Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
Myriad shades of arts
LEELA VENKATARAMAN
|
A range of programmes revealed the impact of globalisation on classical arts.
|
Dancing at the Triveni under the aegis of Pratidhwani, Gaurie Mishra showed her Odissi mettle.
Of grace Gowrie Mishra in performance.
In different ways Indian Council for Cultural Relations’ (ICCR)programmes sponsored in the last couple of weeks set one thinking about cultural uniqueness being preserved in the global scenario where the privacy in which tra
ditional art forms grew has become a thing of the past.
Watching a concert of Kazakh and Indian folk and classical dances presented at the Kamani on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of Kazakhstan-India diplomatic relationswith dancers from Kazakhstan, including a tiny tot, rendering enthusiastic Kalakshetra style Bharatanatyam with Sai Shankarsinging on the tape, one was struck by how far our classical dances had travelled.
Sixteen dancers doing an Alarippu, a “Sarasijakshulu” Sabdam or a solo “Devi Neeye Tunai” much like any other dance institution in India, with accessories like the hair ornaments worked out to the last detail confirmed the flat world globalisation was creating.
Highly exaggerated
On the other hand, watching a Jammu and Kashmir Cultural Festival with Dogri dances with a strong Bollywood flavour , made one realise the difficultyin the present climate of frenzied cultural exchangeto preserve folk forms with their regional identity undiluted.
The lachrymose leave-taking of a Kashmiri Muslim bride from her parents’ house captured in a highly exaggerated mini-operaand glimpses of the night-long festivity of Jagarna were just histrionics gone awry.
But capturing the original spirit was the Ladakhi marriage and also the Kashmiri folk music by Abdul Rashid Hafiz, the skill of Mansoor Ahmad Shah and party in the Bachnagma folk dance, the Geetru Dogri folk dance, the Kargil dancers of Shinaand the slow moving to pipe music of the Bhand Chowk Kashmiri folk dance.
The whirling dervishes from Turkey presented by the ICCR in association with the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in the highly meditative ritual of the “Sema Ceremony” underlined the similarity between the Sufi philosophy and the Jeevatma/Paramatma concept. The poetry mirrored the combined sensuous/devotional blend reflected in much of Indian sringar/bhakti poetry.
Dancing at the Triveni under the aegis of Pratidhwani, Gaurie Mishra showed her Odissi mettle.
Trained under Ipsita Behoora, Gaurie’s creditable technical grasp, both chauka and tribhanga with fine isolated udvahita torso movements, was clear in the dance profile of the Saveri Pallavi choreographed by the late Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra.
In some moments like the “Dheem ta Dheem” in the seated position, with the sundari neckor in movements imitating plucking flowers, Gowrie tends to be a wee bit jerky.
Dashavatar was well executed, the “Haririha mugdha ashtapadi, even given the isolated gesture, movement, expressional coordination, still has to treat these as shades adding to a total picture of a dominant mood, not yet convincingly emphasised.
With her presence, grace and dedication, Gaurie has a bright future.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
|
