As Yamini Reddy readies her dance production, Surya at Shilpakala Vedika on Dec 20, the excitement feels deeply personal. For her, dance is a way of thinking aloud, of observing the world and responding with movement. This production becomes an invitation to slow down, look around, and rediscover our bond with nature through rhythm, grace and feeling. In a conversation with CE, she talks about the production, challenges and more.
Excerpts
What inspired you to create this production?
I was reading an article on creation, and as I went through it, it got me thinking about how the world might have been formed. That led me to the thought that the first creation may have begun with the first light itself, and from there my mind moved to Surya. Around the same time, I came across the Nasadiya Sukta, the hymn of the origin of the universe, and much of what it speaks about feels deeply relevant even today, especially when compared with modern science. It speaks of a time when there was nothing and no existence, and in the Markandeya Purana, it is said that there was an endless egg that broke, from which Brahma emerged, and from Om came Surya. I found this fascinating, and that is how the idea for this production was born, tracing creation from Surya as the initiator of all life and nature. The intention was to bring back the Vedic way of praying to nature, appreciating its balance, and the production concludes with a grand finale dedicated to Surya, the life generator, while also including modern elements. From the first thought, I allowed it to grow, and through reading, research, rhythm, music and dance, the production took nearly a year to fully form.
What was the most challenging part of turning this idea into a dance performance?
I think the most challenging part for me was first understanding the scriptures and then relating them to modern science because I grew up studying science in school, learning about the solar system and the Big Bang theory. So connecting those ideas and finally giving them a visual form through dance was a little challenging. It needed imagination and creativity, but I am very satisfied with the end result we have now.
What can the audience expect from this production?
The audience will come to watch Kuchipudi dance, which we have not tampered with in any form, but the theme I have chosen is meant to bring us back to nature and help us reconnect with everything around us. I feel that even while praying, we have lost the sense of what and why we pray. Somewhere, that connection has been lost. So, while keeping Kuchipudi intact, I have introduced modernness through the theme, visuals, stage technology and music, which weaves all our thoughts together.
What was it like working under the guidance of Padma Bhushan Drs Raja Radha Reddy and Kaushalya Reddy for this production?
Raja Radha Reddy and Kaushalya Reddy are legends in the field and as a little girl I was always observing and watching them create different dance pieces and seeing how the choreography took shape, so I constantly watched the entire process. When this piece had to be done, the idea came to me because I already knew how to begin, although it took time to explain my visual idea to my parents and how I wanted to juxtapose it with modern science and bring it into a visual form. They have always been open minded, encouraging, and attentive, they listened, understood, gave inputs where needed, choreographed parts themselves, and overall the process was very enjoyable.