May 28, 2011. This is the day when I went down into the deepest recesses of my psyche – letting my moods resonate with unadulterated bliss with the strings, steps, and sonority during my tryst with classical Indian arts.
I was delighted to watch Trimurti, a classical dance program that was choreographed and presented by Sonali Mishra [Odissi], Sonali Skandan [Bharatanatyam] and Parul Shah [Kathak]. This was my first live exposition classical dance – and I truly mesmerized. The use of space and the subtle variations of steps for poise were masterful. The manner in which different art forms inter-mingled together had a mesmeric influence. Especially the manner in which the Odissi and Bharatanatyam dances orchestrated similarity in movements, while preserving the purity of the traditions of their own dance forms and dance schools was simply breathtaking. Kathak had its own play, giving fluidity of movements to soothe the awed nerves.
Trimurti, was choreographed/presented by the 3 dancers [above], to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Sruti, The Indian Music and Dance Society. Sruti is a Philadelphia-based Not-for-Profit organization that has been effectively been promoting Indian Classical Dance and Music for all these years in the USA. They regularly have the crème-de la crème of Indian artists perform for the benefit of the local aficionados. Every year they present about 9-10 high quality dance and vocal concerts. Please visit www.sruti.org to get a first-hand view of their incredible host of events. If you are a music buff/enthusiast, you can also enjoy their incredibly collection of publications. You may also consider becoming members to access to their journals [hardcopies], which has a host of collector item-worthy articles, many of which have been written by leading artists/scholars in the field.
During Memorial Day weekend, May 28/29, 2011, Trimurti was presented at Malvern [a suburb of Philadelphia]. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have been a part of the show, (thanks to my fiancé status). This was the first time I saw Lara perform. And I must say, I was spellbound. She was full of vigour and grace during her solo performance of Durga Stuti [choreographed by the Odissi legend, the Late Padmabibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra], and took me to a different level of consciousness and appreciation.
For me, it was not only an opportunity to appreciate high quality dance. It was an opportunity for an experiential realization of my responsibility - as a member of a dance family – to support and facilitate the spread of dance and aesthetics in general and Odissi in particular [and I did get a first-hand view of how demanding a dancer’s world can get as Lara/I spent a few days together at New York as a run-up to this show. I also got a trailer of their tireless and tirelessly creative practice sessions of the threesome as I accompanied Lara to the practice studios]. The deep recesses of my psyche I went into was, yes--to get bowled over by dance and music. It was also a realization that world would be cipher with aesthetics dance forms, and whatever strife and crudeness we have in this world is because of inadequate dissemination / assimilation of such pristine and soul stirring aesthetics.
While I am happy to be unabashed in my going gaga over Lara’s performance and Odissi – and why not [appreciation starts at home ;) – as a variation to a more clichéd adage]; it is but natural that I was amazed by the context in its entirety. Sonali [Skandan] dazzled too in her solo piece, which has been choreographed by her erstwhile Guru Smt Thejeswini Raj, as well as Parul Shah’s thrilling solo, choreographed by the Kathak visionary and legend Padmabhusan Guru Kumudini Lakhia Equally uplifting was the Vocal Concert of the stirring Carnatic singer T. M. Krishna. His sonorous rendition of different taals and ragas resonated deeply within to take me to a reverie of the unknown, and hitherto unexplored land of calm and stillness.
The novice that I am in classical music and dance, I don’t possess the prowess to provide a technical appreciation of the different dance and vocal concerts. But one thing I can vouch for, based on my own experiential realization [if I can use such a lofty word], is that music and dance have the powers to resonate within each one of us [even novices like me], a chord of purity, converting us to the religion of humanism and cutting across any boundaries in culture and country.
Sruti, the organizers, deserve special mention for promoting such a noble cause and I congratulate them for completing 25 years. I cannot help but mention Sunanda [a board member of Sruti], Sanjay and their lovely daughters Amrutha and Dhaatri who hosted our stay at Malvern and had an important part in making this trip quite memorable.
Bhubaneswar
June 6, 2011
I was delighted to watch Trimurti, a classical dance program that was choreographed and presented by Sonali Mishra [Odissi], Sonali Skandan [Bharatanatyam] and Parul Shah [Kathak]. This was my first live exposition classical dance – and I truly mesmerized. The use of space and the subtle variations of steps for poise were masterful. The manner in which different art forms inter-mingled together had a mesmeric influence. Especially the manner in which the Odissi and Bharatanatyam dances orchestrated similarity in movements, while preserving the purity of the traditions of their own dance forms and dance schools was simply breathtaking. Kathak had its own play, giving fluidity of movements to soothe the awed nerves.
Trimurti, was choreographed/presented by the 3 dancers [above], to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Sruti, The Indian Music and Dance Society. Sruti is a Philadelphia-based Not-for-Profit organization that has been effectively been promoting Indian Classical Dance and Music for all these years in the USA. They regularly have the crème-de la crème of Indian artists perform for the benefit of the local aficionados. Every year they present about 9-10 high quality dance and vocal concerts. Please visit www.sruti.org to get a first-hand view of their incredible host of events. If you are a music buff/enthusiast, you can also enjoy their incredibly collection of publications. You may also consider becoming members to access to their journals [hardcopies], which has a host of collector item-worthy articles, many of which have been written by leading artists/scholars in the field.
During Memorial Day weekend, May 28/29, 2011, Trimurti was presented at Malvern [a suburb of Philadelphia]. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have been a part of the show, (thanks to my fiancé status). This was the first time I saw Lara perform. And I must say, I was spellbound. She was full of vigour and grace during her solo performance of Durga Stuti [choreographed by the Odissi legend, the Late Padmabibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra], and took me to a different level of consciousness and appreciation.
For me, it was not only an opportunity to appreciate high quality dance. It was an opportunity for an experiential realization of my responsibility - as a member of a dance family – to support and facilitate the spread of dance and aesthetics in general and Odissi in particular [and I did get a first-hand view of how demanding a dancer’s world can get as Lara/I spent a few days together at New York as a run-up to this show. I also got a trailer of their tireless and tirelessly creative practice sessions of the threesome as I accompanied Lara to the practice studios]. The deep recesses of my psyche I went into was, yes--to get bowled over by dance and music. It was also a realization that world would be cipher with aesthetics dance forms, and whatever strife and crudeness we have in this world is because of inadequate dissemination / assimilation of such pristine and soul stirring aesthetics.
While I am happy to be unabashed in my going gaga over Lara’s performance and Odissi – and why not [appreciation starts at home ;) – as a variation to a more clichéd adage]; it is but natural that I was amazed by the context in its entirety. Sonali [Skandan] dazzled too in her solo piece, which has been choreographed by her erstwhile Guru Smt Thejeswini Raj, as well as Parul Shah’s thrilling solo, choreographed by the Kathak visionary and legend Padmabhusan Guru Kumudini Lakhia Equally uplifting was the Vocal Concert of the stirring Carnatic singer T. M. Krishna. His sonorous rendition of different taals and ragas resonated deeply within to take me to a reverie of the unknown, and hitherto unexplored land of calm and stillness.
The novice that I am in classical music and dance, I don’t possess the prowess to provide a technical appreciation of the different dance and vocal concerts. But one thing I can vouch for, based on my own experiential realization [if I can use such a lofty word], is that music and dance have the powers to resonate within each one of us [even novices like me], a chord of purity, converting us to the religion of humanism and cutting across any boundaries in culture and country.
Sruti, the organizers, deserve special mention for promoting such a noble cause and I congratulate them for completing 25 years. I cannot help but mention Sunanda [a board member of Sruti], Sanjay and their lovely daughters Amrutha and Dhaatri who hosted our stay at Malvern and had an important part in making this trip quite memorable.
Bhubaneswar
June 6, 2011
Nice to see such appreciation of Odissi and the other classical dance forms.:-) Why dont you post some clips?
ReplyDeletesorry i didnt tk too many pics during the show...was dark...i didnt know how to take a good pic w/o the flash...will mail the two darkish ones i hv taken...cheers!!
ReplyDelete