In Sights
IPAC 2023 – What is in store for Singapore? Read on to know all about the sessions at IPAC Singapore 2023, in detail in the words of Artistic Director of Apsaras Arts, Aravinth Kumaraswamy IPAC 2023 is back in Singapore for the 12th year in a row from June 17 to June 25, 2023. The objective of IPAC has been the coming together of practitioners and sharing of experiences, watching curated performances, getting to know off-stage and off-class practices and creating residency opportunities for aspiring creative artists. IPAC will also host a series of lecture demonstrations and talks at Avai, performance space at Apsaras Arts. The convention features a variety of topics covered by Dr S Sowmya, Embar Kannan, Rama Vaidyanathan, Bragha Bessel, Dr Methil Devika, Ramaa Bharadwaj, Dr VR Devika, Dr Ananda Shankar Jayant and Mohanapriyan Thavarajah. This year, we have new faculty members Ramaa Bharadwaj and Dr Mythil Devika who will be handling many workshops and lecture demonstrations. We are excited to have our old faculty members coming back to IPAC with new ideas and curriculum for the masterclasses and they would be presenting exciting lecture demonstrations, specifically curated for IPAC 2023. IPAC 2023 will present Masterclasses in both Carnatic vocals from June 17 to June 20, 2023 and Carnatic violin on June 10 and June 11. The Bharatanatyam masterclasses will be from June 17 to June 23. Both music and dance will have a segment for teachers’ training too. IPAC will also feature two different classical forms of dance – Koodiyattam and Mohiniattam – both from the state of Kerala. We are also very excited that our music offering is also growing in strength. This time we have two showcase performances as music concerts. The showcase performances at Esplanade include Strings of Gold by Embar S Kannan, an ensemble of Carnatic violins, featuring Singapore musicians; Samavaya: A Euphonic Co-existence by Niranjan, which is a blend of Carnatic music, Jazz, Blues, funk and pop by musicians from various backgrounds; Mahishasura Vadham by Kapila Venu, the slaying of Mahishasura, the classic tale of the slaying of Mahishasura by the Goddess Devi, told through Koodiyattam; Skanda Rasam by Mohanapriyan Thavarajah, inspired by Lord Murugan, and explores the mythology of the divine being through Bharatanatyam and Anaavaran where Dr Methyl Devika presents an original mix of abstract and representational Mohiniattam sequences Stay tuned to our social media handles as we unravel all that’s in store at IPAC 2023!
Point of View
Hema Rajagopalan, Artistic Director of Natya Dance Theatre talks about the changing trends and dynamics in the world of Indian classical dance The term classical stands for something that has been developed over a long time with a keen sense adhering to aesthetic principles and traditions. Creativity is at the very core of all our Indian Classical arts and springs from the roots, like water from a spring flowing in a continuous evolving stream. The various manifestations are bound by parameters laid down by traditions deeply connected to the art form’s reference points. Artistes must not create newness but must find them. Wanting to present something new has become trendy. We see a lot of fresh elements that add to raising the aesthetic enjoyment of the Rasika but some others that simply take away that quality. Thematic presentations Thematic solo performances of the Margam, a new trend has now become a norm. This can be challenging to create a performance with variety but definitely creates an interest in the audience. The traditional margam is often replaced these days by secular content on various topics. Choreography Since the mid nineties dance dramas and thematic group productions have engaged more audiences than a solo performance. Even pada varnams and slow paced padams are being presented as group choreography. While such presentations offer a fresh look and could be good, they often take away the depth of Abhinaya portrayed by soloists. Dancers are presenting works on secular themes and social issues like climate change, water scarcity or the plight of today’s farmers, intending to connect with diverse audiences to make a difference to the world. The use of space, geometry and creative movement vocabulary is being given more prominence and this certainly enhances the artistic quality. Music Musical accompaniment has been evolving. New trends being the addition of western instruments like the Drums, Saxophone and Piano. Music directors are incorporating more orchestration which seems to appeal to today’s audiences. Even if movements lose integrity, Nritta or pure dance performed at a high speed is commended. Introduction of silences, voice overs, prolonging emotions, creating more drama in lengthy items like a Varnam, are new ways of presenting content, sometimes very engaging. Props/ Sets/ Lighting The use of a variety of objects as props to express has become popular. Productions have come a long way by way of sets whether projected on a screen or on the floor including dancers sometimes interacting with those projected images/ videos etc. Lighting: From simple general wash for a solo performance, it has now become very necessary to involve a lighting designer who adds new dimensions to the content. Whether it is the Haze, LED lights, overhead spots or moving light that creates a path, the dancer seems to depend a whole lot on lighting. To summarize, I want to say that changes are very necessary in every aspect of the performing arts but we need to maintain a balance keeping in mind symmetry, harmony and rhythm in order to taste the beauty of Classical Indian Dance.
#iamayoungdancer
Sharing Notes from a Production Dancers Nagalakshmi from Singapore and Apeksha Kamath from Bangalore share common dance experiences and memories. Nagalakshmi and Apeksha had the privilege of sharing energies recently for Apsaras Arts’ production Arisi: Rice, which premiered in Singapore at the Esplanade- Theatres on the Bay in November 2022. That, needless to say, became the starting point of their conversation. They began their talk reminiscing their experiences on working for this magnum opus of a production. Apeksha travelled from India to Singapore to work in this production and she acknowledged that this overseas experience, working and dancing with dancers from across cultures was a once-in-a- lifetime kind of experience. She also praised Apsaras Arts’ company organisers and the dance team for taking care of her needs and she didn’t have to worry about anything; her sole purpose was to dance, which she enjoyed a lot. When asked about her experiences of working with other dancers from India, Nagalaskhmi said that this was one of the biggest groups that she has worked with and she felt very comfortable right from day one. They hit it off together from the start. Nagalakshmi acknowledged that the company dancers learnt a lot from the dancers from India and also the Balinese dancers too. This led to the two discussing the similarities of Bharatanatyam and Kechak dances. Nagalashmi then posed an interesting question to Apeksha about the cultural differences in India and Singapore. Apeksha said that she didn’t find much difference based on the time spent with dancers in Singapore and those in India, as they were all fully engaged and discussing dance, full time. “I was very much at home,” said Apeksha, “Although I haven’t stayed long enough to be able to comment on cultural differences.” Apeksha also mentioned she is a fan of SIngapore as they (four dancers from India) loved the city. She was in awe of how safe the city is, even at 11:30pm and how they could all venture out carefree.When Nagalaskshmi asked Apeksha about the most challenging part of working for Arisi, Apeksha conceded that surprisingly it was not the dancing part but about figuring out seven hours of sleep, not because they didn’t have the time but because of the adrenaline rush and the late night coffee and conversations that kept them awake and invigorated. “I’d say they have been some of the most enjoyable days of my life,” Apeksha said. Apeksha asked Nagalakshmi about how different it was for her working on Arisi compared to other productions of Apsaras Arts. Nagalakshmi replied that her first work with Apsaras Arts was Amara, which was a digital recording. Then came Nirmanika where she worked with dancers from Singapore. “Arisi was a huge production with dancers from India and Bali,” said Nagalakshmi, “And I learnt so much about Balinese dance, how similar it is to Bharatanatyam and their dances in Arisi were mesmerizing, packed with energy.” This led Nagalakshmi to her next question for Apeksha about how she learnt the entire dance in such a short span of time. The Singapore dancers had learnt it earlier but the Indian dancers had to catch up pretty quickly. “I was initially not sure of which style to follow,” Apeksha said, “As there were four dancers from India, and all four have different gurus and the style of dancing of the Singapore dancers was also quite different. It was a little hard and we didn’t yet have a clear picture of the whole production.So we initially learnt only our specific sections and we knew that once we’d reach Singapore, everything would fall in place.” And it did! All’s well that ends well!
Portrait
Past, Forward In our Portrait section this month, veteran Bharatanatyam exponent, VP Dhananjayan from Chennai, talk to us about his Natyam and his association with all things Apsaras Arts You have been associated with Apsaras Arts for a while now. What are some of your first thoughts when it comes to the work that Apsaras Arts has been doing? We (The Dhananjayans) have been associated with Apsaras Arts right from the inception of the institution in the year 1977. The founders of Apsaras Arts, Neila and Sathyalingam used to invite us to conduct Abhyasa saala for their students and teach our special repertoire for their student’s Arangetrams. For their granddaughter’s Arangetram, we were asked to compose a special repertoire suitable for a child of 9-10 years. We composed a Nrityopahaaramon Srikrishna (Guru Rajee Narayanan’s Kalyani Varnam) on Satyajit, who was also a teenager then. He went to Singapore along with Shanta and taught that item to the child. A couple of Apsaras students were sent to Bharatakalanjali Chennai to train for their Arangetram. Since we have had a close bond with them right from the Kalakshetra days, we have mutually benefited a lot in our growth, as successful professionals. In terms of ensemble productions, you have such a rich experience. What according to you are the crucial qualities that make an ensemble production shine and standout? Both Neila and Sathyalingam had a very liberal attitude and approach to artistic endeavours. They helped SIFAS (Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society), a pioneering cultural centre in Singapore in widening their horizon to group productions. On the advice of Neila and Sathyalingam, SIFAS commissioned us – thorough the Singapore government – to produce a mega group production for the South East Asian International Art Festival in 1984-85. Neila and Sathyalingam were instrumental in bringing the artistes fraternity together and established a spirit of camaraderie among the arts fraternity in Singapore. Under their guidance, SIFAS brought students and professionals from different institutions under one umbrella. After auditioning and selecting artistes we trained more than a hundred participants. Bharatakalanjali’s magnum opus production was re-created as a mega group production for the Singapore International Art festival. This was the beginning of group productions initiated by Apsaras Arts for SIFAS, and later they went on to continue their own group activities interacting with artistes from India, especially from Chennai. What according to you is the role of costume, lighting and technology in the context of ensemble productions. You have had the privilege of working as part of Anjaneyam and playing a crucial part in it. How was that experience and what were your key takeaways and learnings? In the four Abhinayas mentioned in the Naatya Shastra- Aangika(physical), Vaachika(verbal or vocal), Aahaarya(costume & stage) and Sathvika(finer expressions) – costume plays a very important role. Aahaarya includes stagecraft, characteristic make-up and external aesthetics enhancing the presentation without jeopardizing or compromising the quality of the other three aspects of Abhinaya. In our genuine opinion, technology could be judiciously employed only for visual enhancement but not to be distractingly overloaded. Especially in Naatya(dance drama), only artistically designed suggestive motives may be appropriate for our kind of idiom, where emphasis is given on body and facial expressions and emotions. My colleague, late Balagopalan and I were invited as guest artistes to participate in Anjaneyam, a mind-blowing production that was a learning experience for me, artistically and technologically. It was a magical broadway kind of presentation never found or experienced in our motherland Bhaarat. You have also been a part of Apsaras Arts’s DIAP and IPAC. Why do you think, as an artiste that lec-dems and presentations are very crucial for the student of the arts? IDAP and IPAC are dedicated ventures benefiting the students community, across the world, who are interested in Naatya and the allied subjects that facilitate them to interact with stalwarts in the fields of the arts. It was a great idea for Apsaras Arts to collaborate with Australian universities and making their students contribute to preserve, popularise and propagate the values of our Bharateeya Kala and its Samskriti. No one has ever attempted to venture into such service- riented online sessions. Kudos to Aravinth, the brain behind it. You have also had a long association with Apsaras Arts’. Neila Maami and her husband; can you share a bit about the bond that you all shared? Satyalingam Anna was a fastidious disciplinarian with total commitment to whatever he undertook and he expected others also to adhere to discipline, devotion and dedication. Sometimes it was very hard to keep pace with his meticulousness. Even Neila Akka found it difficult to do so, with her soft and accommodative nature. She had no pride and prejudice about differences in style, and invited artistes from various disciplines with an open heart and passed on the same trait to her students as well, including Aravinth, a fine musician himself who is continuing the legacy of this great couple Neila and Sathyalingam. Actually speaking, they are instrumental in making Singapore a cultural hub of Southeast Asia. They were visionaries far ahead of their times.
Travel Diaries
Epic Memories! … reminisce about their trip to Ayodhya in March, which transformed many dancers from Apsaras Arts and how this experience would go on to remain special in the hearts of these dancers waiting to take on life… On March 29 2023, 11 young dancers from Apsaras Arts, under the guidance of our Academy Principal Vijaya Nadesan, took almost a 12-hour journey to reach Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Rama in Uttar Pradesh, India to perform Bharatanatyam-based repertoires in a festival. The festival was organized by the local government on the occasion of Ram Navami (a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Rama). The initial idea of traveling to Ayodhya and performing came as an exciting proposition to our young dancers. Their first thought most likely was, who would they be sitting next to in the airplane when they travel. Most of the dancers are young, around the age of 11 to 13 years and traveling with their friends for the first time. They were mostly born and brought up in Singapore with minimal exposure to India and none to remote parts of India. It was a big deal that they were representing not only Apsaras Arts but Apsaras Arts from Singapore. In other words, not just the academy they learn at, but the country they live in. However, the gravity of this incredible opportunity required the maturity of the mind to comprehend. The lead-up to the trip involved an intense practice schedule, preparation of costumes, jewelry selection, travel plans, hotel accommodations, local transport planning and a lot more. The Apsaras Arts team managed everything impeccably and patiently. A lot of the parents chimed in to support and traveled along with the group too. After all the preparation, the journey to Ayodhya began just past midnight at Singapore Changi Airport. It was no doubt a long journey ahead, but the brimming excitement of our young dancers didn’t let anyone fade with fatigue. Charles Dicken rightly said, “To a young heart everything is fun.” The Apsaras team reached Ayodhya at midday IST on the same day and were welcomed by an army of monkeys surrounding the hotel and to a lovely lunch spread organized by the local organizer. After a bit of rest and refreshment, we got down to practice, costume, and jewelry distribution to the respective dancers, and of course, the young dancers were seen running into each other’s room and having a blast, just the way they had imagined. In the evening we were fortunate to visit some temples in the vicinity and experience the essence of Ayodhya. Our young dancers were intrigued and filled with curiosity to see the old architecture of the town; the faith demonstrated by people who would walk barefoot for long distances to visit the temples. The large piles of vermilion in different shades of red and orange grabbed everyone’s attention and interest. All this was foreign to the eyes of our dancers. It was the first time they were making a connection between what they heard about Lord Rama in stories and how that was made tangible by numerous activities conducted on the foundation of faith. We would hear our young dancers say things like, “Oh, really lord Rama was born here, I thought it was just a fictional story until I got here.” In the next few days, we had the opportunity to see our young dancers dance on a stage along with dancers from Indonesia and listen to some very famous local vocal artistes. The entire program was thematically designed to celebrate Ram Navami. Every song and dance were in praise of Lord Rama. The audience comprised local community members who demonstrated their devotion by singing and dancing along with the performers. There were numerous maiden experiences for our young dancers like listening to a program being conducted in Hindi, a language foreign to them; having an audience that doesn’t usually watch Bharatanatyam, but they charmed them with their expressions and dancing ability. Being a performer with performers from various other countries and learning to respect cross-cultural art forms was a huge learning experience. Our dancers performed for two nights and on one of the nights, we took a walk along the famous Sarayu river. As the dancers walked along the river, some parents and Apsaras faculty members told them the story behind the river. As per the legend Lord Shree Ram walked deep into the Sarayu River and disappeared after completion of all action as the seventh incarnation. Their love for the narration was evident in the fact that many walked into the river to dip their toes and experience a little bit of what Lord Rama had experienced. And just like that our four-day schedule wrapped with memories for life. When our dancers left Singapore, all that occupied their minds was bonding with friends; but on the 24 hours long journey back (this time we had a longer transit) the conversation had transformed into the experiences they had lived. Many of our young dancers talked about the temples, the faith, devotees, the significance of rituals, and the fact that the monkey army is not fictional after all. The trip certainly transformed our dancer’s worldview. And we have no doubt that the richness of this experience will surface in their dance in time to come. Because that is what a real-life experience does, it transforms you forever. Review of Parama Padam in Sydney Mohanapriyan Thavaraja’s dance production Parama padam is a profound integration of art, philosophy and the human condition For Mohanapriyan Thavarajah of Apsara Arts Dance Company, Singapore, dance is a quest, his artistry a constant search for things that reflect the reality of this world.In this journey, the production Parama Padam staged at the Riverside Theatres in early April, in collaboration with Shivam School of Dance, Mohanapriyan’s exploration of a game of Snakes and Ladders on stage was a metaphorical representation of a soul’s goal to reach the 100th square, or moksha.This performance was
Travel Diaries
Heart of the Art Aravinth Kumaraswamy, Artistic Director of Apsaras Arts talks about his experience at the International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA) that was held at Manchester, UK in June 2023. A report… This was the first time that I had the opportunity to attend the International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA) session representing Apsaras Arts Dance Company. This year’s June 2023 edition was held in the historical city of Manchester in the UK, known for many things including music, football and its contribution to British history. The mission of ISPA is to strengthen the performing arts globally through the advancement of leadership, the exchange of ideas and by fostering a diverse and engaged membership. At the outset, looking at the well-thought through agenda, topics and sessions curated for ISPA Manchester June 2023, had this mission amplified. Co-creating the Future was the overarching theme for ISPA Manchester 2023. “What does co-creation really mean for performing arts leaders? How can co-creation help our sector move forward with intention, relevance and resilience? At the ISPA 2023 mid-year congress, we will come together in Manchester to take stock of where we are, to collectively reflect on these questions and to envisage what the journey forward could look like. Delegates will be challenged and inspired by a range of speakers and panelists, and we will provide space for conversation and exchange. Manchester has creativity and culture at its heart, and we look forward to welcoming delegates to explore the rich offering in the city and across the North West region.” The conference was structured into six key sessions with several other break-out sessions, performances and visits to iconic performing arts venues. The first session shed the spotlight on Co-creating the Future: Leadership and Co-creation. Over the years, there has been much discussion about balancing the power dynamic, but are we seeing any real change? The session deep-dived into who are the players who are setting the global cultural agenda and really whose voices are finding representation in the programming of the performing arts. The second session was titled Co-Creating the Future: Art and Next Generations. This session brought to fore the next generation of leaders and explored the opportunities and training options that are available to them. In line with the idea of co-creation, the session reinforced how co-creating can truly improve opportunities for the next generation. The next session focussed on the idea of equity, and was titled Co-Creating the Future: How do we co-create with equity? Focussing on the best practices in the industry, this session was a refresher in terms of how creators can ensure that all voices have equity in the space and what are some of the challenges and opportunities within. The fourth session was titled Co-creating the Future: The Role of the State in the Arts Sector. As a crucial session, this one was about how the state can actively collaborate with the arts and cultural sector without over-exerting its power; without interfering with thought and expression. The fifth session was titled Co-creating the Future: Sustainable Practice on the Road. This session was focussed on the notion of sustainability and allowed participants a sense of how they can learn from indigenous communities and other regions on how to reduce our carbon footprint. The final session was titled Co-creating the Future: Art and Conflict. There are many examples of arts projects that move to address these conflicts and/or raise awareness about those who are impacted. This session investigated in what ways these projects are effective, and do they, if at all, address the underlying sources of conflict. Each and every session was curated with thought and had enough room for questions and conversations. On the third day of the convention, ten new works were given an airtime to pitch for support and touring opportunities. Mehek, a contemporary dance production, produced by Aakash Odedra Company (UK) featuring Kathak dancers Akash Odera and Aditi Mangaldas caught my attention. Mehek is a new mainstage work by two of the great Kathak dancers of their respective generations: Aditi Mangaldas, dancing the first-ever duet of her 50-year Career with Aakash Odedra. Mehek gives a voice to an unspoken and overlooked love story – that of an older woman and younger man – weaving narrative that celebrates love in all its forms: raw, authentic, and infinitely resonant. In Mehek, the stage transforms into canvas, where bare feet inscribe rhythmic tales of desire, shadows blur and a single finger traces narrative down a trembling spine. These raw moments mirror the complexities of love, its electrifying spark, beguiling allure, shattering heartbreak and soothing comfort. Later that day, ISPA created an opportunity for art makers to share their works in an exhibition format of an Arts Mart. The Apsaras Arts Dance Company stall attracted many visitors which led to very interesting conversations. Overall, attending ISPA Manchester 2023 was a great meeting place to get to know art makers in the industry – from South America to Northern Asia – all under one roof.
Portrait
Multi-Tasking with a Magic of her Own! Donning various hats as the Admin Manager of Apsaras Arts, Dancer, Project Manager, Tour Manager, make-up artiste and also as a wardrobe assistant, Sankari Elavalahan gives us an account of her early days of association with Apsaras Arts and her return to work with her Alma Mater Were you born and raised in Singapore? Do you remember how and when dance happened in your life? Yes, I am a second generation Singaporean. My paternal grandparents are from Thanjavur and maternal grandparents are from Karaikal. I was exposed to dance at a very young age. I spent most of my afternoons and weekends at my maternal grandmother’s home as my mother was working full-time and was a part-time bridal makeup artist over weekends. My Chitti, Barathi, who is more of an older sister to me, was learning Bharatanatyam and performing quite frequently at festivals and community centres. I would sit by my mother’s side and watch her dress Chitti for her performance. I was completely awestruck by the costumes, accessories, make-up and the attention she was getting. Once fully dressed, my mother would ask her to pose for photos and I was so fascinated by her flexibility and elegance. I remember having major meltdowns whenever she was leaving and pleaded to them to take me for her shows. My cousin, Shanmugapriya who was also learning Bharatanatyam and touring internationally as part of Neila (Sathyalingam) Maami’s Little Angels, Singapore’s first multi-ethnic children’s dance troupe, was also a huge inspiration for a five-year-old me. I pestered my mother to send me for dance classes and within a few months of attending classes, I had volunteered to perform solo at my pre-school graduation for the then Deputy Prime Minister, current Prime Minister Lee Hsieng Loong. All my classmates cheered for me and it was truly a diva moment for me. You were initiated into dance by none other than Neila Sathyalingam mami. What were your early experiences with her and how did she inculcate the love of dance in you? I started learning formally at the age of five with Vani Akka aka Kamalavani Anbarasu who was a senior student of Neila Maami at the Kallang Community Centre. Vani Akka was an excellent dancer herself and as a teacher she was approachable, patient and motivating. She made learning dance enjoyable while focusing on achieving the desired outcomes with us. My early encounters with Neila Maami was when she would take our classes on days when Vani Akka had to be away. I was so frightened by the tall, big-eyed, Neila Maami with a strong British accent, and her thattu kazhi, which she used to point at students and correct our postures. As I entered teenage, like all teenagers, I started having a love-hate relationship with Bharatanatyam and was not attending classes regularly, which I regret deeply till this date. However, Neila Maami noticed that I had a natural flair for semi-classical, folk and filmy dance items and initiated me to join The People’s Association (PA) Indian Dance Troupe where she was the choreographer, just to keep me dancing. I was a Star amongst The Galaxy as the theme for our float was The Milky Way as part of the 1999 Chingay Parade. Chingay Parades are huge fun with over 30 cultural contingents all over Singapore and Asia gathering annually for a lively display of Singapore’s multicultural heritage. Instead of discouraging and correcting my Bharatanatyam style, Neila Maami recognised my energy and passion in dance and showed me a path that would continue to inspire my journey. Maami was a visionary and all she wanted was for her students to keep dancing and for the flame to stay alive and burning. Talk to us a bit about your performance career in dance. Are you also trained in nattuvangam and music? If yes, tell us a bit about it. I started at the age of 15, as the youngest troupe member in 2000 at the PA Indian Dance Group and was given training to various dance forms such as Chinese Dance, Malay Dance, Modern Dance, Flamenco, Bhangra, Thevarattam, Mayilattam and Kalaripayattu. We even had a trainer from the Chennai Raack Academy of Dance to train us in Bollywood HipHop. Although I was very much active at PA with a two days a week training routine, I continued my Bharatanatyam practice with Neila Maami at the Telok Ayer Performing Arts Centre (TAPAC) over weekends and performed regularly at the Navarathri festivals and community events. I was also heavily involved in local TV dance competitions representing my tertiary institution in which we had emerged as runner-up and champions in my final year. One evening after the PA rehearsal, in the car with Maami, as usual Maami was asking about our thoughts regarding a recent Arangetram we had attended. I innocently shared with her that if I was ready to do an Arangetram and that I would like to do an all film song margam instead of the usual so that it would be more relatable and be better enjoyed by my family and the audience that would attend. She listened quietly and said. “Mama will never agree to this!”. Sathyalingam Mama that way was quite a traditionalist. In February 2008, during the Sivagami, post-show appreciation lunch and Maami’s birthday celebration, I went to Mama and Maami to get their blessings, when she turned around to Mama and said, “Listen, please bless this girl as she would like to get an all film song Arangetram.” I was pleasantly surprised and elated. Firstly, it was news that I was ready for my Arangetram and secondly, the fact that she was actually proposing the all film song Arangetram idea to Mama. Soon after that event, my Arangetram preparations began. My mother and I flew to Chennai and we were introduced to Radhika Shurajit M’am to choreograph two items, Om Namashivayaa from the famous Tamil film, Salangai Oli as my Padam and Thillana from the Tamil
In Sights
Looking back at IPAC The Indian Performing Arts Convention (IPAC) 2023 forayed into its 12th edition this year and was held between June 17 and June 25, this year. IPAC featured week-long Masterclasses, lecture demonstrations and performances by distinguished faculty from India. Read on for a summary of what it entailed… The Convention began with an invocation by the students of Mohanapriyan Thavarajah, followed by a sharing by Artistic Director of Apsaras Arts, Aravith Kumarasamy, wherein he introduced the Convention and what’s in store. With careful thought and planning, IPAC featured Masterclaasses for dance and music that were curated for practitioners and teachers across different levels in the arts. The lecture demonstrations too straddled an array of subjects and were presented with clarity and conviction by the presenters. Bharatanatyam exponents, Rama Vaidyanathan and Bragha Bessell conducted Masterclasses for Intermediate and Advanced levels of dance practitioners while Priyadarsini Govind and Ramaa Bharadvaj held sessions for aspiring teachers on methods and techniques of teaching and choreographing for dance. The inaugural day workshop was conducted by Bharatanatyam dancer-choreographer-teacher, Shankar Kandasamy who worked around the theme of Finding Poetry in Nrtta. There was also a special workshop by Koodiyattam exponent, Kapila Venu on how to prepare the body for Koodiyattam. This was a truly insightful session and also allowed participants a good understanding of the basics of Kootiyattam. VR Devika, Ananda Shankar Jayant and Methil Devika also presented lecture demonstrations as part of IPAC. IPAC also had space dedicated for music and two Masterclasses – one on vocals and another on violin – were conducted by Dr S Sowmya and Embar Kannan respectively. For a complete coverage on IPAC Masterclasses and lecture demonstrations, read this article featured in Sruti. The highlight of IPAC, as always, is the showcase of performances by artistes, every evening and this year too it was grand and meticulously planned by the Artistic Director of Apsaras Arts, Aravinth Kumarasamy. Bharatanatyam dancer, writer, educator and storyteller Ramaa Bharadvaj reviewed three performances that stood out in this series of evening showcases… Here are some key highlights from her observations… Koodiyattam exponent Kapila Venu’s Mahishasuravadham premiered on Day one, June 23, 2023 of IPAC. In Ramaa’s words, the Esplanade- Theatre on the Bay, turned silent as they watched Kapila breathe life into the character of Devi and transform into a Devi herself. It was a moving performance and the audience gave the performance a standing ovation. The second best performance according to Ramaa Bharadvaj was Mohanapriyan Thavarajah’s Skanda Rasam, a solo work on Lord Muruga. In Ramaa’s words, the true flavour of Skanda rasam was evident right from the decorations of the theatre to the backdrop of the stage, in the dance, the costume, aesthetics and the music. In total, everyone was soaked in the fervour of Muruga. Aravinth Kumarasamy’s story narration in between the pieces added effect and edge to the already splendid performance. Anaavaran, Mohiniattam exponent, Methil Devika’s performance also stole the hearts of the audience. Her performance comprised a six-part presentation of carefully chosen pieces depicting a variety of emotions. Devika’s brilliance as a dancer, choreographer, performer and musician came across very clearly in her performance, said Ramaa Bharadvaj. IPAC at the Esplanade – Day 1 (Mahishasuravadham – The slaying of Mahishasura – Kapila Venu)By Ramaa Bharadvaj One of the highlights of the IPAC experience consisted of the professional showcase performances presented by Apsaras Arts in collaboration with the Esplanade Theater. Curated carefully by Aravinth Kumarasamy, this year, there were three events that acted like three crowning ‘kalasams’ to the IPAC temple tower. Here I share my experience of each evening in three parts. PART 1 of 3: June 23, 2023: “MAHISHASURAVADHAM”:The first day of IPAC’s Showcase performance at Esplanade began with the booming sounds of “mizhavu’ and ‘edakka’ drums bringing not only ‘God’s own Country’ to Singapore, but the goddess Herself. Petite in form but massive in energy was Kapila Venu as she presented the slaying of Mahisha in Kerala’s Koodiyattam style. The daughter of the legendary exponent G. Venu, Kapila is the ideal torchbearer of her father’s legacy. She depicted Mahishasura’s fierce encounter with Devi through deliberately controlled and highly stylized gestures, radiating a mesmerizing intensity. Finally, as Devi drinks over and over from the wine goblet and rises in intoxicated ferocity to behead the ‘asura’, the audience watched Kapila’s fearsome transformation in reverential silence.The Natyashastra speaks of the success or ‘siddhi’ of a performance as being of multiple kinds. Of these, the ‘dhaivi siddhi’ or divinely blessed success is said to elicit stunned silence from spectators. Kapila’s performance had that effect on the audience, but only for a brief moment; for soon the entire theater jumped to their feet to acknowledge her marvelous mastery, with a sustained ovation. As for me personally the effect continued long after I walked out of the theater and joined my colleagues at a restaurant for dinner. How does one walk up to a goddess and tell her she was spectacular? Finally, when I did tell her how I felt she laughed sweetly, and we became friends. That’s right! I befriended a goddess!I’ll see you tomorrow with my views on the second performance, when a warrior god manifested onto the Esplanade theater!– Ramaa Bharadvaj (July 11, 2023) IPAC at the Esplanade – Day 2 (Skanda Rasam – Mohanapriyan Thavarajah )By Ramaa BharadvajOne of the highlights of the IPAC experience consisted of the professional showcase performances presented by Apsaras Arts in collaboration with the Esplanade Theater. Curated carefully by Aravinth Kumarasamy, this year, there were three events that acted like three crowning ‘kalasams’ to the IPAC temple tower.In this writing, I share my experience of each evening in three parts.PART 2 of 3: June 24, 2023: “SKANDA RASAM”: When Mohanapriyan Thavarajah chose to devote his solo evening’s work to Lord Skanda, that beauteous God must have been pleased, for as it turned out, this second evening of Esplanade showcase fell on the exact day of Sashti, most sacred for Skanda worship, but
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Three costume designers Lakshmi Srinath, Sandhya Raman and Mohanapriyan Thavarajah from Chennai, Delhi and Singapore respectively, share their process, insights and views on designing and creating costume for dance and dancers Lakshmi Srinath “My interest in costume grew organically as a result of my passion and career as a visual artist” “My interest in costume design was organic as a result of me being a visual artist. I had a children’s boutique for about ten years and I started making personalized clothes for people. This went on for a long time. One of my customers, Uma Ganesan from Cleveland, an arts patron and curator, wanted me to design the costume for her upcoming dance production. I protested initially but then she insisted that she liked my vision, aesthetics and the way I put things together. She placed her trust on me and was the one who started off this spark in me. It was a tremendous effort but it went off very well. I created costumes for her production, Silappadikaram and that was my foray into costume for theatre and dance. I used to design theatre costumes for The Madras Players back in the day but in the context of dance, this was my first experience. I am eternally grateful to Uma because she opened up an entire new creativity in me.” “Priyadarsini Govind was ready to experiment and gave me full freedom with design” “After designing costumes for Uma Ganesan’s production in 2004, I did a few designs for Bharatanatyam exponent Meenakshi Chittaranjan. Then of course, with Bharatanatyam exponent, Priyadarsini Govind, I’ve had a long-standing association. Priya was ready to experiment and give me complete freedom but at the same time I had to keep in mind the requirements/ requisites needed for concerts at venues like the Music Academy and so on. I was also not unconventional in thought and it worked for her too. She is a great person to work with. I also did the costume for the theatre production Angkor in Singapore, in which Priya played the lead role and she requested Aravinth Kumarasamy for me to create her and Anjana (Anand)’s costume. I was very happy to do this and it was an amazing experience.” “The wearer of the costume is the most important” “Priyadarsini Govind used to experiment quite a bit and I introduced different kinds of fabrics apart from the traditional Kanjeevaram silks, which most of the dancers tend to use. We tried different textures and she was very happy to experiment. So it definitely depends on the person! I have also done lots of clothes for singer TM Krishna as well. He gave me complete freedom and asked me to do what I want. He was open to trying different colours and was flamboyant, which actually goes well with his personality. I work best if I am given a long rope.” “The stage is like a canvas and it is important that the balance is maintained” “It is not a different hat but there are different aspects with which I approach the work. When there are four or six dancers on stage, the look of each dancer has to complement each other. It also depends on the characters they play and for me, the most important thing is the colour. Usually when I see a stage, the balance has to be perfect because it can’t be a lop-sided vision. So it is very important for me that I approach it with a sense of colour. Colours have to synchronize so well that one person cannot look heavier visually than the other. I also found from experience that colour blocking was most effective on stage. I find the tiny prints that look very pretty appear as a huge mass on stage and I learnt not to use them. The stage is like a canvas and it is important that the balance is maintained.” “People do say that they see me in my designs” “India is resplendent with weaves and different kinds of textures. Since I am an artist, my work has a lot of textures in it. So my eye automatically goes towards textures. I love handlooms, anything done by hand and the imperfections in it. Textiles also fascinate me a lot and this work has given me an opportunity to work with textiles from an artist’s perspective. It has been a great experience! I don’t know if I have a signature style. All I know is it has to look perfect in my eyes. I am not sure if that is my style. But people do say that they see me in my designs. I just work from my heart!” “The storyline is very important in important for me in the context of design” “I always insist on the brief to be clear so that I have an idea on what I am supposed to do. Then I share my thoughts with the producer and when we are in sync, I come up with the sketches. The fabric is very important while designing. When a character walks in with a few other characters already in the background, it all has to synchronize beautifully. So I first pen down the colors out and then check their availability in stores. Then I try to synchronize with what is available and come up with a scheme. The designs are fairly standard. For costume, it is important to keep in mind that it should be easy to dance in, easy to change into and fabrics that can be maintained easily without much ironing. Because, most dancers travel a lot and do multiple shows and it gets difficult to iron or steam out the costumes for every show. So it has to be practical. So basically the costumes need to have visual beauty, a structure which is easy to dance in and fabrics which are easy to manage- packing and carrying around. Also, there is jewellery too which needs to be in sync. It is important
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Singapore-based dancer, Periyachi Roshini asks Bengaluru-based dancer, Shreema Upadhyaya, a few pertinent questions that concern the world of young dancers across the globe Do you feel like as a dancer, you live two separate lives? As a dancer most of the time, we are expected to uphold a certain image that may not necessarily be our quirky and unique self. Do you feel that especially since you have a following you feel the need to succumb into the expectation of being the ‘dancer’ Shreema rather than Shreema as a person. Or do you feel both the Shreemas co-exist as dancer and person. I bring this up also because I know of many dancers who have a public account where the account is solely for dance content and then a personal account where they can post about their daily lives, fun stuff, etc… Your thoughts I think with any profession these boundaries exist, and they exist with good reason. When working in such a setting, I think our personalities definitely have to take a backseat. And a lot of dancers prefer to separate their career from the rest of their life. Social media has definitely blurred a lot of lines in that sense. It is neither strictly professional nor personal. I myself have a single account where I showcase both my work and share glimpses of my life, essentially whatever I am comfortable with putting ‘out there’. I do receive flak for certain choices, but then again who doesn’t? I believe I shouldn’t let the fear of that stop me from being myself, or rather make me pretend to be something I’m not. It could help someone else be more comfortable being their true selves as well. Dancers can have fun too! Are you currently a full-time artiste? If so, how sustainable is taking up the arts as a career? Sustainable in the sense physically, what do you do to make dancing a durable art form? Financially, what are some things that help you sustain as a full- time artiste? I am a full-time artiste. Financially, I do agree that the classical arts are not quite yet there in terms of adequate compensation. But from what I have experienced, in today’s world, the possibilities are quite endless, if one puts their mind to it. It does require a great deal of planning, creativity and exploring different kinds of projects at times. In the end, knowing what one wants and which path to take, a sense of direction helps make life in the arts sustainable as a career. Discipline, hard work and most of all patience really pays off in this field. Nothing happens overnight, so pacing ourselves physically and mentally can keep us healthy, and dancing in the long run! How do you think the arts industry can better support upcoming artistes in creating work in terms of grants system/opportunities/mentorship programs, etc? A lot of young artists today don’t really have the access or means to financial support systems such as grants, simply due to a lack of social privilege. Making these processes more transparent and equitable would definitely be the first step. There has certainly been a lot of change that has been brought by the current generation of artistes and mentors, as long as we continue moving in the right direction! What inspires your creativity? As a dancer, you seem to have carved out a style that is unique to you, was there a process to it? Do you look outside of your learnt art forms for inspiration? I remember asking this question to my guru, Praveen Kumar, once, and I’ll always remember his answer. Inspiration can come from absolutely anywhere. And so observation is key. From nature, literature, the people we meet, experiences, sometimes the most mundane of human activities. And art is simply bringing out these observations, beautifying them. I love experiencing other art forms too, whether it is music, dance, paintings and not necessarily those native to our culture. There is so much give and take that can occur once one begins to understand the approach to one’s own art form first. Finally, where do you see yourself in the future and what do you want to bring to the table in this industry? I see myself dancing for however long I can. Art has a way of humbling us the more we explore it and attempt to master it. While I’m not certain of what I bring to the table, I truly hope this process of learning and practicing continues taking me on a beautiful yet challenging journey. And as a tiny speck, I can take this art forward in some way.