Kerala - Kochi   

Finding international space for local tales

Staff Reporter

American dancer and theatre artiste Radha Carman.

KOCHI: A dance drama production cannot be more international, and yet firmly rooted here. A US-based performing arts organisation is forming a 25-member dance theatre company comprising local artistes for a European tour.

Mandalam Performing Arts, led by Radha Carman, will begin rehearsal for the production by the middle of September. The European tour is scheduled for March 2007.

Ms. Carman is trained in Kathakali, Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattom. She was here early this year to learn Kalaripayattu. All these go into the new production that she is working on.

The company will weave in elements of Mohiniyattom, Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Kalaripayattu, Indian folk dances, ritual dances and contemporary dance to depict the original story titled `A Tale of Love and Sorcery.'

The story is about two warring kingdoms. The 21st descendant of Nalinga dynasty has been prophesied to become a mighty emperor. So the enemy King Phukar plans to disturb the competition organised by King Kashi of Nalinga to find a husband for his daughter Princess Maya. King Phukar wants Maya to marry his son Shardul, so that the emperor is born in his dynasty.

Maya is but already in love with Raghu, the commander of Nalinga army.

Young musician Sreevalsan J. Menon is working on the music for the 90-minute dance drama. "Local artistes selected to join the tour will get a chance to work with professionals `in a creative environment on a colourful, vibrant and innovative stage production," said Ms. Carman.

Other important artistes on Mandalam's board of directors include Shyamala Surendran of Dharani Performing Arts and renowned dancer Chitra Sukumaran.

Artistes who join Mandalam are encouraged to learn multiple art forms from established masters in the field of dance, theatre, martial arts and music.

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