BENGALURU : The future of art has been a topic haunting many performing artistes in these times. But with hopes of keeping spirits high despite the gloom, Nupura School of Bharatanatyam is going ahead with its dance conference in a virtual manner this year. Nitya Nritya will feature more than 15 prominent classical dancers like Praveen Kumar (Bharatanatyam); Madhu Nataraj (Kathak); Arushi Mudgal (Odissi); and Kapila Venu (Koodiyattam).
This nine-day programme, which starts on Oct. 3, will also discuss different aspects of different classical dance forms. “For instance, if we are speaking about the abhinaya for Geeta Govindam by poet Jayadeva, then we will look at how the abhinaya is different in different dance forms like Bharatanatyam, Kathak and Odissi,” says Manu Srinivasan, who works with the more than 30-year-old dance school.
The dance conference has been held for the past three decades. Unlike last year, where there were many performances, this time they are focusing on the conference and presentations. “But there will be some pre-recorded demonstrations by the dancers,”adds Srinivasan. But speaking about the sliver lining of virtual concerts, she adds, “We are hoping it reaches more people interested in dance.”
Odissi dancer Arushi Mudgal says, “I am excited about the conference because it’s not just about performances. It also explores choreography and different aspects of dance.”With a lot of talk around the importance of arts during this pandemic, the organisers have also arranged a segment where young dancers will present their vision on the future of dance.
“The future of traditional art forms today is in the hands of the young dancers who have taken up classical arts as a career and are working on their craft with professional intent. We are dedicating a segment of the conference to hear from them about their vision, preparedness and perspectives for the way forward,” adds Srinivasan.The conference will take place from Oct. 3-11, on the school’s social media handle.