BENGALURU: Dance is indeed all about movement and coordination, but while that may be, it is also about expressing yourself. In the Odissi dance production Vahuvachan, which was recently showcased in the city, Odissi danseuse Sharmila Biswas (61), treats it like a medium of communication. “It talks about different ways we express ourselves. An author writes, a singer sings...the same way, a dancer’s art comes in many different layers. Hence, the name Vahuvachan,” explains Biswas.
The production has four segments – Vilasini, Kundalika, Maya-Manav, and Evoking Radha. “Vilasini is inspired by the last two devadasis of the Puri Jagannath Temple,” says Biswas, who was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.
In Kundalika’s, Biswas explores the concept of circles and brings in different forms of bhramaris (spins executed in Odissi dance form). While Maya-Manav is man’s eternal quest for the unattainable, Evoking Radha explores women’s longing for a different world.
While these are four different concepts, Biswas didn’t have any problem stitching it all together for the show. “We are storytellers, and connecting with the audience has never been a problem,” says Biswas.