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ANITA SAYS..... Mar 1, 2026 THE LAUGHING HEART Your life is your life Don't let it be clubbed into dark submission Be on the watch, there are ways out The Gods will offer you chances Know them, take them You can't beat death But you can beat death in life, sometimes And the more often you learn to do it The more light there will be Your life is your life Know it while you have it You are marvellous The Gods wait to delight In you - Charles Bukowski 1820-1994, German-American poet and novelist  February has been a very special month for me personally. A trip of a lifetime with my favourite sibling, the mountains and rivers singing into my ears every night, fresh food being harvested before my eyes by the gentle and spiritual Andean people, the contrasting energies of the larger than life spectacle of the Rio Carnival - dancing in the streets and foot tapping rhythms around every corner. What better way to disengage and recharge than to travel. To savour the lives and rhythms of people far away from my homeland and yet connected through the elements of the sun, moon, water and wind. To re-enter my own inner world by observing the habits and customs of another culture half a world away. To return feeling chastened by the common threads and eternally grateful for the magnificent planet we inhabit. AND To not wear any make up, Kajal, lipstick or worry about my hair for weeks. Just moisturiser, sun screen, a hat and a big smile! Only a dancer will know what a joy that is! So this month, I will not talk about dance in the expected ways. Instead, I will share my thoughts of my recent travel and experiences that were full of colour, movement and energy. To put out there the ideas of rest, recharge, reboot, review, renew and revisit our lives and art. RIO CARNIVAL - THE MAGNIFICENT SPECTACLE  Rehearsals on the streets  Capoeira martial arts in a show 
 Rio Carnival costumes It was a month of long flights, many airports, luggage carousels, steep climbing, blue skies, gentle rain and rushing waters. Destinations: Brazil and Peru. Apart from the magnificent sights and sounds of these two South American cultures, I was most thrilled to see the preparations for the annual mega festival - the RIO CARNIVAL. The streets of Rio de Janeiro were teeming with groups rehearsing and we were very fortunate to visit the special SAMBODROMO centre to watch the enormous floats and costumes being prepared for the annual roll out on the streets. No photography was allowed since all the creations were part of a mega contest which carried not just prestige but a large financial bonus for the participants. To observe the magnificence of imagination and the giant scale of creation was breathtaking. Hundreds and thousands of volunteers, designers, carpenters, builders, painters, dress makers, dancers and actors were rehearsing in every corner of the large compound. I walked through each floor with my eyes popping and mouth hanging open. It was impossible not to feel the pulsing excitement in the air. The annual RIO CARNIVAL is the largest public performance spectacle on earth and for those who were fortunate to witness it - a life changing moment! Just think of being on top of a giant float or dancing on the streets in heavy costumes and high heels for 8 hours without a chance of a bio break!  Wearing traditional attire. Backstage at Cusco Folk Arts Cultural Centre Everywhere, in every city I visited, there were daily evening cultural shows for visitors. An intelligent collage of dance, martial arts (capoeira in Brazil), music and costumes. It was a perfect way of "sampling" the country's soft power. On any given evening, there was something to see which was a perfect way to absorb the variety of traditions that Brazil and Peru had to offer. Special tickets for backstage visits, costume tryouts, meeting the cast and even taking selfies with the performers were all planned and budgeted. How I wish we could have something like this in our cities! With the wealth of material and variety of art forms, all it takes is the will of the local government to envision a daily cultural presentation for visitors.  Trying out carnival costume There was a freedom I experienced while wearing their colourful carnival costumes in Rio, dancing the samba with a performer in 12 inch stilettos, being dressed in the multi layered Peruvian outfits in Cusco, feeling like a potato and attempting (very clumsily) some of their movements. A freedom that came with the knowledge that there was nobody judging me, just smiles and encouragement. A freedom to simply have a great time!  With 2 Peruvian natives & baby llama  Charming Peruvian lady Even amongst the everyday people of the Sacred Valley in Peru, the streets were spotlessly clean and the women were sitting on the town slopes knitting, weaving and making their colourful garments and wraps while inviting us to take selfies (for a fee!) with smiling faces and a baby Alpaca standing next to them. While the USA looms large, both figuratively and psychologically to South America, there was a visible pride amongst the younger generation in being Peruvian (and Brazilian) and exploring futures within their respective borders. THE MACHU PICHU MOMENT   At Machu Pichu Climbing the storied and legendary settlement of Machu Pichu in Peru was a lifetime moment. It was a meditation, a silent prayer and a renewal of sorts. People of all ages, some with walking sticks, were making their way through the winding steps and grassy pathways. To have the initial glimpse of the magnificent settlement built as a 15th century CE royal estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti, was an epiphany of sorts. Abandoned but never discovered by the Spanish colonisers, it was finally uncovered by the American explorer Hiram Bingham in 1911. The complex architecture of the Incas and their fascination with the SUN as a sacred symbol is predominant in the alleys and bylanes of this vast complex. Walking through the inspiring stone structures made me recognise why so many artistes love the open skies and have embraced hiking and long walks in forests as therapy. The human body, bloated with ego, feels small and vulnerable under the elements. The silence all around, except for the Llamas and Alpacas feeding on the terraced grass and the gentle murmur of cloudy skies, made me confront the vastness of space and my own aching-ageing limbs. The myth, the person, the image - all fell away, stripped, bare, uncomfortable. There is always that pressure to GO GO GO! In a fast moving world filled with deadlines, notifications to stay productive, a moment like my ascent to Machu Pichu paused the noise. There is a great value in rest and reflection to maintain mental well being. Taking planned breaks and engaging in activities that are opposite to your core profession (for dancers it could be Gardening, Pottery, Painting, Swimming, Hiking) can reframe how we think about work, success and personal time. It can encourage healthier habits and deeper awareness. ALL THE WORLD IS AN ACTIVIST STAGE How crucial is personal politics in arts and sports? One would think that the artiste and the athlete should be focused on displaying their best on the stage and the arena. Trying to bring their A game to the arena is enough. However, today's media is hell bent on extracting opinions and sound bites about world affairs from anybody and everybody. Many American athletes were openly critical of their government, while they were wearing USA on their outfits! Several actors pulled out of the Berlin Film festival in protest when the festival director Wim Wenders stated that the event should be free of politics. Today, it feels as if every creative person MUST have a political opinion about Gaza, Ukraine, USA, India, Israel - etc etc. Every moment has become an open field to blurt half formed opinions. I remember the rumble of discontent at the Madras Music Academy when an Odissi dancer included a sentence about her support of a protest that was happening in New Delhi. The organisers were NOT happy with her statements. She has not been invited to the Academy since. Today, if artistes do not have an opinion about world affairs, they are termed "dumb" and "disconnected". If they DO express their feelings, it needs to align with media's left leaning slant. Performers may not wear their country's letters or colours on their costumes but they ARE ambassadors. Blaming, criticising and insulting one's homeland on foreign soil, just because something "smart" is expected of you, is disrespectful and unbecoming behaviour. Social media has made us all performers but with the visibility and freedom to express also comes responsibility. THE JOY OF PERFORMANCE  Alysa Liu If anyone needs to be invigorated and energised about the original intention of dance and the creative life, I urge you to watch the gold medal winning performance of American-Chinese figure skater Alysa Liu. The flawless performance at the recently concluded Winter Olympics in Milan, exuded joy and vibrant positivity, overriding technique and effort! Her journey to the top is equally inspiring. Can we capture this bubble of joy each time we set foot on the rehearsal space and on stage? Can we rise above the obvious effort and training to reveal the inner laughter and bubble of joy? It's time to ask ourselves this question as more and more Indian dance related social media posts seem strained and laborious. I may not have performed, choreographed, rehearsed, watched or researched about dance for the entire month of February, but the March calendar is busy. Experimentation, collaboration, inter disciplinary work - artistes are buzzing and I am looking forward to watching and engaging with their ideas and efforts. A full month away from interviews, endorsements, shout outs, makeup, podcast sessions, hair styling and photo shoots has been the BEST break I needed. SPACES - PODCASTS - NEWSLETTERS  Natya Vriksha's new dance space in Delhi During February, several dancers unveiled new and intimate performance spaces and several have started podcasts. Newsletters from dancers have also increased. All these are welcome signs towards strengthening the fragile eco system of Indian dance and strengthening the infrastructure while addressing the paucity of suitable venues for solo and innovative programming. In closing, I wish to share some thoughts that may or may not resonate with some (or many) of you. Time and breath do not pause Adult friendships require grace and patience People are busy Dancers are in constant work mode People are burnt out Many are fighting health battles We are prioritising real and true responsibilities Don't mistake minimal communication with lack of care. Most artistes are just about getting through their days by giving everything they have to their art and their families. So check in before checking out. March brings many special moments Holi - March 4 International Women's Day - March 8 World Theatre Day - March 27 Mark these days as moments to celebrate quietly or with friends and colleagues. Never forget how multi coloured and checkered our lives are. Unpredictable, ever shifting and yet filled with great power and purpose. Until next time, Anita Ratnam anitaratnam.com Connect with us on Instagram and Facebook     Post your comments |
