BENGALURU: It is always good to watch a dancer who returns to the classical dance arena as when Dr Niveditha Nikhil impressed with her Bharatanatya performance at Seva Sadana. Unavoidable academic and family commitments had kept her off the concert stage but she dazzled the audience with her intensity. Niveditha and her excellent Guru Shubha Dhananjay impressed with their felicity. Popular works of the standard Bharatanatya repertoire vouched for the dancer’s technical and interpretative skills. Niveditha was practically weightless as she floated through the choreography. There were passages of great beauty and expression and moments which articulated her great artistry.
The charming episodes of Lord Krishna’s life and the plight of a lovelorn nayika really cohered into a convincing whole when she elaborated upon a Kannada Khamach varna Bhuvana Sundarana. The racy nritta marked by vivacity and vibrancy had an admirable percussive bite and bounce. This was the most successful part of the evening.
There was much to be applauded in the portrayal of veteran vocalist Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna’s unique composition Omkaarakaarini in a unique raga Lavangi ( a janya raga of first melakartha raga Kanakangi).
The raga has only four swaras (sa ri ma da---sa da ma ri sa) without the use of ga, pa and ni. The handling of this technical and emotionally challenging composition was of a high standard. The swaras adjoining the composition were excellently converted into a delightful nritta.
Fine voicing, facile footwork, rhythmic vitality and a right sense of the lyrics combined in a most convincing and absorbing performance. The dancer’s clarity and ability to reveal the work’s layers and textures paid rich dividends.
Guru Shubha Dhananjay’s resonant nattuvanga was inspiring. Ramya Suraj (vocal), Vivek Krishna (flute), Prasanna Kumar (rhythm pad) and Ramesh (mridanga) were the other successful accompanists.
Refined performances
The Bangalore Lalitha Kala Parishath founded and patronised by a well- known educationist Dr. H. Narasimhaiah has been a congenial space for music, dance and drama.
Even after his death, the activities are being held under the supervision and guidance of his successor Dr A H Ramarao. Dr. Ramarao and his Ramasudha Charitable Trust have joined hands with Lalitha Kala Parishath in organising an annual festival of performing arts at Dr HN Kalakshetra, Jayanagar. This year’s festival saw some refined performances from the seasoned artistes.
Classical exuberance
Blessed with a sweet and pliable voice, Gayathri Venkataraghavan has made a name in Carnatic arena with her expertise. She exhibited her mastery in the neat handling of variations in dynamics, ornamentation and textural contrasts reminding us of great female vocalists.
The opening Gajamukha namisuve by Vadiraja had classical wit and exuberance. This was her most enjoyable performance and her obvious delight in the music was infectious.
Jalandhara was followed by a propelling and energetic exposition of Kalyani raga for Purandaradasa’s familiar pada Kallu sakkare kolliro. Gayatri displayed sensitivity to its rhythms and melodies in swaras and sahitya.
She probed the ragas and swaras in Akhilandeshwari (Dwijavanthi) and Makelara vicharamu (Ravichandrike) with her unfathomable manodharma. After a long time, one cherished a detailed rendition of sahitya and swaravistara in Madhyamavathi raga.
She could extract the essence of the raga in all the segments and the krithi Ramakatha left behind sweet memories.
Nalina Mohan’s violin support was of great utility. H S Sudhindra on his mridanga made his presence felt with accommodative and dexterous accompaniment. ASN Swamy collaborated well on khanjira.
Praveen impresses
A dedicated dancer, choreographer and seasoned Guru P Praveen Kumar proved his class and charisma in a recital held at the same venue on Tuesday. He also presented his six skilled disciples in a varied and captivating evening.
With experienced and excellent DV Prasanna Kumar (natuvanga), Srivatsa (vocal), Lingaraju (mridanga) and Mahesh Swamy (flute) imparting an invigorating support, Guru Praveen Kumar and his students dazzled. He was stunningly graceful and physically eloquent; his intense but changeable emotions were exquisitely expressed.
He danced with a clear sense of the dance’s interior architecture and an elegance which ran through each movement. The faster movements were nimble and precise.
The evening’s presentation was built on works central to the eulogy to the Goddess.
The programme started with a depiction of child Devi on the basis of Chinanjiru kiliye. Exploration of Devi’s other forms with the lyrical support drawn from Kanja dalaayataakshi (Kamalamanohari) and Maathe Malayadhwaja (Khamach) emerged with a lively presence.
Hi lithe and athletic students - Hemlatha, Divya Hosakere, Raksha Manohar, Nidhi Seshadri, Navyashree and Srima Upadhyaya-danced with precise timing and positioning.
Their physical prowess and mental focus which were so essential in the choreography of the pieces were exemplary and won repeated applause.
So, while the story was not a new one, the décor, the costumes, the energy and the dancing were certainly fresh and worthy of the classical Bharatanatya.
drmsuryaprasad@gmail.com
