JOIN USNitya Nritya, a three-day national conference and festival of dance organised by the Nupura School of Bharatanatyam, saw a host of young dancers showcasing their talent on the stage.
Revanta Sarabhai, one such young dancer, presented a bharatanatyam recital at the Devaraj Urs Bhavan. With a rich legacy of some of the most reputed dancers of the country — like Mrinalini Sarabhai — behind him, Revanta surprised the audience with his agility and innovation, both in terms of music as well as choreography. Revanta is the grandson of famous danseuse Mrilanini Sarabhai and is studying abroad and came to the City to perform for the audience here.
The performance was different right from the start. Unlike the norm, where the dancer pays obeisance to Ganesha before dancing, he paid obeisance to several gods. The subtitles, explaining the meaning of the song, were a big help for those who were not aware about the meaning of the lyrics. Expressive and creative, the dancer was appreciated by all the audience members.
After a very impressive opening act, he went on to perform a varnam in raga todi set to adi tala. The constant eye contact with the audience was something that stood out in the performance and in each item, he presented a bit of his creativity.
Elaborate gatis accompanied each item and the performance saw some veteran musicians and singers performing at the show. This performance was followed by a show put up by the students of Nupura School of Bharatanatyam called Nrithya Taranga. The budding artistes presented a colourful show. Confident and poised, the young students enjoyed their time on the stage. The sudden downpour did not deter the audience from coming in full strength to watch the show. While some came to see their children dance, others came to enjoy an evening of classical dance.
Sarvesh K, who had come with his family, was enjoying every bit of the dance. “I am a trained dancer and attend all such shows that happen across the City. I really appreciate the effort that Revanta has put into his performance. Every item that he presented was different and detailed and that was a treat for the audience,” he notes.
Many others, like Harshini, were happy to see the students performing at the show. “I missed the first half of the programme, but the second half where the students put up a show was very entertaining. They were well-coordinated and danced like pros,” she says.