A setting for the young

classical moves

“We have to contemporise our classical dance form without losing its essence. Only then will we be able to woo the younger audience to enjoy it,” declared Bharatanatyam dancer Krithika Subrahmanian, pondering over the recent success of her show Swappnam that was presented in a grand operatic style.

This style was the experiment in which she wanted to succeed. The young population today is used to high-decibel sound, glitter and animated shows. If the stage has slow entertainment quotient, however graceful and elegant it may be, it fails to hold their attention. To satiate their quest for recreation, a performance requires not only style and allure, but also a new-age, high-voltage drama.

That is exactly what Krithika did by conceiving and scripting Swappnam, a Bharatnatyam dance-theatre production. To get the grandeur that the opera needed, she decided to involve classical dancers of various forms from all over India. So, along with Bharatnatyam (performed by her), audience saw Kuchipudi, Kathak, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam, Chhau and more. And, she brought together many singers and instrumentalists so that the performance would get a good crescendo.

And, to add glamour to it, she brought in ‘Isaignani’ Ilayaraja to compose music for a full-length classical dance production. As Ilayaraja said, “Swappnam — the title is so vast. It encompasses all emotions — that of children and aged, romance and aspirations. Thiruvembavai, Thevaram, Shiva Leela (conceived like the Raas Leela), Shivoham, Eppo Varuvaro — all these pieces are very close to my heart.”

Collaborator’s ideas

This is not the first time Krithika has organised something so grand. Earlier this year, along with senior dancers Gopika Varma, Yamini Reddy and actor Suhasini Maniratnam, she produced Antaram, a show depicting the lives of Vasavi, Kannagi and Andal, three legendary women from the history of South India who attained divinity. Suhasini was the narrator and also a performer. And this show was aimed at attracting the young, which was Suhasini’s idea.

Krithika is used to organising events, heading meetings and making tough decisions besides being a dancer. She is first and foremost an architect. Along with her husband, who is involved in construction work, she heads the two-decade-old architecture & interior designing firm, Transform Design. Ask the mother of a teenage son how she manages all this and Krithika says, “I compartmentalise my duties. When I am at one place, I don’t think about the other places.”

In fact, after her son’s birth, she took a sabbatical for more than a decade to concentrate on looking after him. She who had danced from the age of seven till the age of 30 decided that her son was the first priority. Once he was all set, she resumed dancing and in what a way! “I couldn’t stay away from dancing! I had to come back,” says Krithika, who is now in her 40s.

Firm footing

Trained in the pure lineage of Thanjavur Pandanallur Bani of Bharatanatyam, under the tutelage of Padmashri Sudharani Raghupathy, Krithika has performed extensively since the age of 15 at prominent venues and festivals, in lead roles as part of her guru’s productions and as part of her own choreographies.

Soon she established a creative studio, NaMaargam Dance Company, in Chennai. Elaborating on her dance school, Krithika says, “Through NaMaargam I want to make the classical arts more accessible to a wider audience. I want to create an environment for classical dancers and musicians of merit in which they can interact and create original work based on free expression and limitless creativity.”

Even when she is conceptualising dance stories, she researches extensively the history of the character she plans to bring alive during shows, and only then scripts and composes the dance form. There are several months of rehearsals and co-ordination before the performance is staged. “Whether it is my dance, architecture or interior designing, everything needs extensive research and execution for it to become successful,” asserts Krithika Subrahmanian, the dancer, architect, interior designer and mother.