Dances that raise myriad questions

mesmerising steps

Savitha Sastry, a leading exponent of bharatanatyam, performed her latest production, ‘Soul Cages’ recently at Chowdiah Memorial Hall. An hour-long show which dealt with the story of life, death and beyond succeeded in enthralling the audience with its unique theme and new approach to the dance form.

Through this musical dance performance, Savitha tried to bring a new dimension to life, death and the life thereafter in a philosophical way. After much anticipation, she entered the stage and entertained the audience with her innovative concept and a spectacular performance. The solo performer did various roles and did justice to each character.
The plot dealt with a child who was taken to heaven after death. The first scene began while a mother takes her six-year-old kid to bed to sleep.

When the child is in deep sleep, an angel takes her to heaven. As soon as the child gets up, she is surprised to see a strange ambience. Her experiences in heaven when she meets the God of Death are beautifully portrayed. The artiste kept the audience hooked till the end of the story.

Being the solo performer, Savitha played the roles of the mother, child, angel, God of Death and other characters as well. During her performance, she raised many questions about the purpose of life and death in philosophical and logical ways.

‘Soul Cages’ not only gave a new perception to the cycle of life, but also redefined the boundaries that tradition has placed on the expressiveness of bharatanatyam. The magnificent performance won the hearts of the viewers. They were emotionally shaken when the performance came to an end. It was a blend of harmony, elegance and the accomplishment of a dedicated artiste.

Savitha said her aim was to bring this art form to a wider audience without losing its aesthetic and cultural integrity. “I tried to convey an out-of-the-box story within the limitations of the dance form. I wanted the viewer to experience a special performance which can touch them and move them. The audience was impressed by the way in which props, voices and lights were used in the show,” said Savitha, after her performance.

“I am very happy after attending this performance. I had never imagined bharatanatyam could be so enthralling with a modern concept. I appreciate the artiste’s efforts and dedication in this regard,” said Roopashree, a member of the audience.