Sai Nrutyotsava-Chennai
November 18,
2009
From performing
in class room presentations, to be elevated to platforms on home turfs,
gives many a dancer a sense of accomplishment. For a serious sadhaka of
Natya Yoga, being accepted as a dancer outside their confines is a sense
of achievement, especially in places like Chennai, known to be The Mecca
for classical dance.
Udaya Karnataka
Sangha, Chennai, provided the platform for Sai Arts International, Bangalore,
to bring select dancers and showcase the talent of Karnataka artistes at
the Sai Nrutyotsava-Chennai on 2nd and 3rd November 2009 at the Mini Hall
of Music Academy. The first day event was honored by the presence of Seetha
Ratnakar, Asst Director of Chennai Doordarshan, while on the second day
Mohiniattam dancer Gopika Varma expressed the elation a dancer from different
region feels, when accepted outside their homeland and that was the punctuation
that Sai Arts wanted to make.
A befitting
end to the event was honoring the highly revered senior dance couple Gurus
CV Chandrashekar and Jaya Chandrashekar, who were present on both the days
and witnessed the performances in its entirety. The dances presented were
a mosaic of Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Kathak. It ranged from solos to
duets, from short crisp renditions to exploring varnams, from recorded
music to live orchestra on stage. Dancers exhibited their subtle sensibilities
in unhurried meander through varied emotions to unleashing virile energy
across dance space and time. A touch of humor there and a drop of tear
here made the two days of performances truly enjoyable.
Pooja
and Prarthana
|
Nagaraj
& Suparna Venkatesh
|
The first day
of the nrityotsava opened with Bharatanatyam recital by the Thomas sisters
Pooja and Prarthana. Senior Guru Sarasa's style and dance interpretation
was well displayed in the three crisp and compact renditions. "Mahadeva
Shiva Shambho" in Revathi Raga with friezes that resembled temple sculptures,
"Bhavayami Gopalam" - a padam set to Yaman Kalyan, that conveyed that however
much Krishna's pranks exhaust the Gopis, a glimpse of his face transcends
them into a higher consciousness, and the thillana with geometrical movements
in space was a befitting beginning. Suparna and Nagaraj presented
four short dance pieces in Kathak. One could see a fine blend of two gharanas,
Lucknow and Jaipur in the opening act of Bindadin Maharaj's ashtapadi "Niratata
Dhang" in Madhukauns. A Kannada Vachana "Ayya Neenu" performed by Suparna
proved that abhinaya still exists in Kathak and language is no bar for
an art that is predominantly Hindi. Nagaraj's solo in Tulasidas Bhajan
"Sri Ramachandra Krupalu" interspersed with Choupayis from Ramacharitamanas
was interesting. They concluded with Tarana in Jhinjooti raga.
Sathyanarayana
Raju
|
Soundarya
Sreevatsa
|
The third segment
of the evening saw Sathyanarayana Raju performing a Varnam "Sri Krishna
Kamala Natho." Selected verses from Sri Krishna Karnamrutham formed the
body of the dance number. A neat body line in the nrutta was a pleasing
contrast to the subtle abhinaya that meandered through the performance.
Soundarya Sreevatsa also presented a Varnam "Swamiyai Azhaithodi Vaa" in
Navaragamalika. The composition of KN Dandayudhapani Pillai depicting the
Virahothkantitha Nayika who seeks the proximity of Lord Shiva, was well
presented and the nrutta was well knit into the act without changing the
mood of the verse. Sreevatsa rendered the songs, Shakuntala conducted the
natuvanga while Mahesh and Lingaraju supported both Sathyanarayana Raju
and Soundarya Sreevatsa on flute and mridangam.
Shweta
and Pavan Kumar
|
Somashekar
Choodanath
|
Madhavi,
Kavya, Divya & Sindhu
|
Nishant
and Veena
|
Disciples of
Suparna Venkatesh displayed an array of Bharatanatyam repertoire. The 10
strong dance ensemble commenced the concluding segment with pushpanjali
performed by Shweta and Pavan Kumar, followed by Natesha Kauthvam performed
by Veena and Nishant, a nrutta and Thillana by Kavya, Madhavi, Divya,
Shamika, Sindhu and Shweta. The sprightly and energetic performance in
"Ananda Natanidum Padam" by Somashekar Choodanath lingered in the minds
of the audience as the programmme concluded for the day.
In the first
segment of the second day, Pooja and Prarthana performed Kathak. An ode
to Shiva the cosmic dancer was performed to the lyrics of Tulasidas and
to verses from Sri Adi Shankaracharya's Veda Sara Shiva Sthava. The number
was a perfect blend of Shloka, Nrutta and Kavitta. Before concluding with
a Tarana in raga Malhar, the sisters displayed a wide range of emotions
that two simple women from the hills of Himachal went through, while waiting
for the return of their beloved. The "Baramasa" covered the four seasons
and the pangs of separation in each of the season.
Sanjay
and Shama
|
Anuradha
Vikranth
|
Subhashini
Vasanth
|
Rashmi
Saralaya
|
The charming
couple Sanjay and Shama effortlessly glided through the Arishadvargas that
entice mortals and binds them to karma. The duo very interestingly beaded
different situations that the nayaki and nayaka go through in life, and
Kuchipudi was the dance style. Anuradha Vikranth rendered Lalgudi Jayaraman's
Varnam in Charukeshi raga "Innam yen manam ariyadavar pola." The Virahothkhandita
Nayika bhava was well displayed. Subhashini Vasanth, between the opening
act of Shiva Stuti "Nagendra Haraya" and concluding Tillana in Mohana Kalyani
interspersed a "Pashuram," the chantings of the Vaishanvite Alwars. When
Shrungara Bhakthi towards the Lord rises in the hearts of a devotee, gender
transcends into a genderless state. The chants of Nammalwar pregnant with
divine love was effectively emoted in an unhurried pace by Subhashini.
Rashmi Saralaya gave the concluding performance of the festival with obeisance
to Lord Ganesha followed by a devarnama " Govardhanagiridhari." |
