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The passions for and in our dance run deep and intense! As Bharatanatyam is a truly global phenomenon, opinions about 'purity', 'classicism', 'authenticity', 'creativity', 'contemporaenity' are swirling thick and fast around us. With the Indian media enjoying 60 years of almost uninterrupted freedom in what is now a more and more paranoid world, we at narthaki.com are beginning a series called ROSES AND THORNS. It will place in the spotlight one dancer / a dance production / dance performance / dance tour occurring anywhere in the world. The specific dance production or performance will be spotlighted on the site for the sheer volume of comments – both positive and negative that we receive in terms of phone calls and e mails. In all matters of expression, the column will advise restraint and decency even when some views are angry and vehemently outraged.

2024


MOHINIATTAM: COLOURISM COMMENT



MUSIC ACADEMY - TM KRISHNA AWARD CONTROVERSY


2023


THE KALAKSHETRA CONTROVERSY
The timeline of all the news reports surrounding the Kalakshetra incidents starting from March 21, 2023.


2021


KALAKSHETRA KALA-MITY 


2020


In response to TM Krishna's article
- Ramaa Venugopalan
e-mail: ramaa17@gmail.com


2019


SNA award for Kuchipudi
- Madhavi Puranam
e-mail: puranam.madhavi@gmail.com


2018


TMK - Off Key



Awards on an arbitrary criteria
- Madhavi Puranam
e-mail: editornartanam@gmail.com



Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards 2017: Is the process mechanized?
- Bhavanvitha Venkat
e-mail: bhavanvitha@gmail.com



Is anybody concerned?
- Ileana Citaristi
e-mail: ileana5@hotmail.com



#SAVEKALAKSHETRA



Adiyal Vinnappam (A Devadasi's Appeal)



Why are dancers so desperate for titles?


2017


Rani Padmavati



Kuchipudi - Formation of a global association is the way forward
- Sudha Sridhar
email: sudhasridhar@hotmail.com



When hope rots
Jottings by Vikram Sampath


2016


In defense of the white male critic
- Bruno Kavanagh



Public notice to Sangeet Natak Akademi



Navadisha 2016



The Journey from Kuchipudi to KitschyPudi
- Veejay Sai
e-mail: kyaabaathain@gmail.com


2015


After the Chennai floods: To perform or not to perform?



Intolerance in our work culture
- Madhavi Puranam
e-mail: puranam.madhavi@gmail.com



Whines and Wails



Managing / mismanaging culture
- Madhavi Puranam
e-mail: puranam.madhavi@gmail.com



Some questions need to be asked
- Madhavi Puranam
e-mail: puranam.madhavi@gmail.com



What they said this Season
Compiled by Lalitha Venkat


2014


Quotes of the Season
- Compiled by Lalitha Venkat



How grateful should we be to sponsors who support the arts - especially Dance?
- Anita Ratnam


2013


Foot in Mouth Odours!



The race for Facebook "Likes" is on!
- Ahalya Narendran
e-mail: classicalya@yahoo.com



Terrorism on Kathak
- Navina Jafa
e-mail: navina.jafa@gmail.com



Turning down Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
- Aditi Mangaldas, New Delhi
e-mail: aditimangaldas@gmail.com



Quotes of the season
Compiled by: Lalitha Venkat


2012


Who next? Or what next?
Kalakshetra crisis: Blown out of proportion

- V.P. Dhananjayan, Chennai
e-mail: bkalanjali@gmail.com



How should Bollywood dance be regarded?
Pop, modern, contemporary, or a separate category called Filmi?
a compilation of the responses to the poll conducted by narthaki.com in June 2012



Which dance form is most useful as a foundation for Contemporary Indian dance?
a compilation of the responses to the poll conducted by narthaki.com in May 2012



Can traditional systems of knowledge become commercial commodities?
a compilation of the responses to the poll conducted by narthaki.com in April 2012



Should Leela Samson reconsider her resignation from Kalakshetra?



Is the Bharatanatyam Margam outdated?
a compilation of the responses to the poll conducted by narthaki.com in March 2012



Quotes of the Chennai season
- Compiled by Lalitha Venkat


2011


Video piracy
- Ananda Shankar Jayant, Hyderabad
e-mail: anandasj@rediffmail.com



Regarding some fake teachers
- A concerned parent



Bharatanatyam for sale
- Concerned Artists from India and North America



The Emperor wears new clothes at Silicon Andhra's 2nd International Kuchipudi Convention
- Ranjana Dave, Mumbai
e-mail: ranjanadave1988@gmail.com



Super Class Nonsense!
- Ratikant Mohapatra, Bhubaneswar
e-mail: srjan.bbsr@gmail.com



A dancer as Chairperson of the Indian Censor Board
- Anita R Ratnam

Responses



Words are sacred
- Anita R Ratnam



Dance of the season: A different take
Compiled by Lalitha Venkat



Not all music to the ears
Compiled by Lalitha Venkat



The dancer's elusive quest for amenities
- Sruthi Krishnan
thehindu.com

Responses


2010


Murky Spaces
- Anita Ratnam



A dancer's peek into performance spaces
- Mythili Prakash



ICCR scholarships and listings
- Ashwini Shankar



Don't shoot, I'm dancing!
- Dr.Susil Pani, Pondicherry
e-mail: raghuclinic@yahoo.com

Responses



Dance in Pakistan
- Dr. Sunil Kothari
e-mail: sunilkothari1933@gmail.com

Responses



Past Forward
- Anita R Ratnam, Chennai

Responses



Art writing and credits
- Leela Venkataraman, Delhi
e-mail: leelakaveri@hotmail.com



A response to Importance of arangetram
Excerpted from the narthaki Discussion Forum featured in April, 2008



Knowledgeable reporters!
- Rukmini Vijayakumar, Bangalore
e-mail: raadhakalpa@gmail.com


2009


Culture vultures! A sorry state of affairs
- Padmaja Suresh, Bangalore
e-mail: padmajasuresh@hotmail.com



Musician rejected from ICCR upgradation by panel



Season quotes
Compiled by Lalitha Venkat


2008


Chennai December season: What they say
- Compiled by Lalitha Venkat



Amplification is killing live music
- Bruno Kavanagh

Responses

Further Response to "Amplification is killing live music"
- A Seshan



An anonymous letter to Rashtrapatiji



An experience that never was!
California's Kuchipudi Convention!
- Ramaa Bharadvaj, California
e-mail: info@ramaadance.org

Response



Ageism and Dance
(Excerpted from the narthaki Discussion Forum)



Earnest Clowns
...media and arts reporting
- Anita Ratnam, Chennai
e-mail: arangham@gmail.com

Irresponsible editing of dance article

Responses



Importance of arangetram
(Excerpted from the narthaki Discussion Forum)



Court injunction against the producers of the dance ballet JAYA JAYA DEVI



Boo Hoo Bruno!
... and the politics of whining

Replies from Bruno, Ranvir and Anita

Responses from the audience and Narthaki readers



Dance arangetrams
(Excerpted from the narthaki Discussion Forum)



Season quotes: January 2008
Compiled by Lalitha Venkat



How blessed is the MAD-ras season for people in Madras?
(Excerpted from the narthaki Discussion Forum)



Talents and promoters
(Excerpted from the narthaki Discussion Forum)


2007


Expressions: The season
Compiled by Lalitha Venkat



Musings: Dance, human gods and money!
(Excerpted from the narthaki Discussion Forum)



An open letter to janab MS Sathyu Sa'ab



The Kalakshetra controversy



Season talk
- Compiled by Lalitha Venkat



Highs and lows of Chennai January season
- Compiled by Lalitha Venkat



The Lotus Throne
- Anita Ratnam, Chennai
e-mail: arangham@gmail.com


2006


Highs and lows of Chennai December season
- Compiled by Lalitha Venkat



The Great Dance Robbery - arangetrams in the diaspora
Recently, the Narthaki Discussion Forum has seen some thought provoking perceptions about lavish arangetrams, demands and expectations, greedy gurus and musicians, and over-ambitious parents in the diaspora.
We present to you the exchange of varied viewpoints and the many interesting suggestions that our readers have come up with.
November 26, 2006
Details



ARUDHRA 2006, the 10th annual festival of dance presented by Ponnambalam Academy of Dance & Music Trust
Tensions between Karnataka and Tamilnadu are now the stuff of legend. The film world, the water world and the arts world were always facing off in apparent readiness for battle. I distinctly remember the threat of pickets outside my dance performance at the Bangalore Habba a few years ago. Other Tamilandu artistes faced the same situation with Kannada artistes protesting the large contingent from outside their state and particularly from their neighbours!

However, I always loved the cultural atmosphere in Bangalore and the large turnout of artistes who attend all dance performances. Generous crowds, less back biting and a greater bonhomie among artistes and gurus were the envy of many of us in Chennai.

This recent spate of fireworks between Bangalore artistes has us all aghast! What really happened at ARUDHRA 2006? Who is to blame? Can such an incident be avoided in future? What is the relationship between organizer and artiste?

Read on and navigate carefully between the Roses and Thorns!

Anita Ratnam
November 3, 2006

A culture shock in Bangalore City!
- Anuradha, Sanjay, Shama and Surya
e-mail: dancetrioblr@yahoo.co.in

Unfortunate incident
- Sharmila Mukerjee, Bangalore
e-mail: sharmila_mukerjee@hotmail.com

Bangalore dance scene
- Veena Murthy Vijay, Bangalore
e-mail: v_veena2000@yahoo.com

Shell shocked
- Savitri Ganesan, Bangalore
e-mail: ganesan_savithri44@yahoo.com



'Ekaantha Seetha...A lonely furrow,'
produced by Cleveland Cultural Alliance and choreographed by The Dhananjayans



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