June 2023
ANITA SAYS.....
After all the wars are over,
The butterfly will still be beautiful
- Ruskin Bond, author
And so here we are! At the half way mark of the year, heading towards
the longest day of 2023 - June 21st - and wondering where the last
months went!
May was full of pomp, ceremony and circumstance! A coronation, an
inauguration, the end of two major cultural icons (singer Tina Turner
and the TV show SUCCESSION), the return of Nrityagram to their beloved
New York landmark JOYCE Theatre, several premieres by diaspora dancers,
American summer festivals with classical dancers performing in parks and
museums- it was a never ending spectacle!
A month away from home gave me a different perspective on dance, our
daily endeavours and the increasing disenchantment among diaspora
artistes with visiting artistes from India.
This month I choose to focus on some points that swirl around dance and
the tone is reflective, sometimes somber and not always celebratory. So,
read on....
|
Panjarathram Festival
Photos: Raneesh Raveendran
|
Shankarananda Kalakshetra & Natyarambha presented Ramayana Kalpavrksam
CCRT Campus, Hyderabad from March 31 - April 2, 2023
Photos: G Muralidhar
|
TAKITATOM
Sri Sri University conducts a solo Odissi dance competition on June
1, 2023 for the SANJUKTA PANIGRAHI AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, at Bhubaneswar.
From May 26 to Aug 19, India's most expensive theatre production MUGHAL E
AZAM directed by Feroz Abbas Khan tours USA with a team of 150 cast and
crew. The musical with mesmerizing dance sequences, spectacular
lighting, extravagant costumes and live singing also features
choreography by Mayuri Upadhya. It plays in New York City at the Koch
Theatre, Lincoln Center, from June 2 to 4.
Among the 26 final-year students of the 2018 batch at the National
School of Drama (NSD), India's foremost theatre training institution, in
New Delhi, 18 of them, or nearly three-fourths, were women. This would
be a rare ratio of women students in any performing arts institution
(apart from classical dance) in the country.
Ramya Harishankar and Arpana Dance Company celebrated DARPANA -
Reflecting on 40 years, featuring favorites, new work, the work of
Arpana's multi-talented grads - dancers, singers and musicians, at
Irvine, CA, on May 21, 2023.
Curated by Ramya Ramnarayan, the dance conference PRAVAHA on May 13,
2023 at NYC brought together senior dance gurus, promising performers,
and reputed dance teacher-educators to engage in learning, conversation
and exchange. Some of the participants included Hema Rajagopalan, Maya
Kulkarni, Roja Kannan and Priya Murle and younger dancers Sophia
Salingaros, Kasi Aysola, Barkha Patel, Kavitha Thirumalai and Yamini
Saripalli.
The launch of ABHAI-USA East Coast Chapter took place on May 13, 2023 at
NYC. The purpose of the launch is to unite all artistes under one
umbrella for the benefit of the artistic fraternity. The inauguration
of ABHAI USA is significant as it marks the 35th year since the launch
of ABHAI way back in 1987.
On May 30, Kathak dancer Ruchi Saini presented her new documentary film
'AAKAAR PRAKAAR' at the India International Centre, New Delhi. The
documentary is her dedication to the musicologist and scholar Late Dr.
Sushil Kumar Saxena and in memory of her Guru, Kathak maestro Late Munna
Shukla of Kalka Bindadin Gharana. It features conversations with Dr
Saxena delineating the finer nuances of North Indian classical arts
through the prism of Kathak dance and is juxtaposed along the works of
Guru Munna Shukla, interspersed with demonstrations by Ruchi Saini.
In New York City, Bharatanatyam dancer and entrepreneur Kamala Cesar
hosts the 21st edition of the popular DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON festival.
This outdoor event has been a calendared event for the city of New York
and attracts thousands to watch, listen and celebrate the multi-cultural
life of the Big Apple.
The 24th edition of Ashish Mohan Khokar’s ATTENDANCE, the dance annual
of India, edited by Ranee Kumar, will be released on June 30, 2023 at
Bangalore followed by other metros over the months.
It was a letter from dancer-scholar Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam to Prime
Minister Narendra Modi in 2021 that put the authorities on a mission to
track and unveil the history and significance of the SENGOL since Chola
times. Sengol is a gold coated silver sceptre adorned with a nandi
(bull) on top and 5 feet in height, representing power and justice. It
is considered a symbol of authority, and transfer of power from one
ruler to another. Made in Tamil Nadu, it was handed over to the
country's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to mark the transfer
of power from the British to Indians on Aug 14, 1947 on the eve of
India's independence. On May 28, 2023 during the inauguration of the new
Parliament building, the Sengol was ceremoniously transported to the
new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and installed in
a glass case next to the Speaker's seat.
More details
Following an acquisition by the Delhi Art Gallery, the residence in
Kolkata of noted modernist painter JAMINI ROY will soon be turned into
India's first private single-artist museum.
|
AWARDS
Odissi dancer Ileana Citaristi receives the
prestigious award THE GOLDEN CRACKER 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.
The KALASAGAR AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE in traditional performing arts were
presented on May 28, 2023 on the occasion of the birth anniversary of
Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval, legendary Kathakali maestro and the
founder of Kalasagar, at Karalmana Vazhenkada Kunju Nair Trust Hall,
Shornur. The awardees are:
- Kathakali
Vesham/actor: Kalamandalam Krishnakumar, Paattu/music: Kalamandalam Jayaprakash
Chenda: Kalamandalam Rajan (Guruvayur), maddalam: Kalamandalam Venu
Chutty: Kalanilayam Vishnu
- Ottenthullal: Kalamandalam Radhamani, Chakyarkoothu (mizhavu):
Kalamandalam Narayanan Nambiar, Koodiyattam: Kalamandalam Krishnendu,
Mohiniattam: Mini Banergi, Bharatanatyam: Shafeekkudeen & Shabana,
Kuchipudi: Anil Vettikkattiri & Premalatha
Thayambaka: Guruvayur Sasi
- Panchavadyam
Thimila: Kodumtharapilly Manoj, maddalam: Eroor Arun Varrier, edakka:
Peringode Subramaniyan, ilathalam: Vettekadu Kanagan, kombu: Machadu
Venugopal
School of Performing Arts, World University of Design conferred the
CRITICS' CHOICE AWARD on Kuchipudi Guru Vanashree Rao on 24th May 2023
at Delhi.
|
NEW RELEASES
Produced
and presented by Natyarambha, KUTTY KAHANI - ETERNAL STORIES, YOUNG
STORYTELLERS - brought to you stories from India's timeless wisdom told
by children from across the country as well as from UK, USA, Singapore
and Malaysia.
Kutty Kahani, for children, by children, is now in a path breaking video
embedded ebook with all 55 stories! A multi art multi lingual
e-book of 55 Indic stories, captured beautifully in digitally animated
videos, along with 'Did you know' snippets that is captivating,
wholesome and educative, Kutty Kahani brings our timeless culture and
knowledge within easy reach of children.
Get the Kutty Kahani ebook to read, listen, see, learn and know,
Available on amazon
DANCE MOVEMENT THERAPY AND PSYCHO-SOCIAL REHABILITATION
THE SAMPOORNATA MODEL by Sohini Chakraborty
This book looks at the psychotherapeutic effects of Dance Movement
Therapy (DMT) with a focus on the experiences of survivors of
gender-based violence and their social development, psycho-social
rehabilitation, and reintegration within society. The author, a
sociologist and dancer, uses a model she calls Sampoornata or
Fulfilment, to merge sociology and dance in order to help survivors of
sexual violence overcome their trauma.
This book will be of interest to researchers and students of psychology,
psychotherapy, dance and movement studies, and to those who work with
dance and movement therapy. It will also be useful for professionals
working in the areas of gender violence, trafficking, trauma,
psycho-social rehabilitation, and well-being.
216 Pages, 36 B/W Illustrations
Published May 12, 2023 by Routledge India
ISBN 9781032160887
COURTING HINDUSTAN by Madhur Gupta is a deeply researched portrait of
some of the most intriguing women figures practising traditional Indian
entertainment art forms. It relives 2,500 golden years of women being
elite traditional performers and how, over the centuries, they have
captured the imagination of the country and the world at large. COURTING
HINDUSTAN delves into the scintillating world of courtesans who went on
to become empresses, queens, prima donnas, pioneer filmmakers, music
directors, ace dancers and so much more.
The author MADHUR GUPTA is a leading Odissi dance exponent of his
generation and teaches Odissi at Sangeet Vidya Niketan, New Delhi.
Publisher: Rupa Publications India
Price: INR 295
ISBN: 978-93-5702-103-6
CULTURAL FORMS AND PRACTICES OF NORTHEAST INDIA published by Springer
Singapore and edited by distinguished scholar and academic Prof K.C
Baral, features a series of important essays by renowned contributors.
Serves as a bridge between vanishing cultural forms and their commodification
Spans aspects of cultural forms and practices in Northeast India
The first volume in the English language on Northeast India's cultural evolution
Published May 17, 2023
245 pages
Hardcover ISBN: 978-981-19-9291-9
e-book ISBN: 978-981-19-9292-6
|
QUOTE
"Profound art, deep art, it can change people. And I always say, change
happens in four different seasons. The first one is, people change when
they hurt enough that they have to. Secondly, people change when they
see enough that they're inspired to. Thirdly, people change when they
learn enough that they want to. And the fourth one is, people change
when they receive enough that they are able to.
So in dance, you feel that you're in the process of change. Something is
changing every day. And perhaps for a moment if it connects with one
audience, it'll also change them profoundly."
- Akram Khan (On FB, May 11, 2023)
|
 Chennakeshava temple, Belur, Karnataka
Photo: Seetha Ratnakar
ATMA SHANTI
Mridangam maestro KARAIKUDI MANI (11 Sept 1945 - 4 May 2023) passed away after an illness aged 77.
He learnt Carnatic music from the age of three but soon gave up his
vocal training in favour of learning the mridangam. He received his
first national award at age 18 from the then president of India,
Radhakrishnan. Mani learnt mridangam under the tutelage of Karaikudi
Ranga Iyengar, Harihara Sharma and KS Vaidyanathan. His concept of
'Thani Avarthanam' concerts without sruthi accompaniments like violin
or vocal, gave solo percussion instruments prominence. Mani was known
for his technical brilliance and unique style of playing, later known as
the Karaikudi Mani style. He performed with eminent Carnatic musicians
and collaborated with many international artistes. He also composed for
dancers, notably his niece Rajeswari Sainath and Vyshnavie Sainath.
In 1986, he started an ensemble, Sruthi Laya that combined melody and
percussion. Three years later, he founded the Sruthi Laya Seva School
that has centres at Chennai, Bangalore, Australia, London, US, and
Canada. Mani founded a magazine called Layamani Layam. In 1999, he
received the Sangeet Natak Akademi award. He donated his cash awards
towards philanthropic causes.
PADMINI DAHANAYAKE ARIYADASA, one of the most celebrated artists of
Srilanka, and a Kalakshetra alumni, passed away on May 16, 2023. She was
not only the first Srilankan Sinhalese to graduate in Bharatanatyam
from Kalakshetra but also an actress and dancer in Srilankan films in
the 1950s and 60s. She was director of Shri Padma Ranga Nrithya
Nikethan, and a Member of the Arts Council of Srilanka. She imparted her
dance training to innumerable students over five decades.
She was known for films like Seda Sulang (1955) filmed in Chennai where
she did a dance sequence while she was studying at Kalakshetra at age
12, and Daruwa Kageda (1961). Her daughter Rangana Ariyadasa is also a
graduate from Kalakshetra. Both mother and daughter are experts in
Srilankan Kandyan dances.
|
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Assam Diary
Sri Sri Madhavdev Award, visit to Narayanpur and Sri Sri Madhavdev's Sattra
- Dr. Sunil Kothari
|
|
