July 2023
ANITA SAYS.....
We are children of our age,
It’s a political age.
All day long, all through the night,
All affairs - yours, ours, theirs -
Are political affairs.
Whether you like it or not,
Your genes have a political past,
Your skin, a political cast,
Your eyes, a political slant.
Whatever you say reverberates,
Whatever you don't say speaks for itself.
So either way, you’re talking politics.
Even when you take to the woods,
You’re taking political steps
On political grounds...
An excerpt from CHILDREN OF THE AGE
By Polish poet Wislawa Szymborska
To say "goodbye" with the flamboyance of a magician
To bid "adieu" with the flair of a showman
To wave "farewell" with the bravado of a warrior
........the stars have to align for that final moment. No matter what your
vision board might contain or how many motivational messages you have
stuck all over your rooms and your car.
The stars did align and shine - for Akram Khan... for 25 years without a break.
Read on....
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Narthaki Studio Series presents
Story-theatre by Ramaa Bharadvaj
The Legend of Chitrapushpa
July 29, 2023 Chennai
Dancing Tales-Stories & Moves
Workshop by Ramaa Bharadvaj
and Dr.Anita Ratnam
July 30, 2023 Chennai
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TAKITATOM
MILENA SALVINI (1933-2022), the founder of Mandapa in Paris, loved
India and made its performing arts a mainstay in her life's work. The
square in front of 'Mandapa' is now named as PLACE MILENA SALVINI in her
honor. The name was formally inaugurated on June 22, 2023 in Paris.
On 16 June 2023, DRISHTI ART CENTRE signed an MOU with the Karnataka
State Dr Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University wherein
the University has granted recognition to Drishti Art Centre to offer
the University's Bachelor's Degree in Performing Arts (Dance), Diploma
in Dance and Certificate course in Dance. Drishti will be offering the
University's courses in dance; Dr L Subramaniam's Academy will offer
their courses in music; MES and Seshadripuram colleges, in theatre.
Sattriya dancer/scholar Dr. Mallika Kandali's third book 'MATI-AKHARA:
THE GRAMMAR OF SATTRIYA DANCE' was released on 11th May 2023 at Guwahati
Artists' Guild by eminent Sattriya Guru Jatin Goswami.
On May 18, 2023 a historical agreement was signed between Assam
government and Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University after the decision to
establish a seat (SRIMANTA SANKARADEVA CHAIR) in the university in the
name of Srimanta Sankaradeva.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded KUTTY KAHANI series (online series
during Covid times) by the little generation and its presenter Ananda
Shankar Jayant in his popular Man Ki Baat on June 18, 2023 and on his
Twitter too.
ADISHAKTI premiered its new play Urmila written and directed by Nimmy Raphel on June 17, 2023 at Pondicherry.
Kuchipudi dancer UMA MURALI (Subhasheelam Academy of Fine Arts)
celebrated 50 YEARS IN DANCE on June 24, 2023 at Chennai with a
Kuchipudi convention in the morning and performances in the evening.
On June 24 & 25, 2023 Akram Khan performed his solo XENOS for the
final time as a dancer in a full-length piece, at NCPA, Mumbai.
Katherine Kunhiraman's KALANJALI: DANCES OF INDIA celebrates 48 years in Berkeley, California.
DANCERS' GUILD founded by Dr. Manjusri Chaki Sircar and Ranjabati
Sircar, the pioneers of Navanritya or the new dance movement, and
carried forward by Jonaki Sarkar, completes its 40th year on 15th August
2023.
Mohiniattam dancer GOPIKA VARMA has been granted the Senior Fellowship
on the subject 'A comparative study of Uthama-anga Bhedas in the Natya
Shastra and Balarama Bharatham' under the Scheme of Award of Senior
Fellowship to Outstanding Persons in the Fields of Culture by the Centre
for Cultural Resources and Training, New Delhi.
Air India's exquisite collection of artworks is being handed over to the
National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in New Delhi for public display.
Before they reach their destination in the national capital, the
artworks are being exhibited at the NGMA in Mumbai. The exhibition is a
result of the transfer of the entire Air India collection of around
4,000 paintings and sculptures to the NGMA earlier this year for
preservation.
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AWARDS
Praana Academy of Performing Arts of Mohiniattam
Guru Manimekhala, instituted an award in memory of Kalyanikutty Amma
named NITHYA KALYANI AWARD for excellence in Mohiniattam. The first
award was conferred on Kala Vijayan, senior Mohiniattam guru and
daughter of Kalyanikutty Amma, at Melpathoor Auditorium, Guruvayur, on
May 30, 2023.
Odissi dancer Ileana Citaristi receives the prestigious award THE GOLDEN
NUTCRACKER (LO SCHIACCIANOCI D'ORO) at the concluding gala of the VII
International Festival of Dance and the Dances at Castello Forte dei
Borgia, Nepi, Rome on July 8, 2023. The award is given every year to
outstanding names of the artistic and cultural world and recognises
Indian classical dance in the world dance scenario.
On July 3, 2023, Kartik Fine Arts will present the KARTIK RAJAGOPAL
MEMORIAL AWARD to Nandini Ramani, Bharatanatyam dancer and scholar, at
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Chennai.
Dr. Sreelatha Vinod, Bharatanatyam artiste and Founder/Director of
Anthara Center for Performing Arts, Chennai, is to receive the NRITYA
CHOODAMANI award from Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai, this year.
On July 2, 2023 Nupur Cultural Academy confers the following awards
during their Mahapurush Srimanta Sankaradeva and Madhavadeva
International Dance Festival at Guwahati.
NARTANA SHIROMANI BHIBUSHAN Lifetime Achievement Award for Sattriya Guru
Jatin Goswami (Assam), NARTAN KALANIDHI BHUSHAN AWARD for Sattriya on
Ramakrishna Talukdar and Anita Sharma (Assam), NRITYA SAADHIKA AWARD for
Bharatanatyam on Reshmi Pathiyath (UAE) and Roopa Kiran (Hong Kong),
NRITYA SAADHIKA AWARD for Kuchipudi on Kironmai Bonala (Telangana).
NARTANA KALA VIDUSHI AWARDS go to Gayatri Baruah Sarma, Susmita Goswami,
Himsikha Keot, Sikha Kalita, Tapash Ghosh, Dimpee Baishya, Purbashri
Bania, Swagata Mitra and Tanushree Dutta.
FACIS (Faculty of Arts, Communication and Indic Studies, Sri Sri
University), in collaboration with Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi
Research Centre and Srjan organized the second Sanjukta Panigrahi Award
of Excellence function on June 1 and 2, 2023 at Utkal Rangamancha,
Bhubaneswar. In the solo Odissi dance competition held on June 1, 2023,
Swayamprava Mishra was declared the winner of the SANJUKTA PANIGRAHI
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE (Rs.50,000 prize) while Madhabi Rout and T Tulika
Reddy were the second (Rs.30,000) and third prize (Rs.20,000) winners
respectively.
On June 3, 2023, Rathna Kumar received Dance Source Houston's first ARTISTIC HONOR AWARD.
Vazhuvoorar Classical Bharatanatya Arts Centre, Coimbatore, honoured
Dr.Sonal Mansingh with the VAZHUVOORAR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD and
Shobana Ramesh with VAZHUVOORAR SAMRAJ MEMORIAL AWARD on June 4, 2023
during the Vazhuvoorar Kalai Vizha celebrating 113th anniversary of
Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai and 85th anniversary of Vazhuvoor Samraj
Pillai.
The 2023 BISHNU RABHA AWARD by the Assam Government's Cultural
Department goes to Sattriya artiste Gopal Krishna Goswami of Kamalabari
Satra.
Out of 390 applicants, 25 were chosen as Houston's cultural treasures,
artists who have contributed significantly to the growth of the arts in
Houston, while simultaneously adding a new dimension to it. RATHNA KUMAR
is one of the 25 recipients of the BANF ARTIST AWARD (BIPOC Arts and
Network Fund) on June 11, 2023 at Houston.
Lekha Prasad, a student of Priya Murle's Shri Silambam, has won the
ABHINANDA SAROJA AWARD (award of excellence in the field of
Bharatanatyam) named in honor of Guru Saroja Vaidyanathan. The award is
instituted by National Institute of Indian Classical Dance, New Delhi.
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NEW RELEASE
The Marg Foundation releases READINGS ON DANCE: FROM 75 YEARS OF MARG,
Marg's Reader for Dance practitioners, students, and historians.
Edited by: Anita Elizabeth Cherian, Urmimala Sarkar Munsi
September-December 2022 / Volume 74 Number 1
Price: Digital - Rs.250, Print - Rs.350
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 Ekambareshwar temple, Kanchipuram
Photo: Lalitha Venkat
ATMA SHANTI
Veteran dancer-choreographer nonagenarian guru VALMIKI BANERJEE passed
away on June 25, 2023 at his home in Delhi at 11.20am. He was 97. He
taught nearly every early dancer of Delhi in the 1950s-1970s. He was a
pioneer who loved dance and went to Kerala to learn from Guru Gopinath
and hailing from Bengal, he taught ballet and tried long and hard to
establish Rabindra Natyam, as a classical form. He was possessed with
this cause. He tried very hard to get it recognition and
acceptance as a 9th classical form but none of the agencies or
institutions helped his cause. He leaves behind his daughters Nupur and
Jhumur, sons Partho and Tanmoy and many students in three generations.
His principal disciple and right hand, Nancy Sahu served him like a
daughter in his end years.
Guru Valmiki Banerjee: A lifetime in dance
- Ashish Mohan Khokar
Bharatanatyam guru from Malaysia, SRI GANESAN passed away on June 9,
2023 after performing at a program at Bhanja Kala Mandap in Bhubaneswar.
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