Swaying with Swar Vistaar
A JOURNEY Priyanka Manohar performing Kathak
A classical art may be rooted in tradition, it survives through innovation. In Kathak dance too there has been a lot of innovation in nritta (pure dance) and nritya (emotional) aspect of the style. Kathak dancers have ably incorporated body movements and mudras from other dance forms of South India. Some of them have also started presenting Kathak dances with Western classical music by maestros like Mozart or Tchaikovski.
Joining the line of such creative geniuses a young Kathak dancer of Lucknow gharana, Priyanka Manohar has made her presence felt. She performed on a composition `Journey' by Ustad Ali Akbar Khan at the ongoing 10-day music and dance festival, Swar Vistaar in Patna this past week. The event has been organised by another artiste, Reeta Das who started it to give young talent a new stage and exposure.
A disciple of Sringar-Mani Rama, Priyanka Manohar started learning the art at an early age. Coming from the background of classical music and dance academics, she is also a bachelor of computer application (BCA) and MAT. The technical education seems to have helped her understand the technical aspects of the art and their subtle emotional implications in a better manner. She has performed at Rajgir Festival, Baudh Mahotsava, Bodh Gaya, and other places.
Priyanka presented traditional repertoire. Instead of rendering bols and tukdas set to the Lehra playing on harmonium in a rhythmic cycle, she danced on a sarod and sitar composition in the Madhya laya (medium tempo), Teen taal of sixteen beats. But the bols and tukdas were voiced by Phanibhushan to enhance the impact of their execution. She also presented Gat Nikaas, displaying various postures of Naayika in veil, beautiful short Tihaies and imaginative footwork.
The presentation of Kavitta (poetical choreographic piece), `Maakhan khaye churaye sakhi' with the background of `Journey' created an impact on the audience. She concluded her item with a bhajan in praise of Krishna, "Kanha teri johat reh gaie baat". The other presentation of the evening was a Taal Vadya Kacheri, presented by an upcoming tabla player, Kumar Rishitosh, a disciple of Pandit Chhotelal Mishra of Banaras gharana and mridangam artiste, P.S. Gopkumar, a disciple of Kala Ratna Sankat Menon. To explore a common platform among different streams of Hindustani and Carnatic percussion playing, they chose Teen tal having the similar number of sixteen beats in Aadi Tal.
CL DAS
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