Universal theme, specific purpose
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At the heart of the choreography for `What About Me' was a message for International Women's Day.
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The ballet is popular for its timelessness and universality.
THAT `contemporary' content can be recreated within the framework of a classical format without having to compromise on either is what makes Ananda Shankar Jayant's production, `What About Me?' an all-time favourite. And it is so because of the universality of the theme. It is timely yet it can be placed at a distance across the centuries. And this is precisely what the choreographer (Ananda) did - she juxtaposed the mythological women characters with those of the present day and fashioned out an artistic series of events that always leads to the pertinent question - what about me?
The common stages in a woman's life - her girlhood, wifehood and motherhood in the Indian context were aesthetically carved out through abstract and concrete mime and motion, suitably hued costumes and context. The scenes turned out to be perfect pictures portrayed live. The backstage commentary in English and the poetic recitation of verses made for a seamless link to a string of episodes wrought from the epics and history to drive home the point all the while not losing touch with the central theme.
Lyrics for most part were in Sanskrit (Valmiki Ramayana) and Tamil (for Mahabharatha), but as such, music in `swara' format for most part dominated the narration of events. Hence, there was this extremely beautiful execution of footwork and gestures with `swara'-based `jatis'. Whatever rigorous footwork was fittingly reserved to characters that proved appropriate like for instance Shakuni and Yudhistara. The game of chess depicted with the help of just percussion in the background with the beats now rising to a tempo, now falling to a bass moved along with the game of dice - winner and loser. This was a fine piece of creativity.
`What about me' displays many such instances of striking choreographic appeal be it in the very opening scene - dancers with `diyas' (which flows into a tillana - like dance of jubilance), the pre-wedding celebrations, the `diyas' duplicating as the sacred fire for marriage, the snapshots of the wifely chores so ingrained into Indian womanhood at marriage (Shat karmas of kuladharma patni) as a sort of elaboration of the thumb rules, the concretisation of abstract fire that consumes Sita (through red veiled dancers that converge on all four sides in the manner of a pyre), the scorned beggar's voice visiting a curse, the palanquin dancers passing as a backdrop in a typically rhythmic march, the mask-covered dancer (Ananda) representing the present day scenario, the rape and the victim, the verbal protests by Sita and Draupadi on being put to ignominy or in the final scene where widowhood is replicated through white flowing fabric which is also suggestive of the inner strength of a woman who can emerge out of repeated grave violations to her fundamental rights through the ages, as a positive reckoning force.
The best part of the theatrical presentation is the visible ability to blend the dramatic element into the classical Bharatanatyam idiom where neither dominates to the exclusion of the other, where most mundane and grotesque incidents of woman subjugation in society is handled with meticulous care and concern, where artistry leads over didacticism making the entire production a delicate and subtle presentation despite strongly-worded English verse (penned by Tejdeep Menon) being recited as part of the accompaniment to certain emotive scenes. The costumes fashioned out of Mangalagiri material were like mute, aesthetic expressions of emotions of the characters with scenic significance. The yellow and green worn by the group of girl dancers were symbolic of joy, fertility, auspicious occasions and so on; Shakuni who is evil personified is in full black while Suyodhana has a red-gold vest to show royalty. Yudhistara's white `achkan' laced with red-gold border is representative of royalty and the purity of the Pandava prince. The other Pandavas in grey put forth the message of passivity in that particular episode. The long pleated skirts with `davanis' (worn in folded dupatta style) kept changing colours according to the episodic demand as did the churidar-kurta and vest of the male characters. Thus the bride in golden red changed to yellow with motherhood; the grey-black went well with the faceless victim and so on.
The costume (designed by late Subhashini Shankar) was tuned to the moods made for a powerful colour scheme that sent the right message across. Music by Prema Ramamurthy was superb. The recorded orchestra and song were by far clear and faultless than in live. English commentary by Jayant and Chandana Chakraborty was impeccable. Presented by Ananda Shankar and her disciples, `What About Me?' was staged on the occasion of International Women's Day under the aegis of Nirnaya at Ravindra Bharati, Hyderabad.
RANEE KUMAR
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Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
