VARNAJAA | Warp and weft of dance
This year Sarvam Foundation marched a step ahead when it underlined the inter-relationship of different disciplines like calligraphy, miniature painting and textile weaving with different classical dance forms. The three-day Parkaya Festival organised by the Sarvam Foundation at the Stein auditorium last week featured Kathak danseuse Parvati Dutta presenting calligraphic images through Kathak in ‘Varnaja’, Bharatnatyam dancer Rama Vaidyanathan presenting ‘Chitraavali’ of miniature paintings and the renowned Odissi exponent Sharmila Biswas presenting ‘Apara-Kaaya’ working out her Odissi dance production with the tribal textiles of Odisha.
The inaugural evening featured Aurangabad-based gifted dancer Parvati Dutta’s thoughtfully conceived, imaginatively choreographed and well researched production ‘Varnaja’, linking Kathak and calligraphy in an aesthetic way. Parvati wove her choreography through sound, idea, inspiration, form, movement, expression and harmony ~ the features around which the art of calligraphy revolves. The presentation comprised five segments ~ Akshar Dhyaan, Shabda-Roop, Om-Allah, Akaar and Shabda-Dhyaan. Opening with ‘Om’ the primordial sound (Naad) which is said to be the origin of the universe, she used “Nrittaavasaane Nataraja Rajo…..Shiva sutra jaalam” Shiva’s Cosmic Dance with crescent-like movements of the ‘damaru’ the Maheshwar sutras from which originated the ‘Aksharas’. The Pakhavaj player Sukhad Munde played and recited “aiun, rilrik, eong, eauch, hayavarat …..” from Panini’s Ashtaadhyaayee from where the script originated. Parvati danced to explain that the written form is thus created through consciousness of the metaphysical (adhyatmic), aesthetic (saundarya), structural (rachana), spatial (akasha), temporal (kaal) and technical (upayojana) considerations of the ‘varna’ (letters). In the care, concern and creativity with which it is written, the sign becomes symbol, the unmanifest is made manifest, and the form transcends the act of writing to become an act of spiritual dedication.
The evening saw the dance repertoire comprising the Thaat, Aamad, Tode, Tukre, Chakradaar, Pramelu, Gat-Nikaas, et al, of the conventional Kathak in all the five segments, as spontaneous as the calligraphy. “Namo Shabdaroope namo Vyom-roope…” came like the Kathak Abhinay, normally done on a Thumari. The calligraphic forms of Om & Allah displayed on the screen were woven into ‘Gat-Bhaav’ of birds and animals like the lion. ‘Aakaar’ continued with Pramelu, et al, to showcase, for instance, the flight of a bird. The concluding ‘Shabd-Dhyaan’ imaginatively transformed the mnemonics like “Dhaan Dhaa” into “Dhyaan Dhaa” leading the crisp, crystal clear foot work to a state of meditation.
With the most mesmerising musical wing support with Debashish Sarkar ~ vocal, Yogesh Shamsi ~ tabla, Sukhad Munde ~ Pakhaawaj, Sunando Mukherjee~ Sarod and Murad Ali ~ Sarangi; where each and every accompanying artist was an established soloist in his own right, Parwati Dutta’s ‘Varnaja’ left the audience spellbound.
http://www.thestatesman.net/news/101362-warp-and-weft-of-dance.html?page=2
The Statesman
21 Jan 2015
The Parkaya festival organised by Sarvam Foundation was a one-of-a-kind experience, says MANJARI SINHA
Sarvam Foundation, that endeavours to celebrate performing arts through collaborations and festivals, made its mark when it offered last year the unique concept of ‘Parakaaya’ that literally means ‘through the body of another’. The one of its kind Parkaya Festival became the talk of the town when the Odissi danseuse Maadhavi Mudgal presented a Bharatnatyam Varnam in Odissi style, the Kathak exponent Prerana danced to a Odissi Pallavi in Kathak and Rama Vaidyanathan, the Bharatnatyam diva, danced to a Thumari which belongs to the repertoire of Kathak. The concept became such a hit that the organisers decided to make it an annual festival.
The Parkaya festival organised by Sarvam Foundation was a one-of-a-kind experience, says MANJARI SINHA
Sarvam Foundation, that endeavours to celebrate performing arts through collaborations and festivals, made its mark when it offered last year the unique concept of ‘Parakaaya’ that literally means ‘through the body of another’. The one of its kind Parkaya Festival became the talk of the town when the Odissi danseuse Maadhavi Mudgal presented a Bharatnatyam Varnam in Odissi style, the Kathak exponent Prerana danced to a Odissi Pallavi in Kathak and Rama Vaidyanathan, the Bharatnatyam diva, danced to a Thumari which belongs to the repertoire of Kathak. The concept became such a hit that the organisers decided to make it an annual festival.
This year Sarvam Foundation marched a step ahead when it underlined the inter-relationship of different disciplines like calligraphy, miniature painting and textile weaving with different classical dance forms. The three-day Parkaya Festival organised by the Sarvam Foundation at the Stein auditorium last week featured Kathak danseuse Parvati Dutta presenting calligraphic images through Kathak in ‘Varnaja’, Bharatnatyam dancer Rama Vaidyanathan presenting ‘Chitraavali’ of miniature paintings and the renowned Odissi exponent Sharmila Biswas presenting ‘Apara-Kaaya’ working out her Odissi dance production with the tribal textiles of Odisha.
The inaugural evening featured Aurangabad-based gifted dancer Parvati Dutta’s thoughtfully conceived, imaginatively choreographed and well researched production ‘Varnaja’, linking Kathak and calligraphy in an aesthetic way. Parvati wove her choreography through sound, idea, inspiration, form, movement, expression and harmony ~ the features around which the art of calligraphy revolves. The presentation comprised five segments ~ Akshar Dhyaan, Shabda-Roop, Om-Allah, Akaar and Shabda-Dhyaan. Opening with ‘Om’ the primordial sound (Naad) which is said to be the origin of the universe, she used “Nrittaavasaane Nataraja Rajo…..Shiva sutra jaalam” Shiva’s Cosmic Dance with crescent-like movements of the ‘damaru’ the Maheshwar sutras from which originated the ‘Aksharas’. The Pakhavaj player Sukhad Munde played and recited “aiun, rilrik, eong, eauch, hayavarat …..” from Panini’s Ashtaadhyaayee from where the script originated. Parvati danced to explain that the written form is thus created through consciousness of the metaphysical (adhyatmic), aesthetic (saundarya), structural (rachana), spatial (akasha), temporal (kaal) and technical (upayojana) considerations of the ‘varna’ (letters). In the care, concern and creativity with which it is written, the sign becomes symbol, the unmanifest is made manifest, and the form transcends the act of writing to become an act of spiritual dedication.
The evening saw the dance repertoire comprising the Thaat, Aamad, Tode, Tukre, Chakradaar, Pramelu, Gat-Nikaas, et al, of the conventional Kathak in all the five segments, as spontaneous as the calligraphy. “Namo Shabdaroope namo Vyom-roope…” came like the Kathak Abhinay, normally done on a Thumari. The calligraphic forms of Om & Allah displayed on the screen were woven into ‘Gat-Bhaav’ of birds and animals like the lion. ‘Aakaar’ continued with Pramelu, et al, to showcase, for instance, the flight of a bird. The concluding ‘Shabd-Dhyaan’ imaginatively transformed the mnemonics like “Dhaan Dhaa” into “Dhyaan Dhaa” leading the crisp, crystal clear foot work to a state of meditation.
With the most mesmerising musical wing support with Debashish Sarkar ~ vocal, Yogesh Shamsi ~ tabla, Sukhad Munde ~ Pakhaawaj, Sunando Mukherjee~ Sarod and Murad Ali ~ Sarangi; where each and every accompanying artist was an established soloist in his own right, Parwati Dutta’s ‘Varnaja’ left the audience spellbound.
http://www.thestatesman.net/news/101362-warp-and-weft-of-dance.html?page=2
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