While i was reading through the posts in narthaki.com, i came across this page in which a couple of people have expressed their views on Arangetrams. The views are hilarious but extremely thought provoking! I completely agree to what those people have said! While there are a few gurus who still believe in the sanctity of the Arangetram there are many who just look at it as a means of making money! To make things worse, the relatives and the chief guests praise the artiste, even if his/her dance isn't really praiseworthy! This gives the artiste (most of the times aged between 10 - 16) a high and a sense of accomplishment, while they actually haven't done anything commendable! Quite depressing!!! :( :(
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
An interesting article!
Read the article by Smt.Gowri Ramnarayan written way back in 1999 at http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo9812/98120060.htm and share your thoughts on it please! :)
Amazing audio track!
I just listened to K.N.Dandayudhapaani Pillai's Sakhiye intha jaalam varnam at http://www.hummaa.com/music/album/26757/An+Evening+Of+Bharatanatyam . The varnam has been rendered by the Great MLV for her daughter Actress Srividya's dance performance. Whats more? On the nattuvaangam is the doyen Dandaayudhapani pillai himself! Please do listen to it! :)
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Interview of Smt.Priya Murle!
Read my interview of danseuse Priya Murle at http://www.carnaticdarbar.com/interviews/2008/interviews_priya_murle.asp.
Its the first time i interviewed a person. Had great fun doing it! She made me feel absolutely comfortable. A very nice and amiable person. A meeting that i will cherish forever! :) Here are a couple of videos that have clippings of her performance from "Mammudha - from dust to life"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzp6w3u3FaU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlVxCE-FdZ4
Its the first time i interviewed a person. Had great fun doing it! She made me feel absolutely comfortable. A very nice and amiable person. A meeting that i will cherish forever! :) Here are a couple of videos that have clippings of her performance from "Mammudha - from dust to life"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzp6w3u3FaU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlVxCE-FdZ4
Saturday, May 16, 2009
ABHAI's Varnam workshop!!
ABHAI - Association of Bharathanatyam Artistes of India had arranged for a summer workshop at the Narada Gana Sabha from the 1st to the 15th of May. The workshop was conducted by Padmashri Leela Samson, Director, Kalakshetra. Though I had not registered for the workshop, I did sit and observe the happenings at the foyer of NGS on the 9th and 10th of May. Believe me .. I had the time of my life.
To see 65 dancers doing the same movements and listening to the sound emanating from the marbled floors while all of them do a thatti mettu was DIVINE! Amongst the ones who had attended the workshop, were house wives, young budding artistes and a few famous performers like Mrs.Bragha Bessel, Mrs.Lavanya Ananth, Mrs. Meenakshi Shrinivasan, Mrs.Priyadarsini Govind, Mrs.Priya Murle and Mrs.Roja Kannan. Gurus like Sasirekha Rammohan, Smt. Jayanthi Subramaniam and Mrs.Parvathi Ravi Ghantasala too were there. I did take my time to identify these performers in their practice costume without make up! Was quite a tough job indeed.. I spent a lot of time taking a close look at these performers and observing their techniques. Mrs.Bragha wasn't there on the two days but i heard that she amazed people with her agility that defied her age. Mrs. Lavanya sat in full aramandi everytime she danced. Really wonder how she manages to do that! Mrs.Meenakshi Shrinivasan has a really pleasing countenance but i haven't seen her solo performances yet! Mrs.Priyadarsini Govind stood at one corner of the corridor and listened keenly to what Ms. Leela told. She didn't dance that much but listened intently. Mrs.Priya Murle is one of my personal favourites and she did so much of BEAUTIFUL abhinayam even during the rehearsals. Mrs.Roja Kannan exhibited a lot of leadership qualities. She gave in a lot of inputs during the discussions on deciding the costume for the grand finale , the number of dancers who had to dance, etc. The young dancers and the other regular performers found it easy to pick up what was being taught while the others did find it a bit tough to catch up with.
Having talked about the participants, its now time to talk about the Guru Ms.Leela Samson, the Director of Kalakshetra. She chose to teach the celebrated "Swamiyai azhaithodi vaa" varnam, a composition of Shri K.N.Dhandayudhapaani Pillai. Each stanza of the varnam is set to a different raga and the name of the raga features in that stanza. For example, the charanam is set to the ragam sankarabharanam and hence its lyrics go like "Sadha ninaivu kondu maiyyal il meeludhe Sankarabharananai" Beautiful isn't it?? Coming back to Ms.Leela. WOWWW! Is what i say everytime I think of her. She is a person who is full of life.. The very fact that she can hold the attention of around 60 dancers for almost 3 hours for 15 continuous days is enough to prove her mettle as a Guru. The way she shared the varnam with the participants of the workshop was truly amazing. The choreography was so flexible that students from all schools felt it not very odd while executing it! She gave the reason behind every single movement. She always asked the participants to make full use of pauses and not let the audience know what the dancer was going to do next. As a rasika, I love surprises and hope the dancers at the workshop follow this. Her sense of humour is another thing that kept the sessions going. :) On sunday, There was an EXTREMELY INTERESTING discussion on whether a dancer should carry the sthayi bhava of the varnam during the jathis and while walking back. I just enjoyed listening to the views of the dancers.
The workshop in progress
On 15th about 55 dancers perfromed the Varnam that was taught, on the stage at Narada Gana Sabha. Couldn't make it because i wasn't in station. Wish i were there to witness it. But the two days! huh.. i will never forget them. Lucky were the dancers who attended the workshop and absolutely unlucky are the ones who didn't!
The participants presenting the varnam in the Valedictory function
To see 65 dancers doing the same movements and listening to the sound emanating from the marbled floors while all of them do a thatti mettu was DIVINE! Amongst the ones who had attended the workshop, were house wives, young budding artistes and a few famous performers like Mrs.Bragha Bessel, Mrs.Lavanya Ananth, Mrs. Meenakshi Shrinivasan, Mrs.Priyadarsini Govind, Mrs.Priya Murle and Mrs.Roja Kannan. Gurus like Sasirekha Rammohan, Smt. Jayanthi Subramaniam and Mrs.Parvathi Ravi Ghantasala too were there. I did take my time to identify these performers in their practice costume without make up! Was quite a tough job indeed.. I spent a lot of time taking a close look at these performers and observing their techniques. Mrs.Bragha wasn't there on the two days but i heard that she amazed people with her agility that defied her age. Mrs. Lavanya sat in full aramandi everytime she danced. Really wonder how she manages to do that! Mrs.Meenakshi Shrinivasan has a really pleasing countenance but i haven't seen her solo performances yet! Mrs.Priyadarsini Govind stood at one corner of the corridor and listened keenly to what Ms. Leela told. She didn't dance that much but listened intently. Mrs.Priya Murle is one of my personal favourites and she did so much of BEAUTIFUL abhinayam even during the rehearsals. Mrs.Roja Kannan exhibited a lot of leadership qualities. She gave in a lot of inputs during the discussions on deciding the costume for the grand finale , the number of dancers who had to dance, etc. The young dancers and the other regular performers found it easy to pick up what was being taught while the others did find it a bit tough to catch up with.
Having talked about the participants, its now time to talk about the Guru Ms.Leela Samson, the Director of Kalakshetra. She chose to teach the celebrated "Swamiyai azhaithodi vaa" varnam, a composition of Shri K.N.Dhandayudhapaani Pillai. Each stanza of the varnam is set to a different raga and the name of the raga features in that stanza. For example, the charanam is set to the ragam sankarabharanam and hence its lyrics go like "Sadha ninaivu kondu maiyyal il meeludhe Sankarabharananai" Beautiful isn't it?? Coming back to Ms.Leela. WOWWW! Is what i say everytime I think of her. She is a person who is full of life.. The very fact that she can hold the attention of around 60 dancers for almost 3 hours for 15 continuous days is enough to prove her mettle as a Guru. The way she shared the varnam with the participants of the workshop was truly amazing. The choreography was so flexible that students from all schools felt it not very odd while executing it! She gave the reason behind every single movement. She always asked the participants to make full use of pauses and not let the audience know what the dancer was going to do next. As a rasika, I love surprises and hope the dancers at the workshop follow this. Her sense of humour is another thing that kept the sessions going. :) On sunday, There was an EXTREMELY INTERESTING discussion on whether a dancer should carry the sthayi bhava of the varnam during the jathis and while walking back. I just enjoyed listening to the views of the dancers.
The workshop in progress
On 15th about 55 dancers perfromed the Varnam that was taught, on the stage at Narada Gana Sabha. Couldn't make it because i wasn't in station. Wish i were there to witness it. But the two days! huh.. i will never forget them. Lucky were the dancers who attended the workshop and absolutely unlucky are the ones who didn't!
The participants presenting the varnam in the Valedictory function
Pictures Courtesy: www.abhai.org.in
Monday, January 5, 2009
My reviews at Carnatic darbar.com
Hurray!! I'm now a professional reviewer.. I write reviews for a portal carnatic Darbar. The site is run by Mr.K.T.Jagannathan and Mrs.Sudha Jagannathan. Mrs.Sangeetha Shyam from Malaysia, a friend of Mr.KT, who read my blog asked if i would be interested in writing for carnatic darbar. I happily accepted and started sending my reviews!
My first review was on Anitha Guha's production on Thiruppavai. Second review was on Alarmel Valli's performance for Kartik fine arts. The recently published one is about Lavanya ananth's performance at NGS.
Please click on the inserted hyperlinks and read my reviews. Pls leave your comments! Thanks :-)
My first review was on Anitha Guha's production on Thiruppavai. Second review was on Alarmel Valli's performance for Kartik fine arts. The recently published one is about Lavanya ananth's performance at NGS.
Please click on the inserted hyperlinks and read my reviews. Pls leave your comments! Thanks :-)
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