A twist with a tradition
LEELA VENKATARAMAN
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Contemporary Dance infused with the weight of the classical, and classical dance invigorated with new blood. The week had it all.
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THE JOY OF RHYTHM Sadhya dancers in performance.
Sadhya's presentation of "Rhythm of Life" at Stein auditorium under Habitat's HCL Concert Series marked a redeeming point in the Modern Dance scene, which in terms of both quantity and excellence, has been bleak, to say the least. Working under its Creative Director Santosh Nair, designer of the programme, Sadhya dancers have benefited from his mixed dance background, in traditional dance (Kathakali and Mayurbhanj Chhau) and Contemporary Dance (under Narendra Sharma) supplemented with training in countries like Norway, making him sensitive to movement generated from body-weight support between dancers and a feel for Western high-lift movements. The evening lived up to the aim of building bridges between tradition and modernity. Given its rhythm-in-the-air with one leg swirling in space and high balance, Chhau makes an ideal preparatory discipline for aspiring dancers of Contemporary Dance. Sadhya's troupe of agile dancers is nothing if not well trained. Starting in long-legged fluid grace, with high vaulting movements in the Hathyadhar start, holding sword and shield was Santosh himself presenting traditional Mayurbhanj. His choreography in Deeksha, a tribute to the guru, blends the traditional with the Contemporary - some movements choppy and others flowing, rendered in a group.
Very peppy in stunning black and red costume were dancers in compelling formations in the next item done to well assembled music. Full leg splits and broad plies were counter-pointed with heady circles and gliding movements, with a sudden excerpt in pure, untainted Chhau, the versatile dancers easily handling different movement tones.
Ex-pression showed Santosh's multi-pronged approach with simultaneity of movement of varying tones - the entire lot coming together in a collage. Thus painted faces, huge artificial hands attached to rods held by dancers, swathed capes spreading out to make different formations, contrastingly sharp-edged movements and Yoga postures were all woven in. Costumes were dramatic and aesthetic. The piece called Inspiration, with visuals from Santosh's career strung together artistically, made for good viewing.
Young talent
With the "catch them young" motto, Kalashram casts its net wide for spotting young talent in India, with stress laid on smaller far flung places, not reflected on the normal impresario's radar screen. Attending parts of the festval `Sadhna 2007' at the Triveni confirmed the availability of talent plus a scarcity of really experienced teachers to hone the talent. Watching youngsters Gaurav and Saurav, students of Mata Prasad and Ravi Shankar Misra, made one wonder as to why excellent laya sense was bereft of a reposeful stance so as to give the dance staying power. As it was, the restless movements distracted, with an uncharacteristic high sideway leg kick like the Bharatanatyam veeshara adavu.
On the other hand, students of Paromita Moitra, Nilopa and Subarna, delighted, Nilopa's grace and nazaquat in one so tiny, amazing in the rendition of "Adharam Madhuram". A crisper profile with sharpness of rhythm characterised Subarna's Kathak. Both were a foil for each other. The raised level of the accompanying music when students of Vidya Deshpande (Nasik), Krutika and Sampada, performed was in the true Rohini Bhate mode. Neat dancers (particularly Krutika), the Teen tala clarity in footwork and poise in padhant along with the manner the items were set for a duo impressed.
Luna Poddar's students Piu and Arunima danced to taped music. The abhinaya number of natural and foster mothers Devaki and Yashoda exchanging notes about little Krishna's escapades provided an original perspective.
Abhaya, Shivadatta and Krishnadatta, hailing from Kathakar families and now studying in the Kathak Kendra, have the same problem of not being internally relaxed.
The youngest Abhaya is undoubtedly talented, but Krishna Mohan's training while giving them the rhythmic prowess, needs to inculcate that stillness, relaxed shoulder line, and quietude making dance a joy and not frenetic.
Bharatanatyam performance
Dancing at Delhi's Tamil Sangam auditorium was Saroja Vaidyanathan's student Aditi Sahai, whose slim presence and neat Bharatanatyam, coming after a somewhat loud performance by a Chennai trio, was soothing to jarred senses, along with neatly balanced music. A pleasant dancer, Aditi has to go beyond just adequate abhinaya and develop expressional nuances to embroider varnams like Dandayudapani's "Saamiyai azhaittodi vaa." She must build on the foundation she has.
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