Our ancient scriptures provide us with much inputs about various aspects of dance/dancer & we thought of sharing a brief note along with what we think would probably work.Ten Essential qualities according to the ancient scripture Abhinaya Darpana :Patra Prana Dasha Smrutaha - The ten essentials of the dancer to be noted :Javaha (Agility), Sthirathvam (Steadiness), Rekha (graceful lines), Bhramari(balance in pirouettes), Drishti (glance), Shramaha (hard work), Medha (intelligence), Shraddha(devotion),Vacho (good speech), and Geetam (singing ability).Ten additional qualities necessary for a present day student according to Nirupama & Rajendra :Love for dance, humility,commitment for learning, punctuality, honesty,awareness of this as a valuable knowledge,honor class discipline,explore the inner energies, incessant efforts towards bringing excellence & above all , faith in art that it will help them connect with their True-Perfect-Brilliant Self :)Jai ho to all dance students!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Qualities of a Dancer
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Kathak Sandhya
ABHINAVA ARTS CENTRE BANGALORE
(www.abhinavadancecompany.com)
Presents
“KATHAK SANDHYA”
A Solo Kathak Dance Debut
By
NEHA SESHADRINATH
[Disciple of Smt. Nirupama Rajendra & Sri T D Rajendra ]
On Saturday, the 8th May, 2010 at 06:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Rare Review - April 12 2010
We are pleased to Share with you a review of our performance that happened last month at Kerala.
Interestingly, we have not met this reviewer & or even spoken to her about our pieces & yet she has managed to give such a vivid description of the sequences.
 A rapturous rendering of Kathak April 12, 2010
The evolution of Kathak, from its original Harikatha in the temple underwent changes to become a court dance in the Mughal period. Now it has expanded itself in such a way to incorporate global themes in universal dimensions. The dancing couple has enhanced the form by accepting outside influences both in music and dance vocabulary. It is very difficult to pinpoint where the traditional deviates to give place to something new. The fusion is complementary just as the dancers complement each other in an aesthetic mode. The evening was a show of both traditional as well as the neo traditional, a dance style created by the couple in their Abhinava Dance Company. The performance began with a scintillating item of pure dance in traditional Kathak to the accompaniment of pure music that flowed from the CD. The stage setting and lighting created the perfect ambience exploiting state-of-the art-technology. The North Indian classical dance, characterized by its rhythmic footwork, spectacular spins, elegant swirls, quick pirouettes, and sudden poses mesmerized the audience. The second piece was Sringara Rama, a traditional duet inspired by Tulasidas’ Ramayana. An unusual presentation with a dream sequence brought charm to innocent young love. A dramatic moment, the first encounter of Rama and Seetha, the first flush of love and an ensuing dream sequence is a composition dedicated to tender love. Young Rama wanders, charmed by the beauty of nature, a great prelude to the entry of Seetha. One of her companions, strolling on their way to the Spring festival, is bowled over by the handsome young princes, Rama and his brother. Such wonder is simply contagious that Seetha herself comes to peep. For a magical moment, the eye contact makes them forgetful of reality. Lost in the strange chemistry of attraction, they fly on the viewless wings of fantasy. Love is born in its first flush…Rama, Purushothama is synonymous with dignity, but by then the spell is cast. They are aware of the reality around. What could have degenerated into a filmy version of a great story becomes a superb dramatic moment in the hands of great artists. The gliding movements used to present the dream was enchanting. So was music by Praveen Rao The Meera-Madhav piece also was marked by the stamp of the unusual. The item begins with Meera enveloped in Krishna’s protective love, asleep on his lap. Like a mother cradling her baby, Meera lives drunk in the vision of Krishna ever since her childhood. And Krishna is ever present sheltering, helping, directing every movement in her life. Krishna stands vigil over her. Meera speaks to the idol in front, but gets confused by the vision nearby. When Meera tries to pluck flowers to make a garland for her beloved idol, Krishna showers flowers by shaking the tree. The dignified communion between the mortal and the immortal is very different from that of Radha-Krishna. Yet Meera lives enveloped in Krishna’s love and tenderness. A slow rendering in classic Kathak style to the music of Praveen Rao, it was a beautiful composition. Nigaah in neo traditional style was another beautiful piece of pure dance. Nigaah, a vision of love, merges into Nigaah the vision of peace, shanthi, peace beyond understanding. What begins with love between two, transcends the human to encompass the whole world. The doves set free to rise above everything, helps to create a universal hankering for peace. The message is that harmony is peace. And it ends with a prayer to God to remove all ills and fill the void with love and peace. Music is Indian, tempered with Spanish and jazz to give a world dimension, a fitting concluding piece. The audience sat through the short duration wanting more of its magic and thrill. For perfection, a live rhythmic dialogue between the dance and music should have been there. But alas, many things are dear and costly.
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Nirupama and Rajendra, the dancing couple, are soul mates born to dance, destined to carry dance beyond the bounds of tradition creating new aesthetics using innovative techniques and technology. Their rapturous rendering of Kathak dance during International Dance Festival conducted by Lasya Academy, Thrissur, generated pure joy for the audience.What an Interrogation !
What an Interrogation !
We are happy to share an interesting conversation with all of you.
A very curious police officer talks to a highly confident convict :)
Shathavadhani Dr.Ganesh was speaking to Padmabhushan Smt.Kumudini lakhia who was in Bangalore recently.
1. What do you think of younger generation going to several Gurus ?
Guru can only be ONE...there can be several teachers.
2.What is the difference ?
Guru imparts ART shares LIFE while a teacher teaches CRAFT
So Guru can only be that ONE , that one who brings a change in the life of the student, all others teach only technique so they are craftsmen.
3.Who would be a real Guru ?
A true Guru is the one who allows the students to get better than the Guru,i am very happy because my students are better than me ( & she named few)
4. How does one go about to get better , to attain excellence in Arts, to gain mastery ...suggestions please...
Through the five senses, to be able to see ,to smell,to touch...to feel...etc.
5.How does that affect?
It is important to know, observe & feel the world, for example there are different fragrances for different seasons...Summer is full of Jasmine flowers,Rain causes a typical smell of Earth & that experience create s an impression in the dancer's mind & body.The sense of touch is also very important ,to know the textures...
I have studied Architecture & Agriculture to better my dance....
6.How does Agriculture help ?
Since we stamp the Earth it is important to know the energy of Earth how that Energy comes out & flows into our being, to the naval from which springs all the other movements...so i wanted to feel the Earth's Energy....
7.What is Classical & What is contemporary?
Anything that is in the Lakshmanrekha of the Da Vinci's circle remains as classical for dance & anything outside that which breaks that circle becomes contemporary ...& that which lasts become classical & that which fades away is contemporary.
8. There are three important elements the Natya Shastra mentions to be able to know Art, 1.Vedas,2.Loka & 3.Adhyathma
Knowledge , Observation & individual spirit...the artists connection with the art.. Your Views ?
Yes,observation of life is most important & about the spiritual connection, to me every artist, unless they have a relationship with their art ,their work can never be deep .It is very important that there is honesty & integrity.
People should realise their relationship with Art.
9.How should one pursue the art? will an artist not fall prey to making name, fame ,money,success ,popularity & all.....how does one find the correct path....
Again it is about what kind of relationship one has with arts...
10.Can you explain more...
See, its like this, when you are a parent...you give give & give at one point ( when you get older) you want to take take & take.Just like that in art people wish to take back ..at this point one should realize that one should NOT have any expectations...exactly like how you bring up children & do a lot for the children...you did all that because you wanted to do...you cannot say later i did this i did that & now you you have to do this & that...
You should not have any expectations form the child just like that in Art if one is giving without expectation, then it works.
Raju & I feel truly blessed to be living in the times of these great masters :)
Enjoy !
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