Monthly Newsletter
February 2021
ANITA SAYS.....
Don't worry.
The heart knows the way through
There may be high rises, checkpoints
Armed soldiers, massacres, wars
And those who will despise you
Because they despise themselves
Watch your mind
Without training it might run away
And leave your heart for the immense human feast
Set by the thieves of time
Do not hold regrets.
Cut the ties you may have
To failure and shame
- Joy Harjo, American Poet Laureate
Are we in February already?
The days continue to whirl by and the blur of the hours passing seem
almost like a monotonous hum. How long can we continue to pretend
that dance and the breathing,
dancing body can find a hybrid space via the digital platform?
Meanwhile, there has been quite a ferment in politics and art.
As the Capitol building was stormed in Washington DC by white
supremacists, India's national flag was dishonoured by a group of
protesting farmers on Republic Day.
Rumbles in Andhra land as Kuchipudi dancers resist attempts to prevent
their paid recordings from being used for online performances.
Collaborations across communities in 20th century Tamilnadu occurred
even during the seismic events of the independence struggle. An
occasional series begins this month.
The world's largest vaccination drive begins in India as millions line
up to get vaccinated against the sneaky Corona virus that has
successfully mutated into more 'avatars'.
Read on...
ROVING EYE
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Andal - art by Bindu Rajendren
Specially curated and presented by Dr. Anita Ratnam and Narthaki.com
on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, the morning presentations of
Margazhi month starting from Dec 16, 2020 titled ANDAL'S GARDEN featured
verses from Andal's THIRUPPAVAI, while the evening presentations titled
'ANDAL'S GARDEN: The Love Letter' were devoted to verses from NACHIYAR
THIRUMOZHI, a lesser read masterpiece by the 9th century poet saint
Andal, the only female Azhwar.
ANDAL'S GARDEN: Part 2
ANDAL'S GARDEN: The Love Letter
Anita Ratnam in conversation with Dr Vasudha Narayanan, Prof of Religious Studies, University of Florida.
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TA KI TA TOM
CHITRA SUNDARAM honored with the MBE (Member
of The Order of The British Empire) for services to the South Asian
dance sector and AAKASH ODEDRA honored for services to dance with the
BEM (British Empire Medal) in the Queen's list of honours for the New
Year.
Dr. I Wayan Dibia, from Denpasar, Bali, is to be awarded the Padma Shri.
He is a distinguished scholar on the performing arts of Bali and heads
his own dance company, GEOKS, acclaimed for its inventive dance
creations.
GEETA CHANDRAN has been invited to join the Advisory Board of the World University of Design.
The Alumni Association of Kalai Kaviri College of Fine Arts presented
the title GEM OF KALAI KAVIRIANS to MOHANAPRIYAN THAVARAJAH on Jan 24,
2021 for "his impeccable growth and establishment in this divine field
of Bharatanatyam."
The Nalanda Dance Research Centre's NALANDA NRITYA NIPUNA AWARD for 2021
goes to Lekha Prasad (BN), Krishnendu Saha (Odissi), Vaishnavi Hazari
(BN), Vaishali Varma (BN), Nayana Prakash (Mohiniattam), Meenakshi
Venkatraman (BN) and Soumya Shrivastava (Kathak). A panel of judges
chose them based on their participation in the Online Festival.
UMN Dance Program launched the book 'Heat and Alterity in Contemporary
Dance: South-South Choreographies' by ANANYA CHATTERJEA, on Jan 29,
2021.
PRAKRITI DANCE presented a virtual FESTIVAL OF KUCHIPUDI from Jan 29 to
31 featuring eminent names like Rathna Kumar, Jaikishore Mosalikanti,
Vyjayanthi Kashi, Swapnasundari, Anupama Kylash etc in performances and
talks.
On Jan 31, Bharatanatyam dancer-choreographer MADURAI R. MURALIDARAN
presented the '50 Jati Challenge,' that he choreographed and taught over
3 months, in an online event featuring more than 125 dance students
from around the world for the India-Asia Book of Records.
NCPA is ready to welcome rasikas back with performances across genres from this February.
Baryshnikov Arts Center will feature the premieres of seven commissioned
video works starting with BIJAYINI SATPATHY's 'Vibhanga' on Feb 1.
KUTTI KAHANI has been selected by Doordarshan for its mainstream
broadcast. This is a huge honor for ANANDA SHANKAR JAYANT and
NATYARAMBHA. Broadcast dates will be announced later in February.
The dance commissions for Sangam at Dancehouse includes two
international artistes SOORAJ SUBRAMANIAM and KASI AYSOLA and 5
Melbourne based artistes who will be featured in March for SANGAM
FESTIVAL 2021, Australia.
SAPPHIRE CREATIONS reached out to nearly 30 dancers, puppeteers,
technicians, backstage persons from 10 districts namely Howrah, 24
Parganas, Bankura, Midnapore, Basirhat, Purulia, Bardhaman just before
the Durga Puja to motivate them in little ways through donations given
by friends, well-wishers and patrons of art.
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TRIBUTES
Enviable magnanimity
- V. Kaladharan
At least in the later years of his life, Sunilji revelled in mandana vimarshana (constructive criticism).
Remembering Sunilji
- Jai Govinda
He was an institution into himself, an intimate witness of 60 years of
the history, development and evolution of the many Indian classical
dance forms. There will never be another one like him.
The irrepressible Dr. Sunil Kothari
- Datuk Ramli Ibrahim
Datuk Ramli Ibrahim pays tribute to the late Dr Sunil Kothari, a
prolific dance historian and critic who was a giant in the history of
Indian dance for the last six decades.
Tribute to Dr. Sunil Kothari
- VP Dhananjayan
His erudite and research oriented scholarship is evident in all his
books, especially Marg publications on various Naatya forms of Bhaarata.
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LOOK OUT FOR
#ArthSeries
Candid with the Ghantasalas
Online Interview with Dr. Anita Ratnam
Boundaries 1.2
This is the piece that dancer-choreographer Astad Deboo was working on
before he died. Boundaries 1.2 marks the apotheosis of his remarkable
artistic development that nothing, not even lockdown during the
pandemic, could affect.
Vanasthali, Anjika & Curious 2021
Cultural stories and myths that speak of bonds between humans and their
environment allude to a oneness linking every living being
together.
Murmuration | Tutting | project 64 (1) + Backstage
30 Essential Dance Movies
As seminal dance film 'Save the Last Dance' turns 20, we look at the
best dance films ever made... and why the Julia Stiles favorite is just a
bit too off-beat to make the cut.
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