THRISSUR: Girls dressed in the traditional attire of the Muslim community piqued the interest of the audience. And the main venue, where the high school group dance event was being held, quickly filled up to capacity. The enthusiasm was not misplaced, for the students of St Joseph’s GHSS, Alappuzha, put on a scintillating adaptation of Vayalar Ramavarma’s famous narrative poem ‘Ayisha’.
“We didn’t want to toe the usual line of choreographing the group dance to the traditional stories based on Gods and Goddesses,” Praveen Natyakala, an Alappuzha-based dance master who trained the group, told TNIE.
“Every year, the stages thrum to footsteps dancing in tune to the stories on Muruga, Durga, and Krishna, among others. However, there is nothing innovative about it. So, we thought why not go for something that is socially relevant even today. Hence, after much deliberation we decided to choose Vayalar’s ‘Ayisha’,” he said.
Besides having a societal significance, the poem is also part of the school curriculum.
“The work featured in one of the best performances of kathaprasangam exponent Sambasivan. So we thought, why not. However, we were careful not to deviate from the structure and rules of the group dance as stipulated by the arts festival rule book,” the dance master said.
He said the celebrated poem was adapted to suit the group dance format by Thrissur Narayankutty master, while Arun -- of Star Singer fame -- gave it voice. Delighted by his wards’ performance, Praveen said they had started practising in June.
“The group has students who are learning classical dance and others who aren’t. But they displayed their passion for dance in their enthusiasm and will to give their best performance,” he said.
Praveen has been associated with choreographing and training arts festival group dance teams for the past 29 years.
“I myself was a participant in the 1997, 1998 and 1999 editions, competing in the classical dance events. Thereafter, I have been bringing teams to the arts festival,” he added.