini (sacred women) found within its compound. See these ancient figures and scenes from the Hindu epics come to life and listen as the yoginis unravel mystical stories of the sacred temple in this exhilarating dance production. AMARA is by Singapore’s Apsaras Arts Dance Company, established in 1977, by Shri S Sathyalingam and Smt Neila Sathyalingam, Alumni and former faculty at Kalakshetra Foundation, India. Apsaras Arts is the inaugural recipient of Stewards of Intangible Culture and Heritage award by Singapore’s National Heritage Board in 2020. The dance company has been led by award winning artistic director Aravinth Kumarasamy since 2005. AMARA at Nrithyodaya Honoured to have been presented at the three-day festival celebrating Nrithyodaya’s 80th anniversary at the Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai. The festival was curated and presented by dance doyenne Dr Padma Subrahmanyam. AMARA performance was presided by N Murali, the president of Madras Music Academy, and leading dance legends Priyadarsini Govind and Shobhana. AMARA at Kalakshetra Foundation Blessed to have had legendary dance gurus, VP Dhananjayan, Shantha Dananjayan, Dr Padma Subrahmaniyam, Lakshmi Viswanathan and Kalakshetra Director Revathi Ramachandran who were present to
Interview
Passion, perseverance, gratitude and a sense of continuity mark Kuchipudi dancer-choreographer-teacher-curator, Rajyasri’s career in dance; she traces her journey as a student of dance, her life in Singapore, and how she continues to engage with dance, based now in Bangalore You were in Chennai recently for an Apsara Arts show. How did it feel to be in Chennai? In a way, this is where it all began for you right? Visiting Chennai is always nostalgic. This is where I spent my childhood and adolescent years. My parents and in-laws lived in Chennai as well for many years after I left, so returning to Chennai always felt like home in some sense. This city holds many fond experiences and memories that are significant to me such as my education and of course, dancing, which I started and grew to love while growing up there. In the land of Bharatanatyam, what drew you to Kuchipudi? Talk to us about your early days of training. My mother was very fond of the arts and wanted her daughters to experience a variety of their forms. Although I started off learning to play the veena at first, my heart was not entirely in it and my fascination was always with Indian classical dance. When my mother realized this, she eventually had me pursue this passion by enrolling me in dance classes. This was when my experience with dance first started. Although we lived in Chennai, we hailed from Andhra Pradesh, so it just felt natural that I wanted to learn Kuchipudi, the dance form which originated from our home state of Andhra. Dr Sri Vempati Chinna Satyam, fondly known as Master Garu, was the pioneer and founder of Kuchipudi in Chennai, and through his dedication of spreading this dance form, he established the well-known Kuchipudi Art Academy in T Nagar in Chennai, which is the dance school I attended. Tell us about your guru and what are some of the key learnings from him in terms of dance and life? Kuchipudi was mainly conducted in the format of a dance-drama, and only male dancers performed all the characters. Master Garu was the one who encouraged female dancers in Chennai and was dedicated to making Kuchipudi inclusive to all dancers. He would never force or chase his students to pay their dance fees, as he strongly believed that art should be taught and spread, but never sold. His devotion to the arts resulted in his achievements of numerous titles and awards such as the Raja Lakshmi Award of Madras, the Kalaprapoorna from the Andhra University, the Kalaimamani award given by the Government of Tamil Nadu, and the National Award from the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi in New Delhi, to name a few. His popularity grew within the United States as well, where he was given the Golden Key to the cities of Miami and Atlanta. His discipline and commitment were just some of the qualities that most of us learned and embodied in our daily lives. From his humbleness, to his compassion, his kindness to his warmth, Master and his wife always ensured that his students were cared for and we respected each other like family. I believe these are the traits which greatly influenced us while under his mentorship, and are the same characteristics I continue to employ in all areas of my daily life. What was the dance community in Chennai like when you were growing up? Bharatanatyam was the only well-known art form while I was growing up. Master, along with his senior students, had to struggle initially in introducing Kuchipudi to the dance field. Their hard work paid off when the Kuchipudi Art Academy produced over 12 large-scale performances, and each production received great reviews. Senior students like Shobha Naidu, Manju Bhargavi, Bala and Anupama were some of the senior students who dedicated themselves to helping spread and develop Kuchipudi in and around Chennai. Within two years of learning under Master, some of my classmates like Madhavapeda Murthy, Satyapriya and I got the chance to perform in a few of Master’s productions and also travel with him and his senior students for solo performances. However, while studying full-time in college, it was not possible for me to completely dedicate myself to dance. I did, however, participate in several inter-college art competitions and together with Jayanthi Subramaniam and Roja Kannan, we won several competitions for our college. Through the growth of the Kuchipudi Art Academy, and its numerous productions, Master was looked upon as a dance guru and choreographer par excellence, and a legend in this art form especially after his award-winning achievements. What took you to Singapore and how did you feel when you arrived? When I got married, my husband Murali was already working in Singapore. It was my maiden international trip and I was very nervous. Leaving family, friends, and dancing behind and moving to a totally new environment was overwhelming at first. However, with the love and support of my husband, in-laws and the friends we made from our cultural communities, I settled in quickly. You are responsible for taking Kuchipudi and popularizing it in Singapore. How did it all begin? Before I shifted to Singapore, my guru had attended a dance program in Singapore, where he met with several organizers from the dance industry. He spoke to them about me and mentioned that I would be settling in Singapore and was capable of teaching Kuchipudi. When I moved to Singapore in June 1981, I wanted to pursue my studies further before taking a full-time job, but I had to wait for my Permanent Residence status first. So, in the meantime, I met Mr and Mrs Bhaskar at a performance and they offered me a place to start my classes. Within a couple of months of my arrival in Singapore, I started my Sunday morning Kuchipudi dance classes. I am grateful to Aunty and Uncle Bhaskar for giving me the foundation to start, build and spread the art
POINT OF VIEW
As a huge loyalist of the world of social media, Akhila Krishmamurthy, Founder of Aalaap, shares some thoughts on the good, bad and the ugly and why dabbling with it, is a story of to each, its own Over the last two-and-a-half-years or so, around the time we all burrowed ourselves into the security and comfort of our homes, while an epidemic gripped the world and rattled our senses, artistes and arts organisations from across the world, turned to social media as a means of refuge, a source of succour. Through the years of the lockdown, personal social media handles became platforms for artistes to share, showcase and amplify their work with a larger universe. Some artistes had already built a brand identity on these platforms; while some others started afresh recognizing its power and potential for networking and as a means to build for oneself a brand of one’s own. A handful of artistes consciously opted to stay out of it, away from it, choosing to neither share nor express their points of view on the arts, or things off it, on these platforms. Over several conversations with several artistes – those who used social media extensively, moderately or chose not to engage with it at all – I take home many mixed perspectives and recognize that like most things that are inherently personal, social media too is a matter of choice. And like all the best things in life that must not be consumed in excess, social media too, we can conclude is an indulgence where it is crucial to apply the principles of moderation and caution. Thanks to Artificial Intelligence, my feed was exclusively dancers and all things dance. And while it was fantastic to discover young and new artistes from across the globe, I also grappled with a sense of angst as I wondered about the principles of good content, and how the ephemeral nature of social media was also crippling our brains and minds, shunting our focus, overloading our senses and making us inherently fragmented and distractible as human beings. I realized the first thing I would do, when yet another dance video came my way was to check its duration; and I realized that on some days, even watching a two-minute video seemed like a Herculean task; the mind had already moved on and was restless to check the next reel, the next post, the next new dancer sharing her dance or the old dancer giving her dance a new spin! But before you begin to question me about my value judgements, let me admit that I, as an individual and in my capacity as the founder of Aalaap, am hooked onto social media. It is where we have shared our joys and fears, our angst and anxieties, our growth and journey, our events and initiatives. As a performing arts magazine that was born in 2014, social media became a natural extension for us to curate content that we believe is honest, authentic, objective, inclusive, diverse and truly a celebration of the dance community, at large. And we have been on this bandwagon well before the pandemic arrived; we didn’t panic when we had to transition into this medium because even before that, we have been busy on these platforms, bringing people together, amplifying their stories and ours and doing our bit to create a culture of happiness and harmony amongst the community. But social media, we realise, one day after another, is a beast of its own and one that we need to negotiate our way through; it’s almost like a lover who will play hard to get (followers in this case) if you don’t water it consistently or allow it some outdoor so the sun shines its light for growth. Social media is a constant work-in-progress but also one that you need to think through in terms of the very principles of journalism – what, where, when, why, who, how! Everyday, we look through our content through these parameters and attempt to share content that truly elevates and brings joy. With the world now opening up, some artistes who were insanely active on social media have abandoned it for the real world; some others – like us – continue to stay with it because this is what we know and can do and don’t have the bandwidth or funds to curate large-scale events that need patronage and sponsorship. The best kind of growth on social media is also one that is organic; that believes in putting out good content and hoping for those who really find value in it to like it and share their comments on it. There are options aplenty to grow the numbers but honestly, what’s the point? Perception, perhaps? Would you like one million fake followers or a handful that truly engages with you in a manner that allows for mutual growth? We just wrapped up a conversation with two young dancers who spoke about how social media in the years of the lockdown opened up possibilities aplenty in terms of networking and opportunities and self-growth. I want to smile because I know that those who are committed to it sincerely, have truly benefited from it; the fly-by-night operators have gone away, already! Maybe they are not meant to stay! And maybe it’s better that way!
Travel Diaries
A first-person account on the culture, tradition, art, life and architecture of the country Bali by dancers of Apsaras Arts, Janani Arun Kumar and Periyachi Roshni. As we entered the cultural heartland of Bali, Ubud, our eyes were transfixed on the intricate soft stone carving in every single house on the street. While other countries strive to become more modern and advanced, this little island places utmost importance to preserving its ancient Hindu culture. Every street, corner and home is deeply rooted in the spiritual and cultural values passed on by several generations. Be it praying everyday, living in a collectivistic culture or respecting and valuing people, nature and art, Bali has managed to somehow retain its personality through globalization. Perhaps the culture, serenity and kindness is what has made this island one of the most sought after holiday destinations. While some might reduce it to the ‘free country’ where parties and merriment are unlimited, there is so much more to this beautiful paradise. The most unique aspect of Bali that caught my eye was definitely their traditional homes. In a large compound a huge joint family resides together. The houses are made of a faded orange brick and lined with carved stone. Each small building in the compound, no higher than a storey or two welcomed us with a balinese wood door. The flowery lace like carving on each door was enhanced with a tint of gold making it look ornate yet classic. The people gave us warm smiles and all you could hear inside the compound was the chirping of the birds in the trees and soft chatter in the compound. The place, although new, still gave me a sense of being at home. As we moved past the living rooms, discussion room, grainery for rice, and a function hall, we were led to the family temple at the north east corner of the compound. While all the other roofs were covered in clay tiles, the roofs on the altars were made of dried hay that had turned a charcoal black with age. The temple hosted altars for the mother temple Besakih, for the family gods and ancestors. As the Balinese do not believe in the worship of statues, each altar was a slender high raised rectangular structure topped with a throne where they believed that their gods would descend if they prayed with utmost devotion. Even the mother temple Besakih hosted the three magnificent thrones for Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, the Tridatu. Several pilgrims walked up the meandering hills during the Besakih temple festival and waited for hours together to pay obeisance to their gods with flowers, rice and incense sticks placed in a palm-sized leaf basket. They also applied rice to their foreheads, just like a bindi at prayers. The Besakih temple had a huge fleet of stairs leading up to what seemed like a gateway to heaven with two carved stone hedges for doors and the fluffy white clouds against the serene blue sky. The gopuram of the temple stood towering the main entrance that is only opened once a year. All the altars were placed inside the open compound of this gopuram. I am a Hindu and am familiar with the Hindu practices but the way the Balinese approached their rituals in the same religion seemed completely different, until you understand that the significance of these practices are very similar at heart. However, the way the culture is instilled in the younger generations is a testament to their strong yet liberal beliefs and culture. The Balinese way of life is also deeply intertwined with their nature. They cultivate their own grains, the most important is rice. Each home, each temple and each building on the road would have several plants nestled in them in addition to the lush green trees and fields, engulfing the village roads. An air of calm always prevailed around the island and the vast blue sky made it seem as though the whole of this island was under one collective roof. It also seemed as though every corner had an altar and every street had a theater. Art is abundant on this island from streets overcrowded with sculptures, baskets, wood carvings, clothing, paintings, music and dance. Art truly flows in the blood of the balinese and is revered by its people. Being dancers ourselves, we were thrilled to work with the local artists in Bali and gained so many insights into their rich art form. We had the privilege of working and collaborating with Prof Dr I Wayan Dibia and his dance company, Geok ensemble dancers for an upcoming project in November 2022. Geria Olah Kreativitas Seni (GEOKS) is a non-government organization based in Singapadu village of Gianyar-Bali. It is a theater space built by Prof Dibia where we spent most of our time collaborating and learning together. This space also welcomes any controversial and contemporary art and dance and the professor makes it a point to support the young and upcoming choreographers and artistes. Entering the space, we felt a sense of overarching peace as it was situated in the midst of nature and surrounded by traditional Balinese houses including Prof Dibia’s ancestral home. Throughout the choreographic process it was interesting to see, not only how the two dance forms came together but also how the two choreographers Dibia and Mohanapriyan sir tried to find middle ground between their two distinct styles. As it progressed, we learnt that actually there are many similarities between Bharatanatyam and Balinese dance as they both follow principles of the Natya Shastra. For example, the turned out position of the feet, eye and head movements,Trianga is known as Tribhanga in Indian classical dance. Thus, taking these similar traits into consideration it was a fruitful experience seeing how Priyan sir tried to find steps that would correlate to that of the Balinese dance. Another similarity was the using of neck movements attami in Bharatanatyam or using pretitam and chaaris. To our surprise the balinese
Work-in-Process
In conversation with Bharatanatyam exponent, Malavika Sarukkai as she decodes the process of how Anubandh, her latest solo production, came to be What was the genesis of Anubandh? The solo production Anubandh – Connectedness evolved during the last two years. It is an artistic response to the isolation, loneliness, trepidation and fear arising from the pandemic. I needed to express my feelings and observations and the only way I could do that was through dance. Are all ideas of your productions born in moments of solitude and introspection or have there been cases when in the moment of frenetic activity, a thought for a production came your way? An impulse to create can come about quite unannounced. At times, a deep emotional stirring can give rise to a concept which, in turn, transforms into a dance production. And at other times it is a restlessness within, which seeks expression. In my experience at all times the idea persists over a length of time which finally culminates in creative expression. I have learnt over the years that this critical phase cannot be rushed as the concept must mature and evolve naturally. Anubandh was also created in a world that was inherently silent but also there was so much chaos and uncertainty? How do these two contrasting emotions find expression in the work? The world was chaotically silent and in pause mode during the pandemic. It was gravely unsettling. I needed to anchor my observations and feelings. Anubandh grew as a response to find myself individually and collectively in a world of turmoil. The production seeks to reclaim our primordial relationships with the Sun and the Moon, as also with the Five Great Elements, the Pancha Mahabhutas as they are honoured in India – Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Space. The work re-inforces our deep links with the Great Elements – the generosity of the Earth, the rejuvenating powers of Water, the caressing pleasure (sukha) of the Wind, the unending depth of sorrow (dukha) in Fire, the wonderment in sensing Space and knowing that the same life-breath pervades all. Why is Anubandh special to you and why is it a reminder of the spirit of inter-connectedness? At a deeper level Anubandh is about learning to co-exist and live life with a sense of connectedness and inclusivity. It’s about seeing ourselves as humanity. At a time of uncertainty in a fractured world, Anubandh is a call to the transformative power of hope. What went into the choreography of Anubandh and how tough was it to work with collaborators on an online platform? Working with my team linked only via online calls etc, was exceedingly tough. It was fragmenting as it lacked the warmth of real-time interaction. The only other choice was to abandon the project, which was not an option. Working intensely right through the pandemic was learning to survive keeping the body, mind and spirit alive and purposeful. Anubandh is as much a singular pursuit as it is a collective call for the need to connect with each other, right? How does music play a role in this delineation? The narrative in Anubandh moves from the personal to the shared and from the individual to the collective. The music concept is an area I pay a lot of attention to as I work on creative detailing. Music texturing plays an important role in all my choreographies. Keeping this in mind the coming together of multiple voices, percussion instruments and other instrumentation is a complex and delicate approach, as their needs to be a sense of dialogue with space for silence. Only then does it become a collective enterprise with flow. EOM
#iamayoungdancer
Singapore-based Kshirja Govind and Delhi-based Pritam Das exchange notes on dance and the many beautiful things that are a part of its world. From her home in Singapore and taking time off from a workshop in Bhilwara, Rajasthan as part of SPIC MACAY in West Bengal, Kshirja Govind and Pritam Das, respectively logged onto Zoom to share their stories as young dancers. The conversation began with the dancers discussing the need to be aware of the body as an instrument, the care needed to keep it injury-free and the imperativeness to create awareness on the same. Kshirja noted that the awareness with regard to training and nutrition on social media helped her work on her body in terms of its alignment, posture, etc.https://player.vimeo.com/video/744580964?h=74016726ed Naturally, the topic of conversation segued into social media. Both the dancers admitted that the internet had indeed made the world flat and helped in networking amongst the community and and has undeniably brought dancers together, especially during the pandemic. They discussed the possibilities for dance in the current context and Pritam pointed out that youngsters today are indeed getting a lot of opportunities, thanks to social media and the exposure it has provided. Speaking of the scenario in Singapore and the future of dance there, Kshirja acknopwledged the role of the government and how it not only provides aid in terms of funding, but also arranges many programs and encourages dancers. “There are also programs where children in schools (in Singapore) are exposed to varied cultures and dance forms,” she added. Needless to say, with great power and opportunities comes great responsibility. The two dancers discussed the need for young dancers to have a moral responsibility to try and bring in more viewership to this art form. “One of the main objectives of dancers,” Pritam said, “should be to give back to society in every way possible.” Currently on a tour across rural schools in India under the umbrella of SPIC MACAY, Pritam said this movement aims to take arts to every child of this country. “Meeting these kids, and interacting with them is making them aware of our art forms and seeing the joy it brings to them, is all a very humbling experience.” While the need to perform in traditional performing spaces is crucial, Pritam reflected that experiences like these, to perform in unconventional spaces is also equally rewarding. Unconventional spaces also create more opportunities in the form of workshops, lec-dems, seminars which helps to spread awareness among the people and also helps the dancers to grow with their work. Talking of growth, the two dancers discussed the idea of feedback and criticism. Kshirja agreed on receiving criticism both positive and negative, as few things on dance are subjective while some are purely objective. “I believe that different people’s perspectives are needed to improve one’s own dance,” she said. Pritam insisted on getting feedback from the audience apart from gurus and teachers, as this widens one’s horizons. He also mentioned instances where people have walked up and given him feedback, genuinely like parents do. “I also believe that peers and colleagues can also help each other in one’s growth,” he added. Another interesting discussion was on the topic of collaboration in practicing spaces like Adavu jamming. Both dancers were clearly excited about the idea. Initiatives like these help each other and open up one’s perspectives. Kshirja talked about her collaborative work in performing spaces, but said she had not participated in sessions like these and would love to. One thing is clear; both Kshirja and Pritam are looking forward to opportunities to connect with fellow dancers, in understanding each other’s views, perspectives, sharing their passion, energy and learnings from dance with each other. The conversation finally ended with both the young dancers wondering how this art form would be in a few decades from now! In a good, safe space, hopefully! Kshirja Govind is a Singapore-based dancer and has been learning Bharatanatyam in the Kalakshetra style for over 12 years now. She is learning under Guru P. N. Vikas at Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS). She was awarded the Best Student and ‘Natyavisharad” on completion of her Dance Diploma at SIFAS in 2018. She is also learning at the Upadhye School of Dance and is a company dancer with Apsaras Arts. A regular performer in Singapore for various productions, Kala Vaibhavam, SIFAS festivals, temples, etc, Kshirja also extensively performs abroad in India (Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore) and around Asia. Her recent performances include solo Bharatanatyam performances at Sri Krishna Gana Sabha for this year’s Ilamayil Thirumai Series and at RK Swami Auditorium as part of Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha’s Margazhi Season. She has received many accolades including the Best Performer at Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha (119th Year-Dance Festival) in Feb 2019, Prize Winner at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2018, Singapore and the Future Face title at the India International Dance Festival in Bhubaneswar, 2017. Through her collaboration with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, she has become the first Indian Classical Dancer to receive the honour of working with the SSO. She has been a part of a collaborative performance of Bharatanatyam and Chinese Hokkien Opera at the Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum, Thailand. Pritam Das defines passion for dance through his immense dedication and effortless grace as a Bharatanatyam dancer. Having undergone his initial training under Smt. Jayita Ghosh and Sri Samrat Dutta, he is now under the advanced tutelage of Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee Smt. Rama Vaidyanathan. Pritam has performed both solo and group works as part of his teacher’s ensemble in several prestigious festivals including Spirit of Youth and HCL Concert Series by Music Academy, Uday Shankar Dance Festival, NCPA Mumbai’s Mudra Festival, Dhauli Kalinga Festival, Gudi Sambaraluu, Ustad Alauddin Khan Samaroh, Shivaargya Dance Festival and many more. He is an ‘A’ grade artist of the Doordarshan, an empanelled artist in Spic Macay, and was also awarded the National Scholarship from the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India for the field of Bharatanatyam