KOCHI: Everyone is acquainted with the famous Swan Lake ballet, said to have been developed by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Various versions of the ballet have been performed the world over.
However, this Saturday, the story of the young princess Odette, who is turned into a swan by the wicked Von Rothbart, will be presented with a twist. St Teresa’s College will bear witness to a presentation that will tell the story of the beleaguered princess using a combination of traditional and modern dance forms.
Performing the ballet will be a team of 45, including St Teresa’s alumni, the oldest member being a 79-year-old.
Another interesting aspect is the participation of five men, including two children. The ballet is being staged as a part of the college’s centenary celebrations.
Suma Varma, an alumna of the college and a kathakali teacher from Tripunithura, tells TNIE, “We have been performing dance. This time, we, the members of Asta (Association of St Teresa’s Alumnae), wanted to do something different to celebrate the centenary of our Alma Mater.”
“Various ideas were suggested, like performing a jugalbandi, ashtalakshmi or a dashavatharam. However, we wanted to do something different. So, I proposed this idea as it had always been on my mind,” says Suma, who, while in Ghana, had staged a performance called Ghana: The Story of Niyati, The Destiny’s Child.
When Suma presented the idea before Sajeena Jacob, who is directing the performance, she responded positively.
“I had been planning a performance of Swan Lake while in Ghana. However, I couldn’t since I returned to Kerala in 2019,” adds Suma. Now, she is getting a chance to see her idea presented on stage.
“The main reason behind going for a fusion performance was since it is being performed and presented by the alumni, going classical won’t work. Only a very few would be well-versed in classical dance. However, when we include other dance forms, everyone will be able to participate,” says Suma.
“Everything is semi-classical. The participants include the alumni, those doing BA Bharathanatyam and also women who learnt dance but stopped dancing for a long time. Famous names like Remya Nambeesan, Devi Chandana and Mridula Murali are also performing,” says Suma.
The team has created everything from scratch.