Narthaki - Indian dance online

Featured Columns | Previews | Reviews/Reports | Articles, Profiles, Interviews.... | News

December 2023

Where do stories come from?
They come from other stories
From deep within ourselves and from the cave of memories
Stories bind us and release our imaginations to swoop and soar
- Author SALMAN RUSHDIE award acceptance speech, Germany

We ask that same question each December!

"Where did the year go?"
"What? Already?"
"Gosh! How time flies!"

While we take close looks at our ONE YEAR OLDER selves - inside and out - this is a season for rejoicing, gifting and coming together in many ways.

For us performers, it is THE time to share and yes, show off, our accumulated training and experience to a global audience. Here in Chennai, citizens still pride themselves on having the best "KAAN SENSE" (a keen listening ear) for music. And, by association the most discerning audience for Bharatanatyam. There are many dancers who will disagree with this assumption but there is one aspect that cannot be denied. In the month between December 15 to January 15, it IS still possible to watch most of the celebrated Bharatanatyam dancers in one city. Never mind the awful acoustics, lack of tech rehearsals, no parking facilities and deplorable infrastructure. People still arrive from other cities and shores and dancers still look forward to ascending the Chennai stage.

Read on...

anitaratnam.com

Refuting the cultural hegemony and misrepresentation of Bharatanatyam
- Nrithya Pillai
A recent video of a Sri Lankan Tamil-speaking Moulvi describing Bharatanatyam as a dance of the "Parathaiyar" and as entertainment for royalty had gone viral, creating controversy among the island's Tamil Hindus and practitioners of the dance.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

The role of the arts in developing sustainable inter-ethnic engagement in Malaysia
- Ramli Ibrahim
The Arts play a vital role in building the character of a nation.
When we mention the Arts, we associate it synonymously with culture.

The embodiment of rural identities - Movement is giving sense to divine language
- Marc-Paul Lambert
Let alone the idea of getting hints from an inspiring ritual, rural source in most cases acts like a rejuvenating incubator of talents for 'Shastriya Natya' - the corpus of Indian classical dances.

BIRTHDAY WISHES
Anupama Kylash: Dec 1
Kalamandalam Suganthi: Dec 2
Kavitha Ramu: Dec 5
Bimbavati Devi: Dec 6
Anwesa Mahanta: Dec 16
Yamini Krishnamurthy: Dec 20
Sailaja Nrithya: Dec 22
Ratikant Mohapatra: Dec 24
Surya Rao: Dec 25
Himanshu Srivastava: Dec 29
Rhadha - Dec 31

QUOTE
"When language fails in describing our emotions, dance steps forward."
- Edwaard Liang (Choreographer)

Sarangapani temple, Kumbakonam
Photo: Lalitha Venkat

Disclaimer: Narthaki.com seeks to present views and opinions from all sides of the spectrum.
The information, ideas or opinions in the articles are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narthaki.com.
All efforts have been made to check the accuracy and authenticity of the material printed on this website.
Narthaki.com will not be responsible if any information is found incorrect or incomplete.