Full of grace
Ganga Grace
RESPLENDENT IN a beautiful blue costume that presented her willowy figure in the best light, Ganga Grace struck a fine figure impressing with her deep concentration and poetic movements during her performance for Natyanjali Trust. A disciple of the late Muthuswami Pillai, this Croatian Bharatanatyam dancer who practises yoga and meditation as well, continues to be guided by Kalanidhi Narayanan and Jayanthi Subramaniam.
As Hariprasad's baritone voice filled the auditorium with the auspicious Siva Panchakshara Stothram, Ganga's dignified delineation reflected the meditative quality of the hymn. The beauty of her posture and symmetry that showed no awkwardness in the execution of complicated steps, combined to convey a sense of humility and sincerity. One could also tell her involvement by the clarity of the expressional passages, particularly in the varnam. In the unusual elaboration for the phrase, "Thamadam Seiyadu Vandarul'' to emphasise the heroine's yearning for Nataraja, Ganga used the metaphor of the flower that wants the bee to drink its nectar, and through the devotee Nandanar's yearning to have a glimpse of Siva. The teermanams intoned well by Neewin Hershel, were performed with agility by the dancer, but every now and then she would give herself away as a dancer with a classical ballet background with her tread being too light or in a delicate pirouette. The Nataraja tandava too was ineffective because of this delicate handling.
While the angry heroine in "Indendu Vachithivira'' who greets her wayward Kasturi Rangesa with sarcasm came through reasonably well, the young girl dodging Padmanabha's advances in "Itu Sahasamulu'' was performed with rare sensitivity, the whole body reflecting the innocence and playfulness of youth. The Natabhairavi tillana of Veena Krishnamachariar in Adi talam in praise of Kalakshetra and its founder Rukmini Devi completed Ganga's recital.
Though there were only a handful of people in the audience, Ganga did not spare herself any effort. An audience member was so moved that he was heard appreciating her effort. The few who stayed after the previous dance recital might not have planned to stay long, but postponed their dinnertime because they were captivated by Grace's sincerity.
RUPA SRIKANTH
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