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 'Maya to Matter': An event to cherish June 6, 2012  The DVD Launch of MAYA TO MATTER hosted jointly by World Dance Alliance -
Karnataka Chapter and Natya Stem Dance Kampni on 27 May 2012 was one of
the most memorable cultural events of its kind in Bangalore. The
occasion was dedicated to the most loved and respected guru Dr. Maya Rao
(Maya didi). A galaxy of stars from the field of dance was
present to shower their love on the distinguished guru.The DVD ‘Maya to Matter’ is a unique lecture demonstration series featuring the world renowned guru, choreographer and scholar, Dr. Maya Rao. This is an initiative by her students not only to document and preserve her work, but also to pass on the wealth of her creativity and experience to various art communities so as to perpetuate this legacy. Anuradha Vikranth welcomed the gathering, which comprised artistes and other dignitaries. This was followed by an invocation dance “Ganeshaya Namaha” by the Natya Stem Dance Kampni rendered by Keerti Kumar, Janardhan Raj Urs, Ramya Nagaraj and Ponnamma. The President of WDA, Veena Murthy Vijay, spoke about the activities of WDA. Madhu Natraj provided an insight into ‘Maya to Matter.’ She expressed the need and importance of documenting the experiences and knowledge of the gurus and thanked all those who have been a part of creating this DVD. Vyjayanti Kashi, Chairperson of Karnataka Sangeeta Nritya Academy and a distinguished dancer, formally released the DVD. She fondly recollected her wonderful experiences with Maya didi over the years. After the release of the DVD, the montage was played which evoked an instantaneous standing ovation from the entire audience signifying their love and admiration for guru Maya Rao who has lived and breathed dance all her life. This was the most momentous moment of the day!  Chiranjeev Singh, the former Indian Ambassador to UNESCO, addressed the
gathering and shared his admiration for Maya didi by narrating certain
important incidents and anecdotes from the pages of her life and said
that these should serve as a lesson to the younger artistes of today. He
hailed Maya didi as the “living human treasure.” Maya didi was
felicitated by WDA for her immeasurable contribution to the field of
dance. Then came the much awaited moment of Maya didi herself addressing
the gathering and sharing a few beautiful moments of her life.The event marked the gracious presence of the following: Guru Lalitha Srinivasan, Chitra Venugopal, Vyjayanti Kashi, Dr. Suma Sudindra, Vani Ganapathy, Nirupama Rajendra and TD Rajendra, Minal Prabhu, Usha Radhakrishna, Ashish Khokar, Sathyanarayana Raju, Praveen Kumar, Seshadri Iyengar, Nandini Mehta, Tara Kini, Veejay Sai, Tushar Bhat, Probal Gupta, AV Sathyanarayana, Hari, Manasa Joshi, the entire team of Natya Stem Dance Kampni including Madhu Natraj-Director, Keerti Kumar, Janardhan Raj Urs, Ramya Nagaraj, Ponnamma and others. World Dance Alliance executive committee members Veena Murthy Vijay, Anuradha Vikranth, Shama Krishna and Madhulita Mohapatra were all a part of this beautiful event. Srivatsa helped in photography and videography. Vote of thanks was proposed by Shama Krishna and Madhulita Mohapatra. On the whole, it was a very sweet and memorable event. |
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