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ANITA SAYS..... Mar 1, 2025 A body by itself. No move it makes arousing possession in another The independence to be yourself, Complete in yourself, is heaven. - Shanta Gokhale, Arts writer and translator ONE FOOT ON THE GROUND - a life told through the body (an autobiography)  Welcome to March - a time of changes, transitions and much more, I started writing this month's thoughts on MAHASIVARATRI- February 26 - where the energies converge and the universe opens its hearts to sacred impulses. Across cultures where the lunar cycle is acknowledged, this day stirs a profound change and churning. Dormant feelings emerge, bonds are strengthened or weakened, new horizons are born for the brave to witness and our planet glimmers with hope and radiance. Of course, this does not occur without the dark side of experience also surging forth to the surface. It is IN the churning that the nectar can be found - Mahalakshmi, the glorious Goddess of Abundance rises AND the poison surges - that Lord Siva so bravely consumed for the universal good. February was an unusual time for me. A return to a beloved ensemble performance, a talk in the Nilgiri mountains about Arts and Business, moderating talks at the exciting Goa Literature Festival, ongoing rehearsals, writing deadlines and a quick break to my favourite destination, Sri Lanka.  You may have noticed that I am writing less and less about actual performances and focusing more on trends and issues surrounding the dance world. It is because there is already so much that is poured forth on the digital platforms and the automatic responses that these videos generate are mostly cherry picking comments and praise and deleting any murmur of negativity. My reflections on dance, music and theatre may not be useful to many in today's world of instant gratification but this monthly document serves as a record of my shifting thoughts and perspectives on the global world of Indian dance. After all, this portal will mark 25 years online and has become a vital reference tool for citations and reviews on Indian dance. THE ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE  The once in 144 years MAHAKUMBH sacred event may have concluded but the annual "pilgrimage" of musicians and dancers from India making their way to North America begins. Starting with the Cleveland Tyagaraja Festival held at Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio, the pull of the USA-D - the United States of the Almighty Dollar beckons. It is like clockwork. Come March and the exodus starts. The large number of workshops, lectures, talks, performances, residencies and choreography activities that unfold on North American soil are mind boggling. This is an ideal case study for business schools as to how a niche cultural activity has grown to become a large and bloated/ginormous juggernaut that seems unstoppable. Entire household expenses for the year are earned in one North American visit of 8 to12 weeks. While our artistes travel to many other parts of the world, it is the data and revenue from the USA visits that will make for interesting revelations. In this case, it is NOT the regular diaspora success story but HOW the Indian American community has supported the careers and lives of artistes from India in such a consistent and generous way. One excellent outcome of this largesse can be seen in the activities of AIM FOR SEVA. This NGO is based in Manjakudi, Tamilnadu and is inspired by the philosophy and teachings of 20th century philosopher-seer Swami Dayananda Saraswati. Led by the dynamic Sheela Balaji, AFS depends largely on the annual Bharatanatyam dance ensemble tours of the USA. The 6-week tour travels to 12 to 16 cities and helps raise money for the annual projects in India. Over the years, AIM FOR SEVA has focused on education, Indic learning of music and Sanskrit, martial arts, philosophy and the revival of several varieties of indigenous rice. This is one way of actually seeing the impact of dance as a force for good. ROOTS & SHOOTS  Inauguration of Adishakti cafeteria In February, I was in Auroville to inaugurate the beautifully designed cafeteria at ADISHAKTI THEATRE LABORATORY. I met and conversed with Krishna Devanandan, a senior dancer and a former Kalakshetra student who was in the early group of adventurers with dance visionary Chandralekha. When Chandralekha visited Kalakshetra on the back of a scooter in 1983 to request Rukmini Devi Arundale for dancers upon whom to create her new vision, 4 dancers were dispatched that same evening. Among them was Shangita Namashivayam, a 17-year-old Sri Lankan with a traditional upbringing, whose life was forever changed since. Krishna, Geeta Sridhar, Meera Krishnamurthi, Padmini Chettur, yoga guru T Nandakumar and others joined soon after. And the rest, as they say, is history.  Chandralekha and dancers  Shangita Namashivayam  Krishna Devanandan  Padmini Chettur  Tripura Kashyap At ADISHAKTI, Krishna and I talked about dance, its changing contours and the different paths that she and her colleagues from Chandralekha's company have taken since. Krishna is a senior TAI CHI teacher. Tripura Kashyap is a yoga and DMT (dance movement therapy) practitioner. Meera has opened up her space for the now popular ART ON THE TERRACE concerts in Chennai, Geeta dances and teaches in the UK, Padmini Chettur is a respected name in the contemporary dance world today and is a partner in the dance collective Basement 21. However, it is Shangita who has the fondest memories of close and unusual interactions with Chandralekha. She recalls her wedding when Chandra gifted her with a volume of the KAMA SUTRA! Shangita remembers the pride Chandralekha took of her white hair, silver jewellery and the iconic heavily lined eyes. Even when she was fading with cancer, she would insist on Shangita helping to comb her hair and making her appear presentable to visitors. When Shangita became a mother for the first time, it was Chandra who named the young baby girl. A choice between SHRI and NRITTA was offered. NRITTA was chosen eventually. If such precious memories can pour out over a single telephone conversation, imagine how rich these stories can be if documented as a recording. Oral transmission in the form of storytelling has proven to be a timeless and effective way to communicate these very poignant moments. My final point is about what happens when talented students leave their iconic teachers / gurus / choreographers and mentors. If we look at the hundreds and hundreds who graduate from Kalakshetra over the years, we have only a handful who have made a name for themselves in the dance field. Senior gurus today can count on their fingers the number of students who have braved the ongoing tides to stick it out in this demanding and poorly regarded field of Dance and Dance Studies. Most graduate, start teaching, get married and eventually, fade away into the background. So can the success of the teacher be measured by the career paths of their students or should they be content to groom and shape a generation of good dancers, thoughtful and empathetic individuals who can make the world a slightly better place? Something to think about! TODAY'S LEGACY PLATFORM More and more artistes and visual artistes are using FACEBOOK as a digital diary and a memoir recording platform. While long form writing and books may never go out of style (I certainly hope not!), it is this 2004 META platform that has emerged as the favourite medium to share ideas, videos, long texts and photographs. It trumps TIK TOK, INSTAGRAM and YOU TUBE in its ability to accommodate all forms of content. While today's generation continues to Pooh Pooh this platform as "ancient" and "irrelevant", FACEBOOK has substituted the documentary of a dancer's life journey. Now with META's new rule of deleting all videos older than 30 days means that it is vital to store, archive and collate these timelines for sharing. Perhaps the time has come for short films to be made out of the FB archives. MRS & THE GREAT INDIAN KITCHEN  The buzz in movie circles is about the current hit film MRS. Inspired and adapted from the Malayalam classic THE GREAT INDIAN KITCHEN, MRS is the story of a talented and bubbly dancer Richa who is faced with patriarchy and the daily drudgery of being a housewife burdened with kitchen chores. From the opening scenes of the protagonist dancing with abandon on the streets in a creatively choreographed "free dance" style, you are introduced to the visual and inner flutter of a restless artist. The title sequence of fast paced music and dance is punctuated with slower paced kitchen scenes where the sounds of chopping, frying and washing are spliced in. The conflict is set up right at the start. Dance vs Domesticity. Creativity vs Responsibility. As the film progresses, Richa's character diminishes in spirit and hope. Finally, the breaking moment arrives. The scene of her throwing a bucket of dirty kitchen water on her husband and father-in-law is the instant that has thousands of Indian women silently cheering. How many talented artistes with dreams in their hearts enter into domestic relationships and find them crushed under the boots of patriarchy? MRS was not as bold and brutal as the Malayalam original but it still managed to capture the seething anger that boils inside so many women. Dance has seen too many sacrificed at the altar of patriarchy. It is 2025 but not too much has changed for a woman who wishes to pursue dance after marriage. The struggle is still all too real. A SILVER & RUBY ANNIVERSARY  Prathibha Prahlad Each month I give a shout out to colleagues who are marking important moments in their artistic journeys. This month it is Prathibha Prahlad who celebrates 40 years of her Prasiddha Foundation. A woman ahead of her time, it was in her twenties and thirties that this Bengaluru charmer initiated so many dance-led festivals and events that stirred India. I have been presented by Prathibha on several occasions and have been able to watch her unflagging energy up close. As she commemorates this important "Ruby anniversary" milestone with a New Delhi event this month, we wish her the best in her continuing journey.  Ashish Mohan Khokar Another milestone - this time a SILVER anniversary - for ATTENDANCE. This annual, faithfully compiled by scholar Ashish Mohan Khokar has arrived at an important moment. It focuses on the rich, interesting and often forgotten French connection with Bharatanatyam. The 2025 edition promises to contain important moments and information that is crucial for the modern history of the form and for Indian dance in the 20th century. Khokar's mother, the celebrated Bharatanatyam soloist Saroja Khokar, was a favourite with French students who flocked to her to study. GALF - A LIT FEST BY AND FOR WRITERS   In a stark contrast to the more formal and media managed book events, the annual Goa Arts and Literature Festival - GALF, attracted writers and audiences with a typical Goan vibe. Wearing shorts, beach wear, sun hats and comfortable dresses, the atmosphere of this event was a stark contrast to the other Lit Fests that I have attended across India. The only festival ideated, organised, fund raised and produced by writers and artistes, GALF showcased many unusual authors, not normally seen at other similar events. I was fortunate to speak to food historian Tarana Husain Khan who had traced her community's cultural ancestry from Afghanistan to Rampur in Uttar Pradesh through food. Later, in the same evening, I listened with fascination at how 100 voices from the STUTI CHORAL ENSEMBLE interpreted Shakespeare's sonnets. Literature and performance interwoven as a fitting finale.  Among the many interesting voices and ideas at GALF, one stood out for me. The session with writers Shanta Gokhale and Jerry Pinto. Both well-known and greatly admired for their long careers, the loyal friendship and frequent banters within their conversation was charming. Jerry Pinto wears many hats as a poet, translator, novelist and short story writer. Shanta ji is a respected writer and translator of theatre and the arts. She spoke of the need to suspend the "I" when writing about a theatre or dance performance. That same moment arrived only to be dismissed when writing an autobiography. Then the "I" has to emerge, she felt. In her moving book ONE FOOT ON THE GROUND, she has charted her life and journey in a city where cultures and styles meet and melt resulting in a unique "Mumbai-kar" imprint. It is a remarkable and unselfconscious personal memoir. The conversation had one (among many) take away moments. When a young woman - a millennial - asked Jerry Pinto if he would consider mentoring young writers, he said, "If they are willing to suspend their attitudes, devices and entitled opinions before entering my space, then YES." Boom! There was no comeback from that. A LIFE TOLD THROUGH THE BODY  Shanta Gokhale  Neelam A GENERATION OF THE (DISTRESSED) EARTH  Kapila Venu in Gigenis (credit: Camilla Greenwell Productions Sarfati) We have an exclusive, first hand account of Akram Khan's GIGENIS at the JOYCE THEATRE in NYC. Our special correspondent Anita Vallabh has sent us a thoughtful review of the performance that left many theatre goers with mixed emotions. The standing ovation, not withstanding, GIGENIS - Generation of the Earth - left many viewers "confused", "conflicted", "unsure" and even "depressed". Never shying away from the immediate problems plaguing the earth and society, Akram Khan shared, during his curtain talks, that he cannot create anymore with a specific audience in mind. He has to rely on his own conviction, impulse and not on trends and the market expectations. Each soloist in the work - Kapila Venu, Renjith / Vijna, Mythili Prakash and Mavin Khoo have come in for praise and it is heartening to see so much Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music presence in GIGENIS. REWIND - REVISIT - RENEW?  What happens to memory and bodily experience when we are returning to old work that was created 10 or 15 years ago? How do we remember it? The feeling, the pace, the sensation of the first time it was staged or the last time we performed it? In my case it is a return to A MILLION SITAS, a 2012 solo presentation created for the EPIC WOMEN conclave, which has been in my active repertoire for over a decade. With the story of Lord Rama becoming front and centre all over again, the work has absorbed the influences and the script has changed and shifted accordingly. A South Indian ensemble retelling the familiar and beloved story to North Indian audiences also needs to adjust its context. We refer to the main characters with an elongated A at the end. Like Ram-a, Ravan-a, Lakshman-a and not the truncated Ram, Ravan and Lakshman as in the North. With colleagues Uma Namboodiripad and newly inducted multi percussionist Sarvesh Karthick, the adventure continues. In theatres, hotel ballrooms, gardens, ateliers and museums, A MILLION SITAS has seen all these environments and has been able to adapt, inspire, and engage a multi generation audience. However, I am 13 years older and movements have changed and slowed down. How do I keep the excitement, the colour, the pace and the freshness after almost 50 performances? The audience and environments are constantly changing. The challenge continues unabated. THE UNIVERSE DANCES  Planet parade I don't know how many of you saw the amazing dance of the constellations on February 28. It was the only time that all 7 planets aligned in a straight line on the same side of the sun in an extraordinary sighting. This will happen next only in 2040. Gazing at the stars in the sky made me realise the ephemeral nature of life and the fleeting notion of fame and ego. It came to me at the right time because of several unexpected events that unfolded in the final days of February. THE AI CONUNDRUM We all know that AI can be an incredible tool, but in the wrong hands, it can be used in ways that are harmful and deeply disturbing. Unfortunately, I have now experienced it first hand. My Instagram reels, videos that my team and I poured our hearts into, created with love and excitement to share my thoughts on the world of Indian dance have been manipulated by scammers using AI. My face has been mimicked, my voice altered, my identity exploited on numerous fake accounts to deceive people. It’s shocking to see something so personal being misused. If you come across anyone online who looks and sounds like me asking for money or promoting something suspicious - please know that IT IS NOT ME. Law enforcement is involved and legal action is being taken. Please be careful since AI generated scams are becoming more sophisticated, and if this can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. A few things to keep in mind 1.Always verify before trusting any online request, even if it looks real. 2. Be cautious of unusual messages or financial requests, especially from familiar faces and relatives 3. Report and block suspicious accounts- this deters scammers from spreading deception. I am grateful to all of you who have been part of my journey and I truly appreciate the support during this very challenging time. And on that note, I sign off this March edition of ANITA SAYS. Until next time, Anita R Ratnam anitaratnam.com  Do listen, share and subscribe to our podcast ANITA SAYS on Spotify. Connect with us on Instagram and Facebook    Post your comments |
