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Indian dance
festival brings joy to American Midwest
September 21,
2008
Although the lyrics for all these dance numbers were set in different Indian languages and may not have been easily understood by all, the mood of each piece was successfully conveyed through the dancers' movements and timely narration. The live music featured accomplished accompanists such as Naren Budhkar (tabla), Ramesh Ramalingappa (mrudangam), Jayaprakash (flute) and Jaishree Prasad (veena) who with their able support enhanced the music and rhythm for the various dance numbers presented throughout the evening. Through this orchestral ensemble, the audience also got a preview of some of the traditional instruments used in an Indian classical dance recital. Saturday evening
started off with a Kathak dance by the students of Soorya Performing Arts.
The piece emphasized fast footwork, decorative poses and whirling passages.
The next two dance dramas 'Dwiveni' were presented by Prasanna Kasthuri's
students. 'Punyakoti' by Anisha Gururaj portrayed a popular folk
story of truth, promise and humbleness that would shatter the ego of the
most egoistic individual; 'Dokka Seethamma' by Vidya Mantrala was an inspiring
story of a legendary lady, who had fed the hungry for forty years in times
of severe drought.
'Femina,' the story of famous women of India and the US, La Meri, Indira Gandhi, and Amelia Earnhardt was beautifully performed by students of Arathi School of San Antonio. This dance drama was followed by an exhilarating treat of Kathak, a dance style from Northern India, by Shila Mehta, from Mumbai. The dancer in her shimmering white costume seemed to effortlessly float across the stage, as if wafted by a gentle rhythmic breeze. Each of the pieces on Ardhanareeshwar, Krishna – Radha, and the closing one the Tarana (similar to the Thillana of the Bharatanatyam style), held the audience absolutely spell-bound and mesmerized. The audience bid her adieu after several rounds of thundering applause. Following the
Kathak dance was 'Gokula Nirgamana,' USA's first Indian opera which lived
up to the mighty challenge posed by the eternal performance of Shila Mehta.
Having been performed recently to a full house of over 3000 people at the
World Kannada Conference in Chicago, this opera was an emotional enactment
of the mythological story of Krishna leaving Radha, the Gopis and Gopalas
(cowherds) of Vrindavan, to fight the mighty demon king, Kamsa. Prasanna
as Krishna and Seema as Radha along with their troupe of visiting artistes
from India, and students of the Soorya Dance School, rendered a very convincing
and energized portrayal of the story that is so popular in Indian myth.
This opera was the brain child of Guru Prasanna Kasthuri, the artistic
director of Soorya Performing Arts and was based on the literary works
of one of the greatest literary geniuses of India, Pu. Ti. Narasimhachar.
The concluding fast paced 'dandia-raas,' the dance with sticks kept
the audience at the edge of their seats!!
The concluding
number for the evening was a dance drama, 'Rules of Life' based on the
Vedas, the sacred scriptures that originated in the Indian subcontinent.
Presented by the Kuchipudi dance exponent Sujatha Vinjamuri and her team,
the performance was stunning, a beautiful example of Kuchipudi's range
of moods, curving sculptural postures, engaging use of eyes and gestures,
precise and rhythmic footwork. There was not a moment of doubt, or uncomfortable
pause, not a beat missed, which speaks volumes about their dedication and
commitment to the art form. Sujatha donated a part of the proceeds
from ticket sales of the evening to the noble cause of SAWERAA (South Asian
Women empowerment Regional Association).
The third day of the festival started with a beautiful invocation dance by the budding artistes of Soorya Performing Arts Academy. Next, was a hour-long performance by Mrunal Desai of St. Louis. 'Krishna Tulabhara' narrated the story of Rukmini placing a single tulasi leaf on the scale, which weighs Krishna and balances the scale. The dancers skillfully demonstrated that even a small object offered with devotion means more to the Lord than the weight of all the wealth in the world. This was followed by a dance recital by Akhila of New Jersey, the mythological themes of Mahavishnu, the Dashavatars, and the dance of joy, on obtaining the grace of the Lord. Accompanied by their colorful costumes and adornments, the dancers themselves were moving works of art. The next dance drama 'Shringara Naradiyam' was a rib-tickling comedy that sent the audience into splits. The performance of Pulikeshi Kasturi, from Bangalore, in the dual role of a man (as sage Narada) and a woman deserves special mention. Yet another dance style that was presented was Odissi on the life of Vishnu, the Dashavatars, destruction of Kalia and Ravana by Aditi Bandhopadyay, from Columbia, MO, was amazing. Through her elegant portrayal, the dancer brought to life a performance that was graceful yet quick, displaying the flickering animation of the eyes and brows and the deftly expressive mudras. Mohini Aattam by Smitha Rajan was a truly delightful aesthetic treat to the audience. The fantastic demeanor, with spontaneous expression of varied moods and eloquent gestures were so astounding that one felt no words would do justice to her elegance and perfection. In a fitting finale, Prof. Robert Reed and Prasanna Kasturi presented a ground-breaking collaborative complement of Tap and classical Indian dance, titled 'Milan-East meets West.' Prof. Reed from Oklahoma gave a stunning tap dance performance set to Indian music and rhythm, while Prasanna Kasturi simultaneously beamed his impeccable finesse in two forms of Indian dance, Kathak and Bharatanatyam. Reed's ease and humor made the performance more lively and engaging. The applause,
the feedback and the consensus of the audience said it all. Guru Prasanna
Kasthuri of Soorya Performing Arts had indeed brought a magnificent weekend
of dance, across different styles, to St. Louis; a foretaste of subtle
and sublime entertainment, embodying religion, philosophy, mythology, beauty,
humor and human values.
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The
3-day festival commenced with an invocation to Lord Ganesha, by the tiny
tots of Soorya Performing Arts. The elegant portrayal tinged with their
beaming smiles and sweet innocence, wooed the audience. The next
recital by Dr. Seshadri Iyengar from India, brought to stage two reverential
pieces, a Purandaradasa composition on Shiva and a Tulsidas bhajan on the
life of Rama and the glory brought about by his name. These dramatic solo
pieces required long, arduous performance and Dr. Iyengar accomplished
that with graceful ease. Following the solo, was a group recital by the
Jayamangala School of Dance from Washington DC. They treated the
audience to a thematic dance Om Sharavanabhava, an ensemble piece
on Lord Muruga, portraying his birth and life, grace and compassion, including
an explanation of the profound Pranava Mantra, OM and a thillana
that had intricate footwork. The synchronization of the dancers was indeed
beautiful. The program for Friday evening concluded with yet another graceful
recital, Shubashitam by Monica Mahadevan, from Nashville, Tennessee.
The solo dance drama about human values based on parables and folklore
from India - Thirukural, Jataka and Panchatantra tales
was awesome. The graceful gestures, step sequences, captivating facial
expressions, liveliness and subtle eloquence made it a soul-lifting personal
conversation.
