Elevating, simply elevating
LEELA VENKATARAMAN
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Justin McCarthy's choreographic presentations stood out for the stately pace and shunning of extravagance, while elsewhere, Odissi took centre-stage.
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Photo: Sandeep Saxena.
Drama amid serenity: A scene from Justin McCarthy's choreographic production, Abhigyana Shakuntalam'.
It is a familiar story of the performance scene in dance - music with the decibel level too high, loud costumes, movement at dizzying speed, rhythmic virtuosity - all agitating the inner cords of the viewer. It is precisely because of this massive attrition of simplicity and quietude, that being treated to Justin McCarthy's solo `Raghuvamsham' followed by a group presentation of `Abhigyana Shakuntalam' for Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra's festival of ballets at the Kamani was so refreshing. The distilled quality of minimal movement, slow-paced and nuanced, never overpowered the poetry of Kalidasa, recited with feeling and impeccable diction by Justin himself. Costumes for both were simple and elegant, with movement largely divested of the tala element. The choreography used suggestive touches.
In `Raghuvamsham', the first and second cantos selected for dance interpretation were about King Dilip and Queen Sudakshina being blessed with a child after years of a barren marriage thanks to the curse evoked by the King's neglect of the sacred cow. This founder of the Raghu dynasty atones for his sin by serving Nandini the cow for 21 days, finally offering himself as the tiger's prey to save her. With just the crossed feet, head inclined to one side, hands in the typical mudra, Justin became the evocative cow - much like the characters in `Shakuntalam' turning into the foliage and the running brooks. Using the gestural vocabulary to good effect, Justin rendered `Raghuvamsham' to the accompaniment of the chenda, the dance interpretation almost taking on a Koodiyattam slant in narration. In `Shakuntalam', it was music viruttam style, with ragas like Shanmukhapriya, Kambodhi, Charukesi, Vasanta, Surati, Mohanam, suiting the moods, very well sung by G. Elangovan, whose performance evinced classical weight, not quite so discernible on earlier occasions.
Solo or group, the dance narration with no over-stuffed visual exuberance, had measured serenity, with familiar movements innovatively sequenced and where intensity, physical balance and total concentration were demanded. It was like somebody placing a gentle hand on the heart.
The other ballets in the festivals were repeats of earlier work.
Odissi performances
Senior Odissi performer Sikata Das, in her recital under Habitat's HCL Concert Series, danced to harsh and over-amplified taped music - an indulgence in a solo concert not to be allowed once too often. Sikata's trim figure and neat movements, occasionally found balance eluding the dancer in the long held stances. A sensitive feel for interpretative dance being the main feature of her Odissi, Sikata chose items in the interpretative mode for presentation. There was no pallavi, and both abhinaya items "Banagiri He Lata Giri" and Gitopadesham were in the dramatic mode. While being carried away to Lanka by Ravan, Sita addressing the creatures of the forest pleads that Ram be informed of her abduction. She relives with remorse her doubting the intentions of Lakshman in not agreeing to leave her alone to go to the rescue of Ram she believed was in distress. This Oriya song from Biswanath Khuntia's "Bichitra Ramayana" met with involved abhinaya.
The Sanskrit verses of the Gita were clearly pronounced by singer Raghunath Panigrahi, though the voice quality on the tape was less happy. The music by the late Bhubaneswar Misra starting with a line from the Mohanam pallavi, in the later Sivaranjani, Hamsadhwani, Chandrakauns, and so on had both the Carnatic and the Hindustani touches. The Viswa Rupa scene and Arjun taking up arms again with the spring back in his step were well depicted in the dance.
Managed by dancer Anita Babu, Odissi Natya Sala, mentioned as an extension of the Orissa Dance Academy, in the meticulously organised annual function at the Habitat Stein Auditorium, presented a mix of students of all ages and performing levels. The title From Mahari to Gotipua to Contemporary Odissi was a little misleading, for all the items were presented by the young students who performed even the Gotipua-like dance. While the quality of dance needed more finish, what was heartening was the high enthusiasm in the participants from start to finish.
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