Na Maargam-knot the path by Sreshta premiered at the Music Academy last week, amid a huge audience that had gathered to celebrate 65 years of art of Sudharani Raghupathy.
The contemporary dance performance was a tribute to the dance exponent who was among the first few artistes to be granted an international scholarship in the late 50’s.
Having learnt dance from Eleanor Struppa at Randolph Macon Women’s College, Virginia, USA during 1964-65 and western music from Elaine St Vincent, Raghupathy has been a recipient of several prestigious awards in her career, spanning more than six decades.
As a tribute to the formidable body of work by the renowned dance, Na Maargam couldn’t have been more fitting.
Presented by four of the dancer’s senior students, the evening opened with an introduction by actor and danceuse Shobana.
The students took stage to present a show specially tailored on the lines of seamless creations — Tillanas, Jatiswarams, Varnams, Javalis, Padams – by Vidwan Madurai N Krishnan.
Na Maargam was, however, an earnest and successful attempt at presenting the purest form of the dance, but in an unconventional style.
In the dance performance with a duration of little over an hour, the dancers explored the landscape of entwined paths and their paradoxes and myriad interpretations.
Tailored around the Thanjavur style of bharatanatyam, Na Maargam was supported by a highly innovative and original soundscape.
The journey of four dancers who embark on a spiritual journey seeking the answers for varied questions, arising out of their own experiences, the concert delved deep into the complexity of quests.
The show was summarised aptly by Shobana, who quoted dance legend Martha Graham - ‘ great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion’- Na Maargam captured the dedication and devotion of Raghupathy in its element