BENGALURU: On Saturday evening, dance and music lovers were witness to a one-of-its-kind collaboration, where Kathak and Carnatic music were infused with modern elements of rhythm and movement. Dhaara brought together Kathak dancers Nirupama and Rajendra, who performed to music by Jayanthi Kumaresh and R Kumaresh – veena and violin maestros, respectively. Two percussionists, Praveen D Rao and Pramath Kiran, also added beats to the two-and-a-half-hour performance.
With the theme of nature, the proceeds of the show – that combined modern flavours and creativity with classical art – will go towards flood victims in Kerala and Kodagu. Sharing tid-bits of information, Jayanthi explained the various streams of life that flow through each instrument and elements of dance, prior to Nirupama’s solo with Jayanthi’s music. The performance, depicting a child’s bond with the mother, was followed by Rajendra’s performance to the melodious tunes on the violin by Kumaresh. This, without any intention to tell a story, but to create a mood just through ragas.
The evening saw a number of theme-based compositions – love, nature and water, in addition to a funky composition, with a lot of drumming. “We’ve brought in fresh content inspired from the classics. We’ve kept the content, collaboration and movements new, but with identifiable rhythms,” Nirupama said.
An unusual segment was a silent dance, which highlighted the swift footwork of the dancers. The heart-warming performance brought out different kinds of emotions—separation, pain, joy, and most of all, love.
The chief guest of the evening, Lalit Mansingh, former Foreign Secretary of India, said, “It was spectacular and kept me mesmerised the whole time. Can you believe it, I never looked at my watch.”
The guest of honour, Her Excellency Margit Hellwig-Bötte, Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany, in Bengaluru, said, “I feel so honoured to be invited to this spectacular event. I have never seen a performance where music and dance blend into something so wonderful.”