November 2021
ANITA SAYS.....
"In all affairs, it is a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted."
- Bertrand Russell
After two years, I returned to the USA. And spent most of my time
walking the streets, absorbing the gorgeous Fall colours in Central Park
and observing the many changes that Covid had forced upon this vibrant
city. Especially in the arts. As Martin Wechsler, consultant for New
York's FALL FOR DANCE festival confessed, "Even as dancers stayed home
with no shows, the producers, directors, fund raisers, editors, camera
people and administrators worked harder than ever to keep this sector
alive and ready for a time of return."
Read on...
ROVING EYE 
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Anita Ratnam and Narthaki.com present Devi Diaries 2021
The
second edition of Devi Diaries commissioned by Narthaki.com featured 43
artistes from India and overseas over 31 days of October 2021. What a
diverse interpretation of various devis across languages and dance
styles! Check out the talent displayed by young and established dancers
in part 1 and 2 compiled for you to conveniently enjoy at leisure.
Devi Diaries 2021: Part 1
Devi Diaries 2021: Part 2
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DEVI DIARIES REELS CHALLENGE
Navarathri is synonymous with the
celebration of art and womanhood. To celebrate this we created an
opportunity for young dancers to express themselves through the
Instagram trend that is taking social media by storm - Reels!
NeoNarthaki & Narthaki presented the #DeviDiariesReelsChallenge, an
Instagram Reels campaign where dancers were asked to share a 1-minute
performance video on the theme "Female Divinity". From singing praises
of the goddess to adapting a modern understanding of the sacred
feminine, dancers from across the globe shared reels that explored a
vast canvas of goddess and womanhood.
From over 140 submissions that we received, we selected the best 9
performances that struck a chord with us. We have shared below the links
to the performances and we hope you enjoy them as much as we did. Umang Beads was our gifting partner for this series.
Avinav Mukharji | Sakhi - Sanjushree & Keerthana | Gayathri & Bhadra Sinha
Aniita Vytheeswaran | Anannya Chatterjee | Arundhati Prasad
Swarashri Shridhar | Mudra Nrityalaya | Tony Aloysius Pius
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SUSTAINABILITY IN DANCE | A Talk by Paramita Saha
As a dancer, how can we be environmentally conscious? What are the
ways to be mindful of the same? In this talk, contemporary dancer &
Co-Founder-Director of Artsforward, Paramita Saha, shares her
experiences and thoughts on how artists can make their practice
environmentally sustainable. She also gives us an insight into how a
dancer can approach this both in their day-to-day life as well as
artistic practice.
youtu.be/MQ4HWJDzF4g
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TAKITATOM
For the first time in its 90-year history, KERALA KALAMANDALAM has started admitting girl students for the Kathakali course.
GURU KALAMANDALAM SUGANDHI PRABHU has been conferred the PhD by Sastra
University for the research she undertook under the guidance of Dr.
Padma Subrahmanyam.
BIJAYINI SATPATHY is the MetLiveArts Artist in Residence at the
@metmuseum in 2022. During her residency, Satpathy will collaborate with
a range of artists and Met curators and explore unexpected areas of the
Museum's collection, with a special focus on Modern and Contemporary
Art.
NYC based Navatman's first feature film MAHABHARATA brings together
Indian dance and music. Special opening at the SVA theatre in Manhattan
on Nov 6, it is available to public from December 20, 2021 onwards. It
is the first feature film told from the narrative of Indian classical
dance and music traditions, first American/Indian diaspora film
interpretation of the Mahabharata, a first feature film of the
Mahabharata written solely by female scriptwriters, and a feature film
that switches gender roles as actors and actresses.
PREETI VASUDEVAN's Thresh has partnered with South Asian Youth Action
(SAYA) to offer performing arts-based programming that complements
SAYA's in-school and after-school initiatives for youth in NYC migrant
communities.
SHAMBIK GHOSE and DR. MITUL SENGUPTA, Directors of Rhythmosaic Sengupta
Dance Company, have an upcoming Project 2022 with Bradford University,
UNify Festival and Kalasangam UK. The project breathes in the narrative
that evokes Femicide and its horrors that affected beings in multiple
layers destroying their conscious and corporeal meaning - that defines
respectful existence of the self. The critical manifestation through
modes of conceptual choreography will emanate vignettes that encounter
the same. The project will be envisaged through strategies where voice,
movement and academic resources are imbricated in pursuit of a creative
and a reflective emergence.
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AWARDS
KATHERINE KUNHIRAMAN along with her late
husband Natyacharya K.P.Kunhiraman, pioneers in establishing the best
traditions of Kalakshetra Bharatanatyam in the US since 1975, has been
made a FELLOW OF VEDIC WELLNESS UNIVERSITY in Indian Classical Dance by
the Wellness University of Florida, an institution dedicated to sharing
the ancient healing arts of India across the world. All forms of Natya
must be considered part of both mental and physical wellness, and
Kalanjali based in Berkeley, California, has been sharing in this
mission. The award ceremony is to be held at Dharmasthala, Karnataka, on
November 6, 2021.
Kerala Kalamandalam announces its awards for 2020.
Koodiyattam maestro Ammannur Parameswaran (Kuttan) Chakyar and Kathakali
Sangeetham maestro Cherthala Thankappa Panicker won the FELLOWSHIPS
that carry a cash award of Rs.50,000, citation and silk shawl.
The KERALA KALAMANDALAM AWARD that carries a purse of Rs.30,000 and
citation goes to: Margi Vijayakumar (Kathakali vesham); Kalamandalam KP
Achuthan (Kathakali sangeetham); Kalamandalam Rajan (chenda);
Kalamandalam Achutha Warrier (maddalam); Appunni Tharakan (chutti);
Sarojini Nangiyaramma (Koodiyattam); Pallavi Krishnan (Mohiniyattam);
Kunjan Smarakam Shankaranarayan (Thullal); NK Madhusoodhanan
(mridangam); Madhathilathu Govindankutty Nair (ASN Nambeesan Puraskaram
for panchavadyam).
Critic KB Raj Anand gets the MKK Nair Samagra Sambhavana Puraskaram
(overall contribution); Kalamandalam Aiswarya KA gets the Yuva Prathiba
Award. Winners of various endowments include Adv. CK Narayanan
Namboodiri (Mukundaraja Smrithi Puraskaram); Sumitha Nair (Kalaratnam
Endowment); Kalamandalam Krishnendu (Painkulam Ramachakyar Samraka
Puraskaram); Maruthorvattam Kannan (Vadakkan Kannan Nair Asan Smruthi
Puraskaram); Karivalloor Ratnakumar (KS Divakaran Nair Smaraka
Sougandikam Puraskaram); Kalamandalam Anilkumar P (VS Sharma Endowment);
Nedumpalli Rammohan (Bhagavathar Kunjunni Thampuran Endowment);
Kalamandalam Gopinatha Prabha (Killimangalam Vasudevan Namboodirippad
Smaraka Award); and Janaka Shankar P (Brahmasree Pakaravur Chithran
Namboodirippad Birth Centenary Memorial Endowment).
Madurai R Muralidaran received the KARTIK AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 2021 for
his service to the field of Bharatanatyam from Kartik Fine Arts at
Chennai.
Parvathy Baul receives the SHILPOKALA LALON SMAROK SAMMAN from Bangladesh Govt.
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 Sun Temple, Konark, Odisha (Photo: Lalitha Venkat)
ATMA SHANTI
JOAN L ERDMAN passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 2, 2021.
Professor Emerita of Anthropology and Cultural Studies at Columbia
College, Chicago and Associate, Committee on South Asian Studies,
University of Chicago, Joan was part of those heydays of counter-culture
in the 60's when a range of young scholars devoted themselves to study
of India in all her myriad manifestations. Her work focused on cultural
policy and performing arts in India.
More info
Mumbai based violinist NARAYAN PARTHASARATHY passed away after a massive
cardiac arrest on the morning of 17th October 2021. He was 53. For more
than three decades, Narayan was a professional musician, rendering
musical support for several music and dance performances in Mumbai and
around the globe.
More info
Musician, teacher and presenter SIVASAKTHI SIVANESAN passed away in
London, on October 31, 2021. Well known amongst the Indian music and
dance fraternity in the UK, she greatly supported the many initiatives
of the The Bhavan, London, for many years.
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LOOK OUT FOR
Amazing sword dancer
Sting - If It's Love
Last year, choreographer Kate Prince debuted a show set to songs by
Sting. Now, Sting has featured the show's dancers in his new music
video, "If It's Love," with rather delightful results.
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