Indian art forms have undergone a great revival. From the gurukul tradition to internationally acclaimed institutions, it has been a dynamic journey so far. Sreelatha Vinod, a product of such transition, has been able to imbibe the best from the two institutions. A disciple of the Dhananjayans, she has just returned from a tour in Europe, covering six countries. A dedicated student, well-known performer and choreographer, Sreelatha also teaches at Anthara Centre for Performing Arts, Chennai.
Sreelatha’s family shifted to Chennai from Kerala when she was barely four year old. “My mother initially put me under the tutelage of T M Arunachalam Pillai under whom I completed my Arangetram in Rasika Ranjan Sabha. A few years later, I joined Bharathanjali, an institute of the Dhananjayans. From Thanjavur tradition to Kalakshetra, it has been a radical shift. It also gave me an exposure to understand two diametrically opposite styles,” she says.
A graduate from the Women Christian College, Chennai, Shreelatha had been a student of history. “Stories of people and place attract me. And when one wants to study dance, it becomes all more pertinent,” feels the dancer.
She has a packed schedule this year that includes the Music Academy festival in Chennai. “Earlier, sabhas were fewer but used to draw large number of viewers,” says the artiste. “However, if you observe, more number of dancers and a large number of organisations impose a greater challenge to the artistes. Anybody can dance but at the end, it is only a handful of those who are able to sustain and make it to the top,” she adds.
To keep up to the expectations of the season, Sreelatha has specially choreographed a Swathi Thirunaal composition in Tamil, Saami Unnaiye Naaan Migavum. As a matter of solution to the problem of drawing enough crowd during margazhi, Sreelatha feels, “Programmes may be planned in such a way that they do not overlap so that people don’t get confused which one to attend.”
Dance as a profession is challenging because the expenses might exceed the income. “The only way to overcome is by stepping into teaching,” says the artiste.
“Earlier, art forms were limited to hereditary families. Today it has expanded to all parts of the globe. This has also stretched possibilities of teaching and writing on dance and opened windows for many,” she says.
A disciple of Kalanidhi Narayanan, a Padmabhushan awardee, she is an empanelled artist with the ICCR. Sreelatha’s solo thematic presentations such as Vande Mataram, Yagnaseni, Baandhava Bharatham, Nritya Samparpanam and dance dramas have been staged for several times now. Eesan Adi Potri is her latest work that hails the glory of Shiva.
A recipient of the Satya Lasya Sundaram from Bharathanjali Trust, Nadana Swaroopa Mammani from Thygaraja Swami Sabha, Natya Shree from Kaladarpana and Natya Kala Ratna, Sreelatha loves the stage experience. “I would not call it act. We live the characters we play. Sometimes it is not until you have walked out of the stage onto the side wings that you snap back into reality,” she shares.
Sreelatha is one of the few lucky ones who has a strong family support. “My husband is a voracious reader and he has encouraged me a lot to dive deep into the academics aspect of dance, think out of the box and expand my knowledge both in those concerning in and out of my profession,” says Sreelatha.
She also has the distinction of directing a full-cast 64 Singapore-based dancers for her production of Poornachandrika staged at the prestigious Victoria Theatre in 2004. Sreelatha also performed on the opening night of the India Festival 2005 at the now world famous Esplanade Theatres on the Bay in Singapore.
She has added another feather to her cap by successfully bringing together hundreds of students and a group of Bharatanatyam teachers to her dance forum, Prayathnam, that promotes, documents and conducts examination in Bharatanatyam. As the founder-president of Prayathnam, she has a strong conviction. “We are trying to take Prayathnam to other cities in India and abroad for the benefit of the next generation,” says the dancer.
So whom does Sreelatha look up to? “Certainly, Vaijayanthimala, Padma Subrahmanyam and Chitra Visweswaran. They are the pride of our cultural heritage,” answers the dancer who loves to watch movies by Walt Disney, her favourite being the dance of Mumble, the penguin in Happy Feet.