September 2023
ANITA SAYS.....
"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail".
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Photo: Sangeeta Banerjee / Oneframestory
#ON AND OVER THE MOON
It was a moment that united all Indians globally. The August 23rd
touchdown of Chandrayaan-3 on the moon's southern surface. All
differences were put aside to cheer our scientists. And then the debate
began. What will that point be named? The first moon mission that crash
landed on November 14, 2001 was called JAWAHAR STHAL (point), to honour
India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Should this point be
named after Dr Vikram Sarabhai or President Abdul Kalam? Suggestions
came thick and fast on social media until we were told that it was going
to be called TIRANGA (Tricolour) POINT and SHIV-SHAKTI POINT!
Dancer Mallika Sarabhai, daughter of the iconic scientist and father of
India's space programme Dr Vikram Sarabhai, had a long post on Facebook
about the origin of the space programme INCOSPAR and her father's
pivotal role in spurring attention and resources towards India's space
research. "For those interested, I am recording history rather than
fairy tales," she says, taking a self-deprecating dig at the recurring
Radha Krishna mythological tropes!
Read on....
|
PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST
Narthaki conducted an IN MOTION DANCE PHOTOGRAPHY contest in August 2023 and received many entries.
The judge Kaustubh Atre is an acclaimed dance photographer who selected the best 3 entries.
Number 1 - SEJAS MISTRY (Mauritius)
THE DRAGON ARTIST - featuring Krish Gunnoo & Damien, Elite Dance Company
Number 2 - EESHA PINGLAY (Mumbai)
THEHRAAV, finding stillness through lens - featuring Shambhavi Dandekar
Number 3 - RAJESH TK (Bangalore)
NARRATIVE BETWEEN LINES - featuring Khalil Alashar
|
|
TAKITATOM
JAYACHANDRAN PALAZHY, artistic director of Attakkalari, has been
working with teams of talented artistes of multiple nationalities on a
contemporary music, movement, and theatre adaptation of 'Mahabharata' in
Rome in Italy recently, and in Belfast (UK), choreographing for Cahoots
Theatre Company's 'Vanishing Elephant', scheduled to be premiered in
the New Victory Theatre in New York soon.
'TARA: THE SINGING ANKLET,' a film by Vinod Mankara on Mohiniattam
dancer TARA RAJKUMAR, premiered on August 20, 2023 in Australia at the
Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. It traces her journey across 3
continents that wove a magical dance drape linking the lands.
Kutiyattam scholar, performer, and acting trainer G VENU's Navarasa
Sadhana, the unique actor's training program that traces its origins to
the ancient treatise of Natya Sastra as well as the indigenously
developed actor training methodologies that evolved in Kerala, has now
completed the training of 100 batches of the course.
The documentary film 'ADVAN - THE JOURNEY OF MY LIFE' is based on the
life of Kathakali exponent PRABAL GUPTA. Scripted and directed by Anoop
Rajan Thomas, and produced by LV Prasad College of Media Studies, the
premiere screening of the film took place on August 26, 2023 at
Bangalore.
Ganesa Natyalaya, the Bharatanatyam dance institution of Delhi founded
by Guru SAROJA VAIDYANATHAN, launches its yearlong Golden Jubilee
celebrations titled Swarna Saroja.
The actual composer of the most popular hymn "Maithreem bhajatha" is
DR.V. RAGHAVAN and is tuned by Vasant Desai. (Not as commonly credited
to Paramaachaarya, clarifies Guru VP Dhananjayan.)
NCPA announces an once-in-a-lifetime auction of some incredible
memorabilia and experiences one treasures. The auction includes some
rare collectibles such as Zubin Mehta's baton, Zakir Hussain's
autographed tabla set, a cricket bat signed by the Indian team and more!
Dancer ANJANA GONASGI's film (UN)SEEN has been selected for London
International Screen Dance Festival (LISDF) in October 2023. This will
be the second in person screening of the film in London this year and
5th festival selection overall. This film is the only one from India
part of this lineup.
A biography of choreographer ALEXEI RATMANSKY by dance writer Marina
Harss titled THE BOY FROM KYIV will be published by Farrar, Straus and
Giroux and will be released on Oct 3, 2023.
|
AWARDS
At the 29th OMC-Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award Festival 2023, Srjan
presents GURU KELUCHARAN MOHAPATRA AWARD 2023 (Rs.1 lakh) to Dr.Sonal
Mansingh for dance and Anant Mahapatra for theatre on September 9, 2023
at Rabindra Mandap, Bhubaneswar.
GURU KELUCHARAN MOHAPATRA YUVA PRATIBHA SAMMAN 2023 (Rs.25,000) goes to
Arup Das (Odissi music - mardala), Siddhi Waikar & Arupa Gayatri
Panda (Odissi dance), Vishal Krishna (Kathak).
Vaishnavi Natyashala conferred the PADMINI PRIYA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
AWARD 2021 in memory of Guru Padmini Ramachandran on Dr Usha RK for her
contributions towards the promotion and propagation of Indian art and
culture on 6th August 2023 at ADA Rangamandira, Bangalore.
After a gap of a few years, Chennai's RR Sabha honoured 13 artistes in
the award function held at the Sabha premises on August 18, 2023.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam (cash award Rs.1,25,000)
NRUTYA KALA RATNA: Priyadarsini Govind (cash award Rs.1,00,000)
KALA SEVA RATNA: VR Devika (cash award Rs.50,000)
NRUTYA YUVA KALA RATNA: Sudharma Vaithiyanathan (cash award Rs.25,000)
On August 19, 2023 on the occasion of the 150th year of Akhil Bharatiya
Gandharva Mahavidyalay Mandal in Mumbai, Dr Vibha Dadheech was conferred
with SANGEET MAHAMAHOPADHYAY, Dr Manjiri Deo and Pt Nandkishore Kapote
were conferred with SANGEET RATNA while Dr Aparna Bhatt was conferred
with SANGEET GAURAV PURASKAAR.
PRATIBHA PURASKAR was conferred on S Kumar on August 30, 2023 by PS
Telugu University, Hyderabad - Govt.of Telangana in recognition of his
services over the last 45 years to Melattur Bhagavata Mela.
In the Madras Music Academy's 'Spirit of Youth concerts 2023' held in
August, the best dancer prize goes to Gopika Raaj Pillai (disciple of K
Nirmala Nagarajan) and second best dancer to Saibrindha Ramachandran
(disciple of Indira Kadambi).
On August 15, 2023 the following awards were given by Sai Arts International at Bangalore.
BEST ARTISTE AWARD to Yamuna Srinidhi and Manasa Pavan Kumar, BEST
PROMISING ARTISTE AWARD to NS Smitha, BEST DANCER & NATTUVANGIST
AWARD to TS Sharath, BEST DANCE TEACHER & SCHOLAR AWARD to Dr.BV
Geetha, BEST SENIOR DANCE TEACHER AWARD to Roopashree Aravind, BEST
DANCE TEACHER AWARD to Ranganayakulu.
Shobana Bhalchandra gets the VRINDARANI AWARD from Lasya Academy on 3rd September 2023 at Music Academy, Chennai.
|
HEALTH
How social anxiety disorder can impact dancers
- Sophie Bress
Social anxiety disorder, according to Terry Hyde, MA MBACP, a
psychotherapist specializing in dancers' mental health, pertains to
anxiety triggered by social situations or interactions.
|
 Ramalingeswara temple, Kolar, Karnataka
Photo: Vyjayanthi Kashi
ATMA SHANTI
Manipuri dancer and teacher RAJKUMAR ACHOUBA SINGH, also known as
Achoubisana (born on 5 December 1936) passed away on August 19, 2023 at
his Loklaobung residence. Singh, who is credited with several books and
articles on Manipuri culture, was a former Principal of the Jawaharlal
Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, Imphal, and Shree Shree Govindajee Temple
Board 'Bor Senapati.' A holder of post graduate degrees in Raas and Lai
Haraoba, he was also a visiting teacher at the Government Dance College,
Imphal. He was honoured with the Padma Shri (2010) and the Manipur
State Award... More info
Bharatanatyam
dancer RATHI KARTHIGESU passed away on August 7, 2023 in Singapore, at
the age of 87. Considered to be an early pioneer in the establishment of
the Indian fine arts scene in Singapore, her legacy spans over more
than three decades from the late 1950s. She briefly served as the
Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society's vice-president. Known for her
philanthropy, she donated a collection of rare Indian sculptures in
dancing poses to the National Heritage Board of Singapore following
which she received a Patron of Heritage award. She was a great support
to emerging artistes and she shared her talent through benefit dances
across countries.
|
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Choreography in the Indian context
- Kumudini Lakhia
India is one of the very few countries, which has preserved its cultural
heritage and ancient arts. Preserved in a sense that they are an
integral part of the lives of its people and not just hanging behind
glass walls in museums.
From the mouth of a Mahari
- Rahul Acharya
Rahul Acharya visits Sashimani Mahari, the last surviving devadasi of
the Jagannath temple, Puri. The article is a discussion with her.
|
|
