JOIN USA eclectic combination of dance, martial arts and excellent choreography, woven around an interesting storyline, was what Nayani, an ensemble dance-drama, was all about.
It was staged by the ‘Raadha Kalpa Visual and Performing Arts’ at the Chowdiah Memorial Hall for a social cause recently.
The six-member dance ensemble consisted of dancers like Parshwanath Upadhye, Rukmini Vijaykumar, Pavitra Bhat, Shruti Gopal, Suhail Bhan and Surabhi M Bhardwaj. The music for the dance-drama was composed by Tirumale Srinivas and it was scripted, choreographed and directed by Rukmini Vijaykumar.
The story revolved around a character called Nayani, who was a tribal girl, and her tryst with nature as she grows up amidst elements like fire, water and earth, which speak to her. Like all ensemble productions, this one too had the fusion of different characters. The dancers often took on the roles of various other characters and portrayed each one with style and exuberance.
The dance-drama itself was a mixture of different styles of not only dance but also martial arts and yoga. “You can see a glimpse of yoga, bharatanatyam, various folk dances and kalaripayattu in it. The troupe has been all over the world showcasing Nayani and has received good response from people all over the world,” informs Vijaylakshmi, secretary of ‘Heritage’, an NGO which hosted the show.
The use of lights was eye-catching and had been done with lot of style. In fact, it played an integral part in portraying the various elements of nature.
The show started with a bang showcasing the best of each dancer and reflecting their poise, stamina and elegance. The fact that it was inspired by a particular form of Indian martial art is clear as the dancers jumped and held their positions from time to time. Many felt that Parshwanth and Rukmini stole the show.
“I could not take my eyes off the duo. They dominated the stage and each step they took was crisp and clearly defined. The co-ordination was perfect, all of them deserve appreciation,” says Pavithra, who had come to watch the show.
Despite the rain and the ongoing festival season, the turnout was good and the audience was pretty vocal about their appreciation for the troupe.
The use of lights and vocals deserve a mention and could easily be termed as one of the main highlights of the show apart from the dance itself. Nayani was a treat to the eyes, ears and soul.