ANITA SAYS.....
The old healer to the soul
It's not your back that hurts, but the burden
It's not your eyes that hurt, but injustice
It's not your head that hurts, it's your thoughts
It's not the throat, but what you don't express or say with anger
Not the stomach hurts, but what the soul does not digest
It's not the liver that hurts, it's the anger
It's not your heart that hurts, but love
And it is love itself that contains the most powerful medicine
- Ada Luz Marquez, Spanish author
Hello, everyone! I know that wherever you are, the holiday spirit has
seized you. New clothes, parties, celebrations for Diwali - the air is
sparkling with joy and hope and optimism. And food! And I hope you are
all doing what makes you feel fulfilled and grateful.
India's biggest festival of lights is celebrated globally by the
diaspora and several years ago the US Postal Department issued a stamp
in honour of Diwali. Recently, the state of Pennsylvania in the US has
signed into law an official holiday for Diwali. Australia has recently
declared October as Hindu Heritage Month. We in the South of India call
this popular festival DEEPAVALI - but it's the same meaning. A festival
of lights, bursting crackers and new clothes, meeting friends and
family, gifting and feasting. A day when the smile muscle is overworked
and our faces ache at the end of the celebrations.
While I was unable to be physically present due to a family commitment,
here are the many reports from friends and dance colleagues that I
received about the largest Indian dance gathering of this century.
Read on....
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Anita Says...by Dr. Anita R Ratnam
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TAKITATOM
Odissi Guru RATIKANT MOHAPATRA received the HONORARY DOCTORATE IN PERFORMING ARTS from Washington Digital University "for his exceptional contribution to the Performing Arts", on September 28, 2024.
The book 'Kutiyattam: Evolution of its female tradition' authored by Koodiyattam and Mohiniattam dancer SALINI VG, daughter of Kalamandalam Girija, has been published recently and is available on Amazon.
.
The Aditi Mangaldas film WIDENING CIRCLES commissioned by Sadler's
Wells, London, on her journey as an artiste, has been selected to be
screened at the Exeter Dance International Film Festival as well as the
American Dance Festival's Movies by Movers. The film also featuring
ADITI MANGALDAS DANCE COMPANY is directed by Camilla Greenwell. |
SLIDE SHOW
Geeta Chandran celebrated 50 years of dance at Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi.
Oct 24: PRAVAHATI by Natya Vriksha Collective presenting choreographies of Geeta Chandran
Oct 25: Solo by Geeta Chandran
Photos: Sarabjeet Singh Dhillon
QUOTE
Samskritam definitions for different types of teachers
1. A teacher who gives information is called ADHYAAPAK.
2. The one who imparts knowledge combined with information is called UPAADHYAAYA.
3. The one who imparts skills is called ACHARYA.
4. The one who is able to give deep insight into a subject is called PANDIT.
5. The one who could remove darkness of all kinds (ignorance), who elevates, enlightens the minds is called GURU.
6. The ultimate and personification of divinity is called PARAMAGURU, touching godliness.
(Samskrita Nikhandu - Dictionary or Amarakosha)
Nandikeswara's Abhinaya Darpana quotes Aachaarya sikshaa sidhyartham.... Please note he hasn't used the word GURU.
- Shared by Natyacharya VP Dhananjayan
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AWARDS
Ashish Mohan Khokar's ATTENDANCE ANNUAL AWARDS 2024 are to be given on November 30, 2024 at Alliance Francaise, Bangalore.
MOHAN KHOKAR WRITING DANCE AWARD: Ranee Kumar
RAM GOPAL BEST MALE SOLOIST AWARD: Washim Raja
UDAY SHANKAR CHOREOGRAPHY AWARD: Vishwakiran Nambi
RUKMINI DEVI OVERALL CONTRIBUTION AWARD: Guru Vanashree Rao
MK SAROJA TRUE GURU SHISHYA PARAMPARA AWARD: Aishwarya Nithyananda
MAYA RAO LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Guru Aloka Panikar
Special honor: Geetha Bhat for promoting Crafts/Chittara, Neha Muthiyan
for dance publications, Akila Venkat for photography and graphic design
Veteran Kutiyattam exponent VENU G has been selected for this year's VAYO SEVANA AWARD
of Social Justice Department, Govt. of Kerala for his lifetime
achievement of extraordinary contribution in the field. Minister for
Social justice and Higher Education of Kerala, Dr R Bindu gave away the
award on 1st October 2024 at Tirur, Kerala. The award comprises a cash
prize of Rs. 1 lakh, a citation and shawl.
The GURU DEBAPRASAD LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2024 instituted by
Guru Gajendra Panda's Tridhara was conferred on Oct 26, 2024, at
Rabindra Mandap, Bhubaneswar, on Guru Mayadhar Raut for his lifetime
contribution in the field of Odissi Dance; Guru Gopal Chandra Panda in
Odissi Music; Guru Harmohan Khuntia in Odissi Mardala and Dr. Ramesh
Prasad Panigrahi for lifetime contribution in Natya Sahitya.
On Oct 27, GURU DEBAPRASAD AWARD 2024 was conferred on gurus Madhavi
Mudgal (Odissi); Chitra Visweswaran (Bharatanatyam); Ramlal Bareth
(Kathak) and Bhagabata Pradhan (Sabda Nrutya).
On Oct 25, GURU DEBAPRASAD PRATIVA AWARD 2024 was conferred on Dr. Ajith
Bhaskar (Bharatanatyam), Rupa Rani Das Borah (Kathak), Tejas Upadhye
(violin) and Vickneshwaram Gonasegar (Odissi dance).
ILEANA CITARISTI received GURU SHREE SAMMAN from Angika at Rabindra Mandap, Bhubaneswar, on October 22, 2024.
Bharatanatyam dancer Dr.LAKSHMI RAMASWAMY received NRITYA KALA RATNA from RR Sabha on October 23, 2024 at Chennai.
RAMYA RAMNARAYAN received the DANCE NEW JERSEY IMPACT AWARD for 2024 in
the category of Artistic Excellence on September 21, 2024. "This honor
fills me with immense gratitude for all those who have profoundly
influenced my journey, especially my mother and my Gurus," says Ramya. 
The winners of this year's UK Theatre Awards were announced at a
ceremony which took place at 8 Northumberland Avenue on 20 October 2024.
The UK Theatre Awards celebrate the very best of theatre across
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Awards are given for
creative excellence and outstanding work both on and off stage. The UK THEATRE AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE went to MEHEK, an AAKASH ODEDRA COMPANY & ADITI MANGALDAS DANCE COMPANY production in association with The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi.
Sanchari Foundation of Kavita Dwibedi presented GURU HARE KRISHNA BEHERA
SMRITI SAMMAN to Odissi dancers SWAPNOKALPA DASGUPTA and VISHWANATH
MANGARAJ, and Bharatanatyam dancer SWARNALI KUNDU, on September 4, 2024
at Delhi.
Photographer SRIVATSA SHANDILYA receives the Karnataka state SUVARNA MAHOTSAVA AWARD
on November 1, 2024 at Bangalore. Karnataka Sambrama-50 marks the
golden jubilee of renaming Mysore State as Karnataka on November 1,
1973. Celebrating this, the government instituted the award.
 RAGASUDHA VINJAMURI will receive the MITHILA GAURAV SAMMAN 2024 from
Mithila Vibhuti Smruti Parv Mahotsav at Madhubani, (Mithila, India) on
November 14, 2024 for highlighting Mithila Culture and Maithili language
in the UK, through dance presentations and various other activities.
 
SHARMILA MUKERJEE and SYED SALLAUDIN PASHA received the KARNATAKA KALASHREE
Award by the Karnataka Sangeet Nrithya Academy for 2023-2024 on Oct 28,
2024 at Ravindra Kalakshetra, Bangalore. Sharmila is the first Odissi
dancer to get this award in Karnataka for her contribution to Odissi.
Karnataka Sangeet Nritya Academy conferred the KARNATAKA KALASHREE AWARD for 2024-25 on Oct 28, 2024 at Ravindra Kalakshetra, Bangalore.
Honorary Award for dance to Gayatri Keshavan, Hassan
Dance: T. Ravindra Sharma, Belgaum; Anuradha Vikranth, Bangalore;
Sugganahalli Shadakshari, Bangalore; B. R. Hemantha Kumar, Bangalore -
Violin for dance |
ATMA SHANTI
Eminent Odissi dance guru and former Chief Executive of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre NABAKISHORE MISHRA passed away on October 28, 2024.
More info:
In fond memory of beloved Naba Sir: Guru Nabakishore Mishra
- Ratikant Mohapatra
K RAJASEKHARAN, accomplished musician and nattuvangam artiste,
who accompanied many renowned dancers and students of many dance
institutions, passed away in Chennai in the 4th week of September 2024.
SURESH DUTTA, an Indian puppet artiste, theatre personality and the
founder of Calcutta Puppet Theatre, a Kolkata-based theatre group
dedicated to puppetry, passed away on October 1, 2024. He was 94. Born
in Faridpur (now in Bangladesh), he trained under Phani Bhushan, a Jatra
exponent, Kathakali under Balakrishna Menon and fusion style of dance
from Uday Shankar. In 1961-1962, he went on a Department of Education,
Government of India scholarship to Moscow to study puppetry under
world-renowned Soviet puppet master Sergei Obraztsov. This training and
experience gave Suresh Dutta his enduring passion for the rod puppet
style of puppetry. He was honored with the Sangeet Natak Akademi award
(1987) and Padma Shri (2009). More info
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FROM THE ARCHIVES
 'Indian Dance in America' began in 1880!
- Rajika Puri
When Tina Croll and Jamie Cunningham, (directors of From the Horse's
Mouth, a NY-based but pan-US dance institution) asked me to curate a
special edition of their show to be entitled "Indian Dance in America", I
was delighted at this recognition of our US Indian dance community.
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