October 2023
ANITA SAYS.....
Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.
- James Baldwin
All great changes are preceded by chaos.
- Deepak Chopra
Each month, I have shared my thoughts and views on various events and
issues that relate to the global world of Indian dance. This portal
started as a phone directory and has grown to become so much more to a
whole generation.
In spite of being a multi hyphenate artiste, I realise the enormous new
energy that is surrounding us at every turn. As much as I would like to
imagine that I can keep up with the rapid changes afoot in every phase
of our artistic lives, it is clear that there IS a generation divide and
I cannot morph or reinvent endlessly to keep pace with the blur of
hyper activity. It is confusing, confounding but it is also a certainty.
What do young dancers want to hear, watch, listen and read? The foremost
target is to dance - to perform - to share - to shine and to smile in
the glow of the spotlight.
The opportunities seem to have exploded but is it a bubble? Is Social
media giving us the ILLUSION of change like a shimmering Chimera while
the ground reality is much the same?
Yet, we turn to our SM handles to verify one's identity and it IS the
new calling card. Like it or not, we are now an ALGORITHM to a giant
robot sitting somewhere in Silicon Valley.
Aaaaand..
There are several young Indian dancers in the USA who do not know who I
am and who are not familiar with NARTHAKI! Smack on face! There goes my
ego!
While I ponder on that, let me continue...
Read on....
|
Ranga Mandira presented TEXTURES OF TRADITIONS
cultural festival that celebrated the richness of arts and crafts
featuring performances, workshops, conversations and craft bazaar, on
September 16 & 17, 2023 in Chennai.
Photos courtesy: Ranga Mandira
ROVING EYE
TAKITATOM
The MCKNIGHT FOUNDATION'S 2023 DISTINGUISHED ARTIST AWARD recipient
is Dipankar Mukherjee, theater maker and artistic director of Pangea
World Theater, Minneapolis. Every year, the McKnight Foundation awards
the $100,000 prize to a "Minnesota artist or culture bearer who has made
significant contributions to the state's cultural life."
IGNCA and Pt Birju Maharaj's Kalashram present KALAAKRITI, Pt. Birju
Maharaj's painting exhibition from Sept 26 to Oct 8, 2023 at Darshanam
in IGNCA. This is the first of its kind which will bring alive some rare
facets of his persona through his paintings and associated poetries.
Bijayini Satpathy is a 2023-2024 Fellow of the Centre for Ballet and the
Arts at New York University. The Fellowship program supports four
individuals for the academic year whose projects focus on anthropology,
disability arts, classical Indian dance, and performance studies. They
will receive financial support, academic resources, and space to create
new work and further their research. Bijayini's project NIRVIKALPA - transconceptual is a new dance in her choreographic journey.
The Gujarat University Ellis Bridge South Zone Youth Festival 2023-24
"Aahvaan" was hosted by JG College of Performing Arts from 21st to 23rd
of September. It is for the first time in 19 years that JGPA is the
host. There were 28 events this time in the field of Music, Dance,
Drama, Literary and Fine Arts. JGPA dedicated each event,
including the inaugural ceremony and the valedictory ceremony to senior
artists or literary persons who lost their lives during the past few
years.
The film SHARED BREATH has been selected for two cine-dance festivals. This is a shorter version of the film 2M/Solitudes, produced by Sinha Danse in 2022. Shared Breath
did its US premiere on August 26 at the International Screen Dance
Festival in Iowa City, USA. The next event takes place at the Ketchikan
Dance Film Festival, the first of its kind to be held in the mesmerizing
landscape of Ketchikan, Alaska.
LEELA DANCE COLLECTIVE, the Los Angeles-based Kathak dance company that
combines classical dance from North India with contemporary influences,
announced that it has reached its initial $1 million endowment fund goal
for The Leela Foundation. This endowment fund is the only one of its
kind, designed to support the future of Kathak dance and Hindustani
classical music in the United States.
An inquiry committee, helmed by retired judge Justice K Kannan, that
probed allegations of sexual harassment at Chennai's Kalakshetra, has
found that Kalakshetra faculty Hari Padman was guilty of gross
misconduct. The report recommends the imposition of a major penalty upon
Hari Padman, including removal from service. The report strongly
suggests that the students who have complained of sexual misbehaviour by
three other faculties, namely Sanjith Lal, Saikrishna, and Srinath,
must be provided with legal assistance to register their complaints. The
report, which can alter the course of conduct at Kalakshetra if
implemented, seeks to foster more student safety and structure on
campus, diligently demarcating how teachers must draw boundaries with
students.
(The News Minute, Sept 26, 2023)
|
AWARDS
The General Council of Sangeet Natak Akademi, New
Delhi, has selected artistes, who are above the age of 75 years and
haven't been accorded any national honour in their career so far, from
the field of the Performing Arts of India for the one-time SANGEET NATAK
AKADEMI AMRIT AWARD under Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav commemorating 75
years of India's independence. The SNA Amrit Award carries a purse money
of Rupees one lakh, besides a Tamrapatra and Angavastram. The awards
were given on September 16, 2023 at New Delhi by the Vice President
Jagdeep Dhankhar.
The dance awardees are:
Mahankali Srimannarayana Murthy (Kuchipudi), Hori Bora Barbayan
(Sattriya), Kumkum Lal (Odissi), Charan Girdhar Chand (Kathak), Smita
Rajeshbhai Shastri (Kuchipudi), Lalitha Srinivasan (Bharatanatyam), N.
Appunni Tharakan (Makeup for Kathakali), Kalakshetra Vilasini
(Bharatanatyam), Kalamandalam Prabhakaran (Ottanthullal), Padma Sharma
(Kathak), Hijam Tombi Singh (Manipuri), Sidheswar Das (Mayurbhanj
Chhau), Gobinda Chandra Pal (Odissi-Gotipua), Girdhari Maharaj (Kathak),
V.A.K Ranga Rao (scholar & documentation), Purnima Pande (Kathak),
Susmita Misra (Kathak), Thankamani Kutty (Bharatanatyam), Bhagabandas
Kumar (Purulia Chhau), H. Bishwaroop Singh (Thang Ta), Guru Prasad Ojha
(Sattriya Ojhapali)
Kathak Guru Kumudini Lakhia received the GUJARAT RATNA SANMAAN 2023 from
the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel, on September 8, 2023.
Ileana Citaristi to receive the 17TH GURU DEBAPRASAD AWARD on October
30, 2023 during the Guru Debaprasad Award Festival organised by Tridhara
from Oct 26 to 30 at Rabindra Mandap, Bhubaneswar. She received the
MOHINI NRUTYA AWARD 2023 from Sai Aradhana Dance Academy on September 3,
2023 at Bhubaneswar.
Among the recipients of the 2023 DANCE MAGAZINE AWARDS this year with a
theme of dance and dance education, is BIJAYINI SATPATHY. A ceremony to
recognize this year's honorees will be held in New York City at 92nd
Street Y on December 4, 2023 with performances and presentations for
each recipient.
For her "impactful and path-breaking contribution in Dance and Creating
Social Consciousness by communicating through your Art Form," dancer
Geeta Chandran was conferred with the 2023 MAHATMA AWARD supported by
the Aditya Birla Group on 30 September 2023 in New Delhi.
|
QUOTE
"The younger generation has diverse tastes and preferences, leading to
increased interest in ensemble works over solo performances and a desire
for topics that resonate with contemporary concerns. Artistes, in
response, must adapt their art forms to stay relevant to these evolving
interests. As the world changes, so too must the arts evolve to continue
captivating and engaging audiences, young and old alike."
- Vaibhav Arekar
('A Constellation of Brilliance' by Aanchal Shetty, NCPA's Onstage, Oct 2023).
LOOK OUT FOR
Viralimalai Kuravanji
Viralimalai Kuravanji is a quintessential dance drama featuring Dr.Padma
Subrahmanyam, Prof. Sudharani Raghupathy and Chitra Visweswaran
performing together for the first time in dance history in 1986.
|
 Ramalingeswara temple, Kolar, Karnataka
Photo: Vyjayanthi Kashi
ATMA SHANTI
Bharatanatyam Guru SAROJA VAIDYANATHAN (born 19 Sept 1937), Founder
President of Ganesa Natyalaya in New Delhi, passed away in the early
hours on September 21, 2023 after a long illness. She was 86. In her
career spanning 50 years, Saroja Vaidyanathan choreographed many
full-length dance productions and individual Bharatanatyam items. To
promote a holistic learning approach to the Bharatanatyam art form, she
taught Hindi, Tamil, and Carnatic music alongside the dance form to
students. She got her institution affiliated with a university and had
students take proper exams. Her illustrious daughter-in-law Rama
Vaidyanathan carries forward her institutional work.
Ganesa Natyalaya was started in 1974 and the current Natyalaya building
came up in 1988. The institute boasts of many Indian and Western
students and was the first dedicated Bharatanatyam institute in Delhi.
Its choreographies and productions have been showcased all over India
and abroad to much critical acclaim. Saroja Vaidyanathan has won
numerous awards for her contribution to this classical Indian dance
form. Her titles include the Padma Bhushan (2013) from the Government of
India, the Padma Shri (2002), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2008),
Kalidas Samman (2011) by the Government of Madhya Pradesh, Kalaimamani
(1999) from the Government of Tamil Nadu. She is also an author of books
on classical dance and music. Her disciples are settled all over the
world as dance professionals and so the banner of Ganesa Natyalaya spans
many continents.
More info
Saroja Vaidyanathan (1937-2023)
- Ashish Mohan Khokar
Delhi's pioneer institution builder for Bharatanatyam passes away
- Leela Venkataraman
RUKMINI RASIAH of Yogaville, popularly known as 'Amma Rasiah,' passed
away on 27 August 2023, at the age of 105 at her daughter Padma Rasiah's
residence in Richmond, USA. Under her able leadership and management, the Yogaville Fine Arts
Society let the door open to a world community to Bhaarateeya Samskaar
through our classical performing arts such a Bharatanatyam, Sangeetam
and other fine arts.
More info
|
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Seeing the elephant (dance)
- Bill Bissell
Over the last several years, I have come to appreciate non-Western and
traditional dance forms in a way that significantly counteracts the "art
fatigue" I feel toward much contemporary Western dance.
Performing arts in the Diaspora: Constricting hybridity
- Rajika Puri
Time was when in the countries of the Indian Diaspora, the terms
'Indian' and 'performing arts' made one think of traditional - largely
'classical' - forms of music and dance, with theatre subsumed under the
latter category.
|
|
