MUSIC AND DANCE REVIEWS- GOOD IN PARTS

GOOD IN PARTS

Yashaswini, who gave a Bharathanatya recital under the banner of EFCEP, is a student of Kalaranga School of Dance and has performed her 'Ranga Pravesha' in 2007 itself. Now, she is learning Kathak under Mysore Nagaraj and is a student of master degree in Dance.

Yashaswini opened her programme with a Alaripu in Mishra Chapu and with her confident presence. She saluted invocatory God through 'Ikshu Danda'. The main item of the evening was the popular varna of Lalgudi Jayaraman (Innum) in the raga Charukeshi. She performed neatly, though her facials came alive only in parts. She dramatised the character of "Balakrishna" in the devaranama and performed the pada (Subramanya Bharathi) with ease and assurance. She concluded with a thillana in Sindhubhairavi. Yashaswini has shown promise of making a grade in the near future.

She had good support from the wings - vocal by Deepthi Srinath, Natuvanga by Guru Radhika Ramanujan, mridanga by Bhavani Shankar and flute by Vivek Krishna.

DELIGHTFUL SHOW BY SUBHASHINI VASANT

Vasantha Ratna Foundation of Arts presented a dance recital to commemorate its 10th anniversary. The Foundation. founded in memory of Col Vasanth (the first Ashoka Chakra Awardee from Karnataka), works in the aid of martyrs' families. Subhashini Vasanth, the founder of the organisation (along with Smitha Srinivasan), is a senior dancer, who has been trained under Narmada earlier. She is now being trained by Dr Vyjayanthimala Bali, veteran dancer and actress.

Subhashini presented the usual items, but with a touch of class. Even the common piece 'Alaripu' (Khanda) was dignified and was followed by a composition of Gopalakrishna Bharati, "Shivakamasundari". The popular varna "Sumasayaka" of Swati Tirunal (raga Kaapi), highlighting the grace and dignified beauty of Guru Vyjayanthimala's style, caught the attention of the connoisseurs. She dramatised a few episodes like Gajendra Moksha, Sudhama, Dtuta and Vastrapaharana. She performed the devaranama "Nanena Maadideno" pleasingly. She concluded with a Surati thillana and Vasantha raga mangala. Suhashini's portrayal was neat and pointed to an unmistakable grace that lent a touch of class, which is the result of able training under Vyjayanthimala Bali.

Connoisseurs' attention was also on Vyjayanthimala Bali, as she performed the Natuvanga for the first time in Bengaluru. Girija Shankar's vocal, Gayathri Shashidharan's Natuvanga, Guru Bharadwaj's mridanga, Sai Narasimhan's flute and Anantha Krishnan's violin were also inspiring. A packed house at the Chowdaiah Memorial Hall was encouraging to the dancer and classical dance.