Beauty in motion

CHENNAI: With Anita Ratnam there never is a dull moment! Brazen in her personal and professional space, Anita enjoys 40 years of being a celebrated dancer/choreographer and is an important part of a think-tank of ‘them talented folk’ who create out-of-the-box concepts in performing arts. “I encourage every dancer to experiment,” she says while sipping her second cuppa, ahead of her play, A Million Sitas in Pudhucherri.

She is at ease in her hometown Thirukkurungudi as she is in Tokyo and juggles many a creative form which reflect the times we live in. “When I came back from New York several decades ago, I knew I didn’t want to be just a traditional
Bharatanatyam dancer, so I learnt Kathakali and Mohiniattam. I used to host TV shows abroad so the articulation helped me become a story-teller as well.”
For instance, in A Million Sitas, she converted the performing space to suit different narratives with props; and used colourful costumes to depict images of women from the Ramayana like Mandodari, Sabari, Surpanakha, Ahalya and Sita. “Many atrocities are committed on women in the name of god, this play highlights that. And we always improvise! I’ve included Whitney Houston and the music of the Iranian singer Azam Ali to finish and begin some of my other productions. I’m working on two new themes — one on breast cancer awareness and the other on hair — both are crucial identities of a woman, don’t you think?”she smiles.

Here are a few questions she answered in the typical Anita Ratnam style…
You’re often described as an ageless, timeless beauty. What is your own definition of it?
(Laughs) I’m blessed with some fantastic genes. I’ve also learnt to live life the ‘natural way’. It comes from my grandmother and mother, who instilled in me daily habits which include waking up on the dot at 5.30 am to do the Suryanamaskaram irrespective of whether I’m at home or elsewhere! I don’t hit the gym; I’d rather walk around the block or climb the stairs. In a business family, I was encouraged to pursue art by my parents despite my grandfather’s resistance. As a child I was asthmatic. Yoga cured me and it has stayed my fitness mantra till date. I dislike the word ageing. I prefer the word maturing. With time, I know I’ve changed the way I respond to rhythm, more so for women, we have our bodies which goes through changes of childbirth, menopause and what not! Dancers need flexibility but we can learn endurance and nutrition from sports. My mind is always ready to re-invent and engage with the present, the here and now. How do I converse with my adult children if I am stuck in time? All my senses are receptive to all things new. I’ve never stopped asking the question, “How can I become better?” That’s what keeps my inner fire burning. That to me is beauty.

When did you decide to move away from the traditional format of Bharatanatyam? You ‘invented’ the neo-Bharatham in the process...
It wasn’t a ‘big bang’ kinda thing — it was an organic process. By the 90s, I had two divorces behind me with two kids on hand — so all controversies in life was done with (laughs). I also had the experience of living abroad apart from being a classical dancer. When I came back to India, I was looking for some inspiration to start over and I met with the street-theatre group Koothuppattarai. I combined their principles with Kalari and Yoga as I wanted my art and life to come together. Indian faces have a lot of ‘rasa’ in them. I wanted to capture that. When I began showing the world what I had created, it was met with a lot of criticisms. Many people said they’d like to see Bharatanatyam the old-fashioned way but a handful also applauded my effort. I held onto that! I risked failure and moved out of my comfort zone to reach where I am today. In 1992, I found the Arangham Foundation where I began to work with large groups. In 2008, I launched The Other Festival. We don’t reject anything —instead we include! Rhythm, form, music and vocabulary come together with 50-60 men and women who pass through my tunnel of experience. I don’t teach ‘items’, I inculcate a ‘process’. I trusted the vision of a Canada-based choreographer Harikrishnan, who is 16 years younger than me and we reconciled the sensibilities of East and West in our shows. I thrive on the edge which my dance gives me.

Your personal sense of fashion reflects on stage too — bright colours, mix-and-match of styles... you make for a great model as much as you’re a performer, how did that happen?
(Laughs) My mother had a fabulous sense of beauty, so my tastes in colour and fabric probably stems from there. I use cotton instead of silk on stage, match Turkish pants with Indian vests, wore a crown from Malaysia with a Tarun Tahiliani skirt and an Isimiyaki long wrap — I even wore a pair of coolers once! I bring in drapes from the world so the audience gets an international flavour even if we perform in a small town. As I said, what works for me personally usually works through me on stage.