JOIN USMUSIC AND DANCE REVIEWS- Nitya Nritya and Odissi
Nitya Nritya
Curtains came down on this year's Nitya Nritya dance festival with a Odissi dance performance on Sunday at Krishnadevaraya Kala Mandira.
Nupura, the reputed dance school of Bengaluru, conducted the annual dance conference with dance performances (Bharathanatya, Mohini Attam and Kuchupudi) and academic sessions (lecture and demonstrations, panel discussion, etc). Rich tributes were paid to Saint Tyagaraja on the eve of his 250th birth anniversary.
Senior dancers Chitra Aravind and Dr Seshadri Iyengar presented a Bharathanatya recital exclusively on Tyagaraja compositions. They opened the programme with a popular composition "Ganamurte" in the raga Ganamurti in which Tyagaraja says, "O Embodiment of music Sri Krishna ...... pray protect me".
"Ksheera Sagara" is another well-known composition. Seshadri also chose "Bantureethi" in the raga Hamsanada. Both performed with ease and confidence, choreographed with more accent on Abhinaya with less Nritha.
Chitra with her expressive eyes and Seshadri with his good experience performed few more keertanas like Brova Baramma (raga Bahudari). The "Teratiyagarada" is a magnificent composition in that evocative raga Gaulipantu. Tyagaraja pleads humbly "Lord Tirupati Venkataramana! Cannot you lift the veil of jealousy in me?.... like holding a curtain preventing light from lamp." Selection of "Nagumomu" was also matured, as it is also a meaningful composition.
Vocalist Karteek Hebbar shared the honours, with the dancers through his vocal sung with good feeling. The only percussion instrument that was used was Khanjari by Karteek Vydhatri.
A different subject in Odissi
The Odissi Vision and Movement Centre Ensemble, Kolkata presented "Chaturvidh" under the direction of Sharmila Biswas.
Some of the items they presented were traditional dance compositions performed during the Dasara in Odissa. It was followed by "Gathi Vilas", attributes of a performer, in Sanskrit language. Yashoda's Ramayan blossomed beautifully in the solo performance.
Another interesting subject was Mridanga which successfully projected the rich sound, different and a variety of 'Naada' all performed pleasantly. In the last item different types pf foot work was displayed, interestingly.