Pure Balasaraswati style from Sushma Ranganathan

Bharathanatyam, as we know it today, has evolved so much, that many contemporary dancers can only have heard or read about the way it was performed in the early days of its transition onto the stage. With the accent so strongly nowadays on presentati on, lighting, etc, one doesn’t often get to see an old world, “no-frills” performance. Sushama Ranganathan’s performance for the Brahma Gana Sabha was one such. Daughter and disciple of Nandini Ramani, who is herself a student of Balasaraswati, Sushama is petite, slender and light on her feet. Her performance was completely without pretension and steeped in the traditional style she follows.
She chose to do the Thanjavur quartet varnam “Mohamana en meedhu” as her central piece. The nritta sequences were performed with a very high degree of precision and competence. Sushama’s interpretation of the line “nagarigamana thirunagaril” created a wholesome picture of sophistication. With her neat adavus and sound technique, a little less restraint in her abhinaya would enhance her performance even more. An unusual feature of the varnam was that the singers continued to sing during the jathis as well. Post varnam, Sushama danced to the padham, “nidhiraiyil, swapnathil” where the nayika narrates her dream to her sakhi, and then to a quaint kurathi song “kudisai vaithu.” The Sankarabharanam tillana was another composition of the Thanjavur Quartet. The korvais composed in the various nadais by nattuvanar K. Ganesan were delightful. Once again, Sushama was in effortless sync with the rhythm.
The well-synchronised and elaborate orchestra had K. Ramaiah wielding the cymbals. He was assisted by Suresh, himself a dancer. Vocal support was shared by Sarayu Srinivasan and Sri Balaji. Venkat Subramanian provided the percussion support, while the flute was played by Ramanna.

Source:The Hindu