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Spellbinding group
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There never was a dull moment as Ramli Ibrahim and his meticulously trained students impressed with their grace and perfection. LEELA VENKATARAMAN
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Photos: V. Ganesan
Living up to the title: Ramli Ibrahim’s ‘Spellbound.’
If only the late Odissi Guru Debaprasad Das had known that his Sabda/Swara/Patha approach to Odissi would evolve into such group splendour as visualised by his Malaysian disciple Ramli Ibrahim, he perhaps would have died a less embittered man.
‘Spellbound’ presented by Ramli’s Sutra Group performing at the Music Academy for Dance Festival 2008, lived up to its title. It all began with a stunning collective expression of Saraswati Vandana in Mangalacharan set to raga Kedar, right from the Mardala overture, the Goddess draped in white splendour seated on the Lotus emerging from group formations only Ramli’s creative imagination can visualise.
Solid foundation
With never a dull moment, Ramli’s choreographic base is provided by the rock-strong foundation of a relentlessly rehearsed group of meticulously trained students, the breadth of their chauka and the grace of their tribhangi never faltering. The constantly changing formations, never predictable, demand exemplary understanding of stage spacing by the performers.
The Pallavi in Mukhari an old composition by Guru Debaprasad, evolving under his disciple Guru Durgacharan Ranbir and adapted for group rendition by Ramli had Guna the male dancer as the hovering personified image of the Dhyana Sloka of the raga, perceived in male form with a reddish colour, while the raga translates into vivid group movement images, with the Bhramari both clockwise and vipareeta, stunningly evident. Guna himself, while lacking the subtle torso isolations of Ramli, has a balance and command over movement which in the quicksilver solo “Dhin Ta Thin Di Na” bit marvelled.
Few dancers have communicated the ecstasy of the Siva icon better than Ramli whose very bone marrows seem to be permeated with the feel of the power and delight of Siva. Sivashtakam with Ramli in the main role had quickly changing but indelible, painterly group images representing episodes from the Siva Purana.
An unforgettably inspiring dance statement of the power of Siva both maker and destroyer, was followed by the delicately romantic tones of the Oriya song “Kadamba Vane Bansi Bajilare” with the sounds of the flute wafting in the breeze, stirring in Radha and the Gopis quickly fleeting images of Krishna frolicking in Raas with her and the Gopis in the Kadamba grove.
The prayer to Surya set to Revati with the Patha portion recited, had the most powerful group formations of the Sun God rising from the Seas driving his chariot on the firmament of the sky as day advances and grows into night, life drawing upon his strength as homage is paid to this destroyer of all sins. The glorious shining orb of the Sun, the golden yellow, the sprinkling rays touching earth with its life-giving bounty, are all conveyed through effects that avoid looking like exhibitionism, all smoothly flowing (along with the superb lighting - all the handiwork of Sutra’s Siva Nataraja), in the course of the dance never detracting from the weight of the presentation.
Kudos to Ramli’s artistic direction and dancers Ramli, Guna, Tan Mei Mei, Shantona, Shivagama Valli, Divya Nair, Thanusha and Geethika. Odissi has truly transcended the boundaries of race and region.
Guru Durgacharan Ranbir conducted the recital, the precision and clarity of his ukkutas aided by Dhaneswar Swain’s Mardala expertise, with Sukanta Kundu providing vocal support. Abhiram Nanda and Swapneshwar contributed tuneful flute and violin accompaniment.
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
|
