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 The 16th American Natya Festival- Archana Upamakae-mail: archana.upamaka@gmail.com Photos courtesy: Soorya Performing Arts June 27, 2025 The 16th American Natya Festival 2025 under the aegis of Soorya Performing Arts and Guru Prasanna Kasthuri came to a close on Sunday, June 16, 2025.What an amazing assortment of Indian classical dances and dance productions it was! Where the audience were presented with traditional performances in Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Mohiniattam, Kuchipudi, Odissi and Andhra Natyam, they were also presented with contemporary and fusion productions with an immense amount of talent on full display across all the 3 days. The solo performances by seasoned professionals were testaments to their dedication towards their art. Maithili Patel, Kathak artiste from New Jersey, presented excerpts from Jayadeva's Gita Govinda and excerpts from her maiden production Aatman - an offering of movement and memory. The intricacy of emotions presented were perfectly in sync with the lyrics and underlying bhavam.  Maithili Patel (Kathak)  Sumangala Varun (Bharatanatyam) Following this Kathak recital, Sumangala Varun from Austin, TX, presented traditional Bharatanatyam pieces starting with a Mallari in Gambheera nattai raga Chathurasra jathi eka talam, followed by Shabdam by Thanjavur Arunachalam Pillai in praise of Lord Nataraja ending her performance with Vachana by Shri Basaveshwara following Sharana movement. Her transition from a virahotkhanditha nayika in the Shabdam to being a devotee like Ravana and Kannappa was flawless. This act was followed by a beautiful Mohiniattam performance by Sreevidhya Vijayan from Chicago IL. Sreevidhya presented Chandanam, a revived Mohiniattam desi piece that unfolds the legend of sandalwood's healing power. The story of Lord Shiva consuming Kalakoota (poison) emerging from Palazhimadhanam (churning of milky ocean) to save the universe and Goddess Parvati trying to save Lord Shiva from its after effects by applying Chandanam (sandalwood) was as realistic as it could get. It was like watching the entire scene in person!  Sreevidhya Vijayan (Mohiniattam)  Medha Srigiri (Kuchipudi) Sudha Raghuram, artistic director of Shivalaya School of Dance, Montgomery AL, presented Bharatanatyam. Sudha opened her act with Pushpanjali followed by an energetic Hanuman Chalisa closing out her act with the ever popular Annamacharya Keerthana Brahmam okate. Medha Srigiri presented a powerful Kuchipudi interpretation of Pralaya payodhijale, the opening ashtapadi of Gita Govinda, the 12th century masterpiece by Jayadeva. This piece glorifies the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu, Dasavathara, and is rooted in Bhakti and classical aesthetics, offering spiritual depth and vibrant visual poetry. The dance dramas/collaborations were unique in their concepts and presentation styles.   Sree Ayyappa Swamy Charitham Sree Ayyappa Swamy Charitham by St. Louis's very own Soorya Dance Company portrayed the sacred legend of Lord Ayyappa, the revered deity of southern India, known for his divine origin and unwavering dedication to dharma. The drama was crisp in its narration and took the audience through the journey of the birth of Ayyappa to his becoming a deity. Guru Prasanna Kasthuri as King Rajasekhara, Seema Kasthuri as the queen and Samanvitha Kasthuri as Ayyappa were ably supported by their team of dancers. The drama was so well executed that it received a well-deserved standing ovation. Rudram Dance Company's Anantha was a dance performance of mythological stories retold through dance. It was a colorful and energetic presentation about the many leelas of Lord Krishna right from when he is a baby to his Geethopadesam to Arjuna and was well received by the audience. Rudrakshya Foundation from Odisha, India, presented unique Odissi pieces - Mangalacharan from Ram Charit Manas followed by a Pallavi in Hamsakalyani and Bhavani Bhujanga Stotra. They closed out their performance with Mokshya. Mokshya was based on the concept of ultimate liberation from cycle of human existence and the joyous union with the divine.  Rudrakshya ensemble  Aikyam Aikyam by Alapadma Dance School was a classical dance symphony, a view of all the Indian classical dances through a kaleidoscope. It was an homage to the Indian classical dances - Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Odissi, Manipuri, Mohiniattam, Sattriya and Kuchipudi. The recital highlighted two main aspects of Indian classical dance - nritta and abhinaya. Shataka Traya, trilogy of King Bhartruhari's Sanskrit poetry, by Kaveri Natya Yoga was a very calming and philosophical experience. Sringarasataka that celebrates beauty and complexity of love and romance, Nitisataka that offers guidance on living a virtuous life and Vairagyasataka that focuses on spiritual liberation through detachment were presented by this group and the maturity in performances enhanced the message that was conveyed. Explorations by Anubhava Dance Company was a very novel concept and was a great blend of traditional and contemporary dance concepts, executed to perfection. This production took a deep dive into the psychology of laughter, fear, anxiety, uncertainty and hope in a theatrical foray traversing the complexities of life's big decisions.  Anubhava Dance Company  Fused  Aigiri Nandini  Aditi Sriram, Natya idol participant  Nisha Magaluru group  Kathak by Soorya Dance Company The festival also saw Lifetime Achievement awards being presented to well known Kuchipudi Guru Sujatha Vinjamuri and Bharatanatyam Guru Vinitha Subramanian. Their journeys in the world of classical dances and their illustrious careers as performers and teachers are awe-inspiring and inspirational. Many congratulations to these wonderful teachers.  Little Gopika, winners of Junior Group - American Natya Idol In addition to the performances, American Natya Idol dance competitions were held in several categories across major cities in the US. The finals were held in St. Louis and the winners were announced on the last day of the dance festival. The anticipation and excitement for the competition results were palpable and the recognition/award presentation was certainly a high point on that day. These awards are a great way to nurture the enthusiasm and interest of the younger generation in learning/pursuing Indian classical dances. Many congratulations to Guru Prasanna Kasthuri, his wife Seema Kasthuri and Soorya Performing Arts on another successful American Natya festival. Their continued service to the world of Indian classical dance in today's day and age is admirable and highly commendable. All in all, it was a fabulous experience for a dancer/teacher and art lover like me!  Archana Upamaka is the Founder/Artistic Director of Upasana School of Dance, St. Louis, Missouri, where she teaches Andhra Natyam and takes part in spreading awareness about this exquisite lasya dance tradition. Archana trained under Guru Nataraja Ramakrishna and his disciples Guru Kala Krishna, Perini Ramesh, and Perini Kumar. To cultivate an appreciation for Andhra Natyam in the United States, she has been presenting masterpieces from Andhra Natyam repertoire. She also serves as President for NADAPADAM, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the goal of international recognition for Andhra Natyam. |
