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 A pentamerous evening of dance: Panchatatva unfolds - Bibin Balan e-mail: punarjjaniculturalcentre@gmail.com Photos courtesy: India Habitat Centre May 18, 2025 On the vibrant occasion of World Dance Day, the India Habitat Centre hosted a captivating dance showcase titled 'Panchatatva', a dance festival that harmoniously brought together five classical Indian dance forms representing the five elements of nature. The curator and the conceptual designer of this event, Ashish Mohan Khokar, brought together five exceptional artistes, each embodying one of the elements of nature, and through his curation, seamlessly connected the philosophical depth of the elements with the artistry of dance. Held at the Stein Auditorium on 29th April 2025, the performance mesmerized the audience with its artistic depth, spiritual resonance, and aesthetic brilliance. The India Habitat Centre, known for promoting art and culture in India, has long served as a hub for creative expression. Ashish Mohan Khokar, a leading dance historian, critic, and archivist, is a key force behind the India Habitat Centre's dance initiatives. As founder of the Mohan Khokar Dance Archives, he has spent decades documenting and curating India's rich dance heritage. Known for bridging tradition and innovation, Khokar's keen eye brings together top artistes to craft performances with cultural depth and contemporary relevance. Khokar's curation brought together a rare and distinguished audience. Notable guests included Aman Nath (Neemrana Group), Tim Curtis (UNESCO India) and K.G. Suresh, the new head of the Habitat Centre. It was Suresh's first time watching such a dance show as director and he was introduced as the grandson of Kathakali Vidwan Guru Namboothiripad by Khokar, whose sense of art history connected there. Yogi Vaid, owner of Delhi's oldest equestrian centre, Bandeep Singh, photo artist and jurist Kiran Kalra Uppal were also present. Eminent dancers like Prathibha Prahlad, Madhavi Mudgal, Ambika Panikar, Jayaprabha Menon, Jayaram Rao and Kailash Sharma attended. Vanashree Rao lit the ceremonial lamp alongside the veteran Kathak guru Manjushree Chatterjee. Through the Panchatatva dance festival, Khokar's narration brought out the essence of each element through five different dance forms, by very talented dancers. Expansive movement of Vayu in Kuchipudi  Washim Raja Washim Raja, a disciple of Guru Vanashree Rao, left a legal career in 2018 to embrace dance full-time. In this performance, his pieces Pashupati Girijapate and Gajendra Moksha -choreographed by his guru - showcased power, spirituality, and grace. The recipient of the AttenDance Ram Gopal Award for the Best Male Soloist in 2024 and titled 'Maheshwara' by Dr. Sandhya Purecha, Washim's light-footed style and expressive leaps made him a perfect representative of air. "He literally levitates on stage," said the curator. Graceful flow of Jal through Bharatanatyam  Shobana Shobana, a Bharatanatyam exponent and acclaimed film actress, embodied water with her Varnam in ragam Shankarabharanam. A student of Chitra Visweswaran and Padma Subrahmanyam, her performance was fluid and purifying. Her next Padam evoked celestial imagery. Even with over 230 films to her name, Shobana humbly joined the finale Vande Mataram in plain attire before catching a flight to Cochin for the success event of her latest film Thudarum. Fierce expressions of Agni through Kathak  Anuj Mishra & Neha Singh Anuj Mishra, son and successor of Pt. Arjun Mishra of Birju Maharaj gharana, performed with Neha Mishra in a vibrant Kathak duet themed on Shiva-Shakti. A recipient of the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, Anuj's authoritative tatkar and perfect sync reflected deep training and fierce energy. Choreographed by the late Pt. Arjun Mishra, their performance - draped in red - brought agni to life on stage. "They set the stage on fire," remarked the curator. The enduring postures of the Prithvi depicted in Odissi  Rahul Varshney Rahul Varshney is trained under Guru Durga Charan Ranbir and rooted in the style of late Guru Deba Prasad Das, brought earthy strength and elegance in Ashta Shambho, choreographed by Srinath Raut. A Doordarshan graded artist and ICCR empanelled performer, Rahul's grounded movements and muscular grace made him a fitting embodiment of earth - solid, poised, and deeply rooted. Infinite rhythms of the Akash shown through Contemporary Dance  Vishwakiran Nambi Representing ether was visionary choreographer and dance filmmaker Vishwakiran Nambi, along with his partner, presenting Yella Ootta-a contemporary piece centered around the theme of food. Founder of VNDC and LOKA Studio, and a pioneer in aerial silk training in India, Vishwakiran blended Indian tradition with modern innovation. The performance, with its strong Indian identity and layered narrative, avoided Western mimicry and embraced originality, offering a fittingly expansive interpretation of space. The audience turnout was full and overflowing like never before, a testament to the event's magnetism and cultural impact. In an unscripted and moving finale, all five artistes came together for Vande Mataram, dancing in unity without any prior rehearsal-a spontaneous celebration of art and togetherness that truly embodied the spirit of the occasion. Ashish Khokar joining in reflected his team spirit and innate connection to dance-one could sense movement in every gesture.  The remarkable contribution of Sandeep Dutta, who designed the stage lighting, was truly outstanding. Since the show drew an overwhelming audience, a second hall with live screening had to be opened-an exceptional moment for dance at the Habitat Centre. 'Panchatatva' was more than a dance festival-it was a celebration of the interconnectedness of art, nature, and spirit. Ashish Mohan Khokar's curation brought together tradition and innovation, star power and substance, making it a memorable homage to India's dance heritage on World Dance Day.  Bibin Balan, Managing Editor of Punarjjani Bharat, is working on cultural advancement based on digital media platforms. His area of focus is on promotion of performing arts and digital contents under this category. He is a Yoga Educator based in New Delhi since 2008. |
