Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
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Stunning dance
PErFEcTION Nirupama gave a sterling performance
The opening Bharatanatya recital by Ramaa Vaidyanathan of Delhi during the two-day Samskruthi dance festival held under the direction of dancer Sathyanarayana Raju at ADA Rangamandira was both brilliant and electrifying. Ramaa covered almost the enti
re gamut of Bharatanatya with her splendid movements. The first item with the use of anjali and mayura hasthas was endearing. Ramaa’s qualitative dancing was noteworthy. The nritta, nrithya and abhinaya were outstanding. A Purandaradasa pada (“Saddu maadabedavo Rangayya”, Kalyani) and a verse from Nammalvar’s Divya Prabandha brought out the creative talents of Ramaa. With a text in praise of the river Ganga inserted, the Behag tillana was a fine finale.
Almost in the same line and spirit, Navia Natarajan’s Bharatanatya followed. A seasoned dancer that she is, her Ganesha stuti and Padmanabha namana accounted for a taut start. The Shankarabharana varna in praise of Lord Brihadeeshwara (“Manavi chai konarada”) had a 40 minutes explication. Navia became one with the nayika. The tagged nritta, nrithya and abhinaya were excellently dealt with. She was an engrossed nayika in the rendition of Kapi javali (“Parulanna maata”).
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On the second day noted danseuse-choreographer-researcher and the promoter of the famed website on dance ‘Narthaki’ Anitha Ratnam from Chennai was in her creative elements in her solo performance, “Neelam”….drowning in bliss.
Her ingenuity and creativity was all pervasive and conspicuous by its presence throughout the three-section-presentation. Supported strongly by the lyrics of Alwars, Andal, Jayadeva and Muthuswamy Dikshitar, her artistic magnificence glowed forth. Anitha moved gracefully on the stage enacting the role of the nayika and the devotee. “Priye charusheele” (Ashtapadi) and “Srirangapura vihara” (Brindavanasaranga, rendered in the form of a comprehensive pallavi) among others deserved a special mention. Competent as she is in abhinaya, she personified the rasas inherent in the compositions. Though her bizarre costumes raised some eyebrows, the mood was complemented by the technicalities of the Bharathanatya. The presentation fully showcased her consummate artistry in the exquisite choreography. The recorded music was interspersed with spoken words in the form of chants.
The concluding programme of Samskruthi dance festival was by the seasoned and highly talented dancer Nirupama Rajendra. Blessed with a chiselled body and an intellectual flair Nirupama’s Bharatanatya was sans blemishes. In knitting fast movements in various permutations of rhythm into the musical strain and in maintaining the high standards of beauteous Bharatanatya and while stomping out the rhythmic patterns, Nirupama was a past master. The initial Ganesha stuti and the evocation of shringara on the basis of a Tamil number (Kalyani) was a class apart. Lalgudi’s Charukeshi varna on Krishna evidenced Nirupama’s praiseworthy hold over the aesthetic and artistic aspects of the dance.
M. SURYA PRASAD
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
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