BENGALURU: City-based Abhinava Dance Company completes 25 years of existence, and in order to commemorate the same, the couple behind the company, Nirupama and Rajendra, are organising Parva, a dance-festival. The three-day event will take place on February 14, 15 and 22, with a slew of different activities and productions planned for the same.
The last day of the festival looks at recreating Madanothsava, which is a more-than-1,000-year-old festival to welcome spring, says Rajendra, founder and artistic director of the company. “Since Madana is the god of love, this is like the Indian way of celebrating Valentines Day,” says Nirupama, with a smile, adding that since these are festivities to welcome spring, one can look forward to various mango dishes, a special dance on flowers and more. “Spring is always inspiring for artists to create something so we’ve organised it in an outdoor location, at Ramanjaneya Temple, Hanumanthanagar,” adds Nirupama.
Set up in 1994, the idea behind the company was to add a new dimension to dance and bring it forward in an entertaining and accessible way as well. “And now, in our 25th year, it’s the perfect time to pause, look back and see how far we have come,” says Nirupama, a Kathak and Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer and artistic director of the company.
Each day of the festival has been carefully planned to give audience members a new experience, which begins with the production Rama Katha Vismaya on February 14. Featuring 70 artistes on and off stage, the production will be showcased in the style of a Western broadway musical, complete with large props, costumes and symphony orchestra. “It will feature Kathak and special vocabulary from Natya Shastra, along with profound literature and spoken language. We wanted to introduce this large scale format in India so that productions get a similar status to cinema,” explains Nirupama, who will also be making an appearance in the 90-minute production.
If the first day focuses on showcasing young talent, the agenda for the second is to bring together maestros from different art mediums and give people an idea of how they work in their particular field. This inter-disciplinary conclave, slotted for February 15, will feature eminent names such as Pandit Birju Maharaj, Pravin Godkhindi, Praveen D Rao, Saroj Khan, Rajiv Menon and more, where each will give the audience an idea about a different topic. For example, Menon will discuss the limitations, scope, influence and innovations in classical music in films, Khan will look at how traditional dance moves can be adapted for popular media and so on.
Many community activities are also being organised to involve participants as much as possible. “We will teach everyone simple moves so that they can join in and perform with us,” says Rajendra, adding that people can also expect traditional games, extempore dance performances and a “high-level scholarly game”, one that is similar to antakshri, but which involves literature instead. “Our culture has always been rooted towards wellness but this is something we tend to forget in the fast-paced world we live in. Celebrations like these can help people be healthy and joyful,” says Nirupama.