February 1, 2013
Where did January go? In a blur of weddings, celebrations, glamorous
performances, glitzy hotel dining, culture talks, day spas, family
feuds, shopping, gardening and choli fittings. Already in our second
month, I sit down to recollect the 31 days of January.
The year and the month began with the important classical dance festival
at the Music Academy in Chennai. I watched 14 of the evening shows and
came away with one reaction. Odissi is thriving and Bharatanatyam is
over-rated. That is not how I generally feel but the disappointment of
my favourite dance form being so poorly represented and interpreted by
the famous divas was a huge blow. Rama Vaidyanathan and Priyadarsini
Govind delivered what I can simply sum up as "substandard shows" full
of temperament and lacking in content and depth. Both women are now
wearing not pyjamas but JEGGYMAS Jeggings that masquerade as dance
pyjamas. Too tight and too unbecoming, especially for those seated in
the front rows. Narthaki Natraj should have cancelled but instead danced
with an injured hip and tortured us all. Mythili Prakash was
incandescent and rose above a banal Andal varnam with trite lyrics to
deliver a truly heartfelt performance. Her mentor Malavika Sarukkai
chose some choice traditional items and she danced with energy and
integrity but somehow the magic was not there. Alarmel Valli spoke
beautifully and danced like she always does like a 16 year old.
The Kuchipudi group led by Jaikishore Mosalikanti shone in their
intelligent simplicity, devoid of that garish tinsel hairdos and wigs.
The Manipuri group lost their audience with overlong programming past
the witching hour of 8.45pm. Nrityagram's SAMHARA stood out in the
entire festival with their superb dancing and for once the Sri Lankan
dancers (Thaji and Mithilani) shone and overshadowed the Bijayini-Surupa
duo. The choreography and flawless execution with intelligent lighting
and dramatic use of space - the neat musical ensemble tastefully clad,
pauses between items and clear explanations is something that our divas
can learn from. Nrityagram is an emblem of professionalism and sheer
class.
The morning sessions revealed how disappointing the NRI dancers were.
They universally were below par and revealed a flawed programming system
that overlooked many talented India based dancers. Bad dancing, poor
technique, improper costumes, hopeless programming choices I can go on
and on but the net result is that these women are given too much
publicity and do not deserve to be programmed in such a prestigious
festival without tighter curation. Vaibhav Arekar and Srikanth -Aswathy
were very good in their respective slots and the audiences were almost
unanimous in wondering how the foreign based dancers got opportunities
at such a prestigious event. In spite of my opinions which were shared
by many in the canteen between the evening performances- the same names
will continue to be featured year after year at the prime evening slots
since the Academy committee has bound itself into a conundrum feeling
that these R-A-M-P stars are the only names that sell tickets. These
divas in turn will believe that they can do anything and get away with
it since they will be invited again year after year inspite of rasika
response. And the young dancers will wonder why they slave away at
adavus when they can just pose, primp, strut, run around to climb the
stardom ladder. And no matter how poorly they dance (Priyadarsini's
latest performances includes the mandatory slipping 'vanki" from her
thin arms, horrendous costumes, torn hemlines and Velcro fans that keep
coming apart), the review in THE HINDU two days later made me wonder if I
was at the very same performance that was described by writer Vidya
Saranyan as a paragon of divinity descended upon earth.
On a lighter note, I know that I am not alone in carrying mop and bucket
to the theatres. Lynne Fernandez of Nrityagram does that also, never
depending on lazy organisers to clean the stage!!! The dust that rose
every time Srikanth and Aswathy stamped made the front row sneeze. Was
anybody at the Academy watching?
Presenting a showcase of Taminadu performing arts to a large group of
CEOs from across India gave me the opportunity to share my experience
and anecdotes to an influential group of decision makers. How little
urban India knows of our cultural workings and of dance history in
general! What a great opportunity for impressarios and interlocutors
today. Addressing a visiting group of elite museum goers from Singapore
about Buddhism in South India made me realise how lucky I am to be a
dancer who can access all kinds of information through the prism of
poetry, literature, history, music, sculpture, painting, films and
music. How easily Indian dance knits and braids such a wealth of
tradition for today and tomorrow!
But all this gratitude and good feeling vanishes when cultural terrorism
rears its head. India seems to be in the vice-like grip of fanatics.
The dance world was abuzz with Kathak dancer Aditi Mangaldas turning
down the national Sangeet Natak Akademi award for the Creative and
Experimental category stating that she is a Kathak dancer and NOT a
contemporary dancer. Brilliant Aditi, the international face of Kathak,
has been in the eye of the storm, particularly from the gurus of the
Kathak Kendra in New Delhi. Not wearing a dupatta and thereby
"confusing" the younger generation seems to be one of the points raised
by some seniors and Aditi's slick and contemporary staging of Kathak is
misinterpreted as being modern and contemporary in content as well. This
is a delicate issue and it can be viewed through many kinds of lenses.
Should Aditi have accepted the award and continued to create and perform
her superb work? Is she insulting the Akademi committee who selected
her? Is she right in refusing the award for a category she feels needs
many years of a particular kind of training that she does not have? Read
all about it in our ROSES and THORNS section and let us know what you
think.
The larger question is WHO DECIDES WHAT IS CLASSICAL KATHAK OR CLASSICAL
BHARATANATYAM? Who are the self appointed arbiters of these boundaries?
Years ago Ramli Ibrahim's Odissi dancers faced flak from a section of
purists in Odisha who claimed that they were "lewd" and "vulgar" and not
"respecting Odissi" by not wearing a dupatta during performance. Yamini
Krishnamurthi did not wear one for years. Fortunately the fascist
brigade was not active then in culture. Today the borders are shifting
so rapidly and contemporary dance in India is fast leaning towards
western modern dance techniques that what I create and perform does not
seem to fit anywhere. Not classical enough, not modern enough, not
contemporary enough, not Indian enough, not exotic enough. I feel
fortunate amongst this confusion. I can continue to create what I want
and when I want without worrying about these tags. And the audiences are
there. They exist and they come. And they are NOT confused. And I am
NOT alone. There are colleagues who are also working in these "in
between" spaces betwixt many worlds but firmly situated in the
geographical and cultural contexts that we live and create in. Looking
at the appalling choice of artistes selected to tour overseas reveals
how strongly the state has entered and controlled the cultural spaces
where the artiste is beholden to the politician and bureaucrat not
artistic directors or to gurus - for professional advancement.
Now look at the fate of brilliant film actor Kamal Hassan. As of this
moment, his new film Viswaroopam has been banned in his and my home
state of Tamilnadu. Creative freedom of a dancer to create and perform
or an actor to write and direct seems to need government approval at
every step. What does this say about India and the very IDEA of
democracy? How many censors do we need to bow to? How afraid should we
be about ideas and the space to express them? How much freedom do we
have as a creative community?
January was a month in which I was able to witness the many different
ways in which the elite in India watch and consume culture. At private
celebrations, (Yanni and his fabulous orchestra, Cirque du Soleil
performers and AR Rahman) the super rich and powerful are the new
audiences for dance, music, art, design and culture. They do not attend
performances. Performances attend to them. This is the privileged 1% who
are the target of all luxury brands and who could be coaxed to be the
patrons to a new generation of performing arts in India. The way in
which dance is now being created and performed for the uber rich is far,
far away from the strict gaze of sabhas and old fashioned organisers.
Hundreds of young men and women are making careers in dance and
performing at weddings, engagements, birthdays and anniversaries. An
enterprising generation is seizing the opportunity to create short and
interesting pieces, charge good money (about 2 lakhs for a 30 minute
appearance) and continue a life in the performing arts. What does this
say to those invested in creating SERIOUS art? What is so important
about art that is viewed by 200 people who are mostly invited for FREE
when 3000 people can watch while sipping wine or nibbling at sushi? You
be the judge of that but in India, serious money and serious art are far
apart. Like Lakshmi and Saraswati feuding.
January was also the time when I was lucky to meet the legendary Vajira,
wife and prima ballerina of Chitrasena Dance Company, Colombo. This
slim and sprightly 80 year old continues to inspire the fabulous dance
ensemble that her late husband created. Chitrasena, in turn, was
inspired by Tagore's Santiniketan and his days spent with Uday Shankar.
He then returned to his native Colombo to re-imagine Sri Lanka's ritual
dance traditions for the proscenium stage. In rehearsal for a special
show marking the famous choreographies of the iconic dance company, 8
dancers led by Vajira's granddaughter Thaji (who dances in the
Nrityagram collaboration SAMHARA) illuminated the simple thatched
rehearsal space with the historical pieces like Saraswati and a slice of
the famous Swan solo from Nala Damayanti. All created and performed by
Vajira and later danced by her daughter Upeka and now Thaji, the
rehearsal was a statement in impeccable preparation and ensemble
camaraderie. Dancing drummers using hastas while drumming and moving in
formations, superb dancing and a sumptuous dinner of curd/treacle and
hoppers with jackfruit curry made for a memorable evening. On land
donated by the government, this cultural treasure house, so close to our
shores, can show us about how with limited movements and almost no
narrative tradition, dance can be creative, dynamic and
contemporary.
The accolades continue to pour in for EPIC WOMEN and I am grateful to
all those who attended and shared their delight at this path breaking
event. PURUSH December 19 to 22, 2013 - is being curated as we
speak and an exciting four days are guaranteed for those who will be
present. I must add that conducting EPIC WOMEN on the very same days
that our girl Nirbhaya was fighting for her life was a surreal moment.
Many times I felt like remembering her and marking her uphill struggle
to live. At every moment the mood of the EPIC WOMEN event was focused on
discussing SITA, BALA, DRAUPADI, and somehow the moment passed. But the
thought stayed with me. What was the meaning of the event against the
murky tapestry of violence against our women? What was the real meaning
of EPIC against this backdrop of acid burnt Malala and now Nirbhaya.
These women were attacked by hateful mobs. Amidst the riveting
discussion, I found my mind wandering through the corridors of cultural
memory. Sita was the target of the Rama via the Ayodhya mob and she said
"ENOUGH - I am going home." Draupadi was the victim of the Kaurava /
Pandava mob and she cried out "Krishna!" and issued a warning
"Dusshasana-beware!" Ahalya was the target of Indra and Gautama and she
said "No saviour for me of Gods and men." She returned to becoming a
stone free from all men (in the best retelling of Tamil writer Pudumai
Pittan). What can these women teach us about our lives in the India of
today? I believe that mythology continues to tap into those well springs
of deep compelling reservoirs that define us and it is at these times
that we must try to recollect anything that can give us some measure of
meaning. And sometimes nothing really can answer these questions.
Nothing but rage and helpless anger remain. EPIC anger and EPIC hopeless
emptiness.
The Padma awards were announced and were soon forgotten. Artistes are
being recognised and honoured less and less and the list continues to
expand for the corporates, scientists and designers. And yet we
persist. We continue to hope and want to see some positives, a sliver of
light and reason amidst this increasingly grey landscape. We continue
the dance of our lives.
And so it goes. Bonjour India the cultural gift from France is
enthralling audiences across India with fabulous shows. Soon to follow
are OZ Fest, German celebrations and who knows what else? Young crowds
who stay away from Indian dance events, are flocking to these
performances in large numbers. And that is also a case study for our cultural czars and czarinas.
Wishing you a month of peace, fresh ideas and the compassion and luck to
see them come to life. Have fun, smile and laugh - honestly.
Cheers!
Dr Anita R Ratnam
Chennai
Twitter: @aratnam
Facebook: Anita R Ratnam
Instagram: @anitaratnam
Blog: THE A LIST / anita-ratnam.blogspot.in
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