e-mail: leelakaverivenkat@gmail.com
We are delighted to welcome renowned critic Leela Venkataraman to
the narthaki family of writers. She will contribute to her column
titled TAALAM.
2024
Beyond margam expressions
Bridging gap between theory and practice in multi-faceted Tripuranthara Festival
Varied interpretations of Shakti Mahima in Nritya Samutsavam
Natya Vriksha centre stages two faces - of an inheritor and of a beneficiary
Saroha Festival: In memory of Guru Hare Krishna Behera
Encouraging response to Aavartan Festival
Nrityantar's Naman 2024 an interactive delight
Crowded week starts with monsoon moods
Moham and performances for Independence Day
Connection between poetics, music and abhinaya
Swarna Saroja program proves an eye opener
Week of exceptional programs
Live dance and taped music
Showcasing Odissi and deliberating on its generational changes
A delightful week of Kabir, Bharatanatyam and Swarna Saroja
Home truths in Abhadra of societal snobbery
Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra's three day Ballet Festival
Week of varied fare
Epoch making 17th World Dance Day celebration by Natya Vriksha
When the artiste and the art become one entity in dialogue
Kathak draped in a different sensibility
Simple tale of 'Arisi: Rice' spins lavish cross cultural entertainment
2023
IIC Experience celebrates the lived traditions of South India in Dakshinayan
Natya Tarangini's Parampara Festival marks its 27th celebration
Odissi - Kuchipudi double bill, Dviparna and Gandhi Leela
Odissi of two vintages
Kathak in varied manifestations
Laudable attempts at recapturing flavours of Vedic women and their wisdom
Dance in the old mould and in new directions
Yajnaseni - Born from the womb of fire
Promising young talents in double-bill concert
Navarasa - A Virtual Dance Festival
In memory of a Kathak legend
Immersive cultural extravaganza blending art with scholarship in Ramayana Kalpavrksam
Nritya Veerangana - Brainchild of Dr. Sonal Mansingh
Dhauli-Kalinga Mahotsav: When war games transform into peace messages
Getting to know Vitasta’s gift to India
Magic Bow's enchanting delve into mind of music composer
Dvi-Nethram - A two eyed vision of tradition in Natya Darshan
2022
The searchlight on art of critiquing in Amrit Yuva Kalotsav by SNA
The festival sun rises again at Konark
Life's dreams spun into weaver's thread
Parampara Festival features changing face of inheritance in dance
Sparkling Spanda synergy
Young talent played its part too
Remembering Rohini Bhate
Central to Indian aesthetic and philosophical traditions is sringar in all its facets
Celebrating Gandhi Jayanti through Gandhi Leela
Anubandh- Scintillating blend of collaborative inputs with performative excellence
Kathak Lok: Dimensions of temple tradition and history in Kathak
Dance in Delhi after the Pandemic
Slick Kathak expression of an Unprecedented Awakening
Fond memories of generous contribution of Guru Kallianpurkar - Kathak's non gharana legator
Collaborative excellence marks Twelfth Pragjyoti Festival: Part 2
Collaborative excellence marks Twelfth Pragjyoti Festival: Part 1
Music Academy's digital all Bharatanatyam Annual Festival of Dance
Mahagami's searchlight on pedagogical pathways for traditional performing arts within folds of university education
2021
Grandeur of Kathakali which never fails to awe
Parampara Festival: Unusual jugalbandis of different regional genres of music and dance
Bewildering variety in Narthaki’s Devi Diaries continues
Dance expressions built round manifestations of divinised female and male energies
Moving requiem to Kapila Vatsyayan - the only guru of her kind
West Zone Cultural Centre presents online Malhar Festival
Evolution of Kathak in post independent India
Fond remembrances of selfless Guru of Jaipur Gharana Guru Kundanlal Gangani
Anvesana's Reflections in Solitude stir creative energies to fresh leaps of hope
Back to the roots in Nupur Zankar's marathon Sanskriti Mahotsav on Kathak Gharanas
Chakshu - Dance from the perspective of the camera
Navarasa Sadhana - Breath control for emoting in art
Khajuraho Festival - A mishmash of varying levels of proficiency
Animated discussion on to be or not to be of Guru-Shishya
Nrityaparva 2021 dedicated to lately departed stalwarts
The Sunil I knew and will miss
2020
A towering post-Independence presence in Indian art history and aesthetics is no more
Slick virtual presentation of 26th Kelucharan Mohapatra Awards Festival
Stree vesham and a stree without parallel
Some refreshing moments on Internet
Two post war dance stalwarts - So different yet alike
Interactions and virtual Spic Macay Convention a unique experience - I
Interactions and virtual Spic Macay Convention a unique experience - II
At last a discussion on 'Economies of Performing Arts'
Inspiring week showing indomitable spirit of dancers
Dance distorted during pandemic
Scintillating Kathak capturing aroma of Dilli's great poets
Message of peace from Dhauli-Kalinga
Promising youngsters in Music Academy's endowment program
Kalavaahini's Margazhi offer of 'Dance for Dance'
Nirikshana: Natya Kala Conference marks its 39th year of celebration-2
Nirikshana: Natya Kala Conference marks its 39th year of celebration-1
Naachiyar Next - A delectable breath of fresh air
2019
Encouraging the young generation of dancers
Thirty years of dance serenading Konark's Surya Deva
Connecting text with practice - Nrtta Ratnavali to Andhra's devadasi dance
Samyog-Viyog: Good intentions needed better treatment
Arguing for a humanised rather than an idealised body
October features varying manifestations of dance
Endemic problems stir animated discourse
Blend of maturity and grace in double bill concert
Recapturing golden moments during Golden Anniversary of Kalasamarpana
Registering ten years of Nrityantar with Naman 2019
ABHAI's Pravasi Utsavam
Yoga / Nritya reaches out to the common public
SPIC MACAY Convention with JNU collaboration centre stages multi- flavoured exercise as meditative not entertaining
Summer in Delhi
Borgeet makes the evening of Assamese classical music/dance
Delhi inauguration of fine idea of Nava Pallava needs more clarity
More praise than dance
Arts in
whole-child education
Odishi Raga
Utsav
Rango'ntaratma:
Multi-media presentation with a difference
Impresario
evening impresses
Women and
Ecology
A good start on
discussions on Dance Issues by Academy
Ensemble productions in
three dance traditions in Drishti National Dance Festival
Concept to execution:
ANEKA a clean winner
Kadamba of
Natya Darshan flowered without rambling
2018
Dance sonnets to the sun
god at Konark
Festival of
Kathak duets
Inclusive Debadhara
Nityananda:
The one-legged miracle dancer
Impressive
Sattriya dance drama captures life of Sankaradeva
Experts
discuss theatre today and cultural transformation
Kathak dance
evolving out of a cultural process
Celebrating
hundred years of Guru Bipin Singh's Manipuri Nartanalaya
Reaching for
the skies prematurely
Monsoon Moods
Indian dance
as part of the world cultural community
Swing from
ridiculous to sublime during homage to Guru Kundanlal Gangani
'Her Say' by
women theatre directors
Enterprise and
talent keep Sutra afloat
Measuring the
SPIC MACAY experience
Unexpected
Odissi bonuses
Dancing on
rivers
Original way
of looking at group Bharatanatyam
Dancing for
oneself
Evoking a feel
of the Sadir dancer's joi de vivre
Devadasi's
legacy to the saint poet's glory
Challenges in
procuring public art grants for art and culture programmes
Dancing to
poetry of liberated women saint poets
Samabhavana
churns out myriad starry thoughts on new directions in Indian
dance
Malavika's new
creative spurt
From the
foothills of Dhauli a bouquet of arts for peace and
cooperation
Sringaram:
'Leitmotif' for Bharatanatyam's dual anguish/ecstasy
landscaping
Good ideas of
Natya Darshan needed more respect for the clock
2017
Living movements serenade
frozen movements in Konark
Delhi diary
Poetry in
out-of-the-book art translations
Young dancers
to the fore
Evening
concerts after morning deliberations in Nartanam Conclave 2017
Dance theatre
with confluence of dance traditions
Thari exquisitely weaves the warp and weft of life’s saree
Dance
reflecting an approach not tethered to form
Parampara
finds the right dance/music blend
Events with an
identity
Crisis of
critical analysis in music and dance
Sublime Kathak
by Divya Goswami
Teacher and
taught in Sare Jahan Se Achha
Farewell to an era
Off the beaten
track
Varsha Ritu
draws showers of appreciation
Brave effort
in Delhi by Bangalore based dancers
Performing Arts and Yoga
Takeaways from
SPIC MACAY’s annual convention
Natya
Vriksha's riveting salutation to dance matters
Encouraging
audiences for the ticketed Divinity Series
In a different
tone: Amorous Delight presents a challenging theatre of love
Impresario
India gamely carries on
Contemporary
dance expressions beckon
Fusion or
Confusion?
Margam is ever
new
Kathak
Mahotsav’s re-look at old traditions and compositions
Shruti Mandal
heralds half a century of service to Indian Arts
Dhauli-Kalinga
Festival epitomises peace and unity amidst diversity
Tantu needs
more than hype and hurry
Unique tribute
to a maverick musical genius
Interface of
Sthiti Gati polarities
Malavika
Sarukkai: Sharing the larger vision
2016
What the genius from
Kashmir gave to Indian philosophy and thought
Konark
Festival beckons again
Recall the
then to plan the now of the Kalinga Indonesia Dialogue
Anekanta
provides exhilarating Bharatanatyam experience
Akademi
awardees prove mettle
Reviving
Kuchipudi Yakshagana demands more than showcasing
Experienced
nayikas attract large turnout
Keeping legacy
alive while forging new directions
On being one’s
own dancer
Requiem for an
artist and cultural activist
Simplicity sans
glitz has Meera walking into every heart
Journeying into
woman dancer’s inner world
Bharatanatyam
duo at California’s Chinmaya Mission
Inclusivity as
strong message in Spic Macay’s international convention
Vividh Mat
tickles the intellect and regales the senses
Marking World
Dance Day in style
Award selections cry for
transparency
‘Ganjam’ successfully
captures flavours of South Odisha
Nupur steps into its third
decade