Adept dancers
Shruti and Abhinaya.
THE KOTTUR Sisters, R. J. Shruti and R. J. Abhinaya, demonstrated considerable proficiency and discipline in their Bharatanatyam performance for Karthik Fine Arts last week.
The confident duo presented a well-rehearsed display that mirrored the meticulousness of their guru, Urmila Sathyanarayanan. This sense of studied diligence extended beyond the dancers' style to the orchestral involvement and the choice of presentations, thus drawing the best from the youngsters.
Complemented by a thorough grounding in the basics of posture, footwork, adavu training, and expression, the artistes proved adept at both the technical and subjective aspects of dance.
Their excellent sense of timing saw them through the demanding theermanams and lilting swarams of "Bhavayami Raghuramam," set in Rupaka talam, without any difficulty. The nritta was tackled with vigour, the deficient araimandi stance the only blemish.
Though the beauty of the visual geometry was somewhat marred by insufficient space onstage, the dancers' restraint and adjustment averted overcrowding.
Maharaja Swati Tirunal's composition detailing incidents from the `Ramayana,' tuned by Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer in Ragamalika, gave the dancers an opportunity to display their storytelling capacity. The epic was necessarily broken into fragments, with fleeting glimpses of significant events; to the dancers' credit the narration was smooth and the role-play remained unambiguous. In particular, Kaikeyi's change of heart in the Ayodhya Kandam, Soorpanaka tempting fate in the Aranya Kandam and Ravana carrying away Sita in the Kishkinda Kandam were mature portrayals. Though there is scope for improvement, the effort and skill behind the performance have to be appreciated.
The orchestra was led by the harmonious notes of the violin and flute played by Kalaiarasan and C. P. Venkatesan respectively. Urmila slipped easily into the role of the conductor providing accurate rhythmical guidance with the support of mridangist M. Dhananjayan. The soulful Neelamani ragam padam, "Oru mugam shalittal," brought out the best in the talented all-rounder Swamimalai S. K. Suresh, who acquitted himself well as the vocalist without the additional burden of the cymbals. But the straightforward interpretation of the poignant entreaty to Lord Muruga might have benefited with the added effect of an elaboration or a sanchari. Dhandayuthapani Pillai's Hindolam thillana in Adi talam, provided the customary fast-paced finale to the programme.
RUPA SRIKANTH
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