Yin Yang By Lavanya Raghuraman.

Here is a reveiw by Rupa Srikanth on the presentation by Lavanya Raghuraman.

The ‘Yin and the Yang’ deals with an abstract concept on the nature of opposites that are in fact interdependent and related in a primal way.

This theory was extended to Indian concepts and myths such as the Surya and Chandra (sun and moon), Purusha and Prakriti (male and female), and Palai and Solai (desert and fertile land) through Tamil literature, Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam in the ‘Alchemy of Opposites,’ choreographed by Shantha and V.P.Dhananjayan and presented by their vibrant and talented student, Lavanya Raghuraman.

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Tulsi Badrinath's blend of art and bhakti

There was a restrained simplicity that characterised Tulsi Badrinath’s Bharatanatyam recital at the Pillaiyar Koil, in Besant Nagar, on Sunday.

A student of Bharatakalaanjali, and a person with a literary bent, Tulsi was poised and sweet, though a little held-in. She started her performance with a Ganesha Vandanam paying obeisance to Mooshika Vahanam.

Pleasing jati

She followed it up with the classic varnam, ‘Sakhiye Indha Velaiyil.’ Perhaps an hour’s performance does not allow sufficient time for a dancer to explore the potential for sancharam in this varnam. The ‘thadiku didiku jati’ was pleasing and if, in the charanam, Tulsi appeared a little distracted, the typically dignified nattuvangam of Guru Shantha Dhananjayan firmly brought it back.

In the bhajan that followed, ‘Bhajoman Ram Charan Sukhadayi,’ Tulsi performed with complete involvement. The significance of surrendering at the sukhadayi feet of Lord Rama was convincingly brought out through the stories of Ahalya, Guhan and Ganga. The programme concluded with a tillana in Hindolam.

Malathi Raghuram’s vocal rendering was competent and enjoyable, as was Kalaiarasan’s violin.

Kartikeyan’s mridangam was unobtrusive and yet fully supportive. Sunil Kumar (flute) came to the fore in the lovely Tulsidas Bhajan. The performance was one of a series of dance performances being held in the temple premises.

Hamsadhwani's NRI Dance Festival in Madras

Hamsadhwani’s 13th NRI Music and Dance Festival is rightly dedicated to the memory of R. Ramachandran, the sprightly and cheerful gentleman, the first to think of providing a platform for NRI musicians and dancers.

At the inaugural, veteran dancers Shantha and V.P.Dhananjayan along with their senior student Divya Sivasundar, presented a thematic natya recital titled “Bhakthi Prabhavam.” Simple devotional themes were portrayed simply and sincerely at a simple pace; without any frills or fireworks.

Even the nritta-based “Shakthi Prabhavam, an ode to Mother Nature in her three forms (Parasakthi, Saraswathi and Lakshmi) from Bhaaratiar’s Navaratri Kritis in ragamalika, Aadi talam, was kept simple. The entry had a stunning sequence of sollus based on Panchabhutham, a prelude to the composition. The song itself was slow and serene and was rendered (Sasidharan) in a like manner. Divya’s portrayals reflected this equanimity. While the theermanams were graceful and precise, the araimandi posture was glaring in its absence. The stand-out pieces however, were the two solos — Dhananjayan as Hanuman in “Ananda Raama soundaryam” from Arunachala Kaviraayar’s Ramanatakam (Kedaragowla,Aadi) and Shantha in ‘Karpagavalli nin porpadangal pidithen’ in raagamaalika (Aadi), a composition of Yaazhpaanam Veeramani Iyer from Kalakshetra. With awe and reverence, Hanuman describes every limb of Raama and Dhananjayan’s eyes were full of wonder at the thought of that magnificent sight… Every facial muscle reflected this wonder and one could see the Kathakali training in every expression. Little things like the way he held the ‘adbhutha’ expression until all lights were switched off also added to its veracity. Unexpected and delightful was Shantha’s poignant rendering of the kriti.

There was a quiet dignity in Shantha’s depiction of the ‘Karpagambal’ episode in which Siva turns Parvathi into a peacock. The devotee’s pleas for compassion take on added depth when performed with selflessness and humility. The dancing couple concluded with a well-enacted but light-hearted Radha-Krishna duet in ‘Dhikku teriyaada kaattil’ in raagamaalika, (Aadi), a composition of Bharatiar, tuned and popularised by GNB.

The orchestra comprising R. Karthikeyan (mridangam), S. Sunilkumar (flute), R.Eswar (violin) and Lakshminarayan (tambura) did a fine job of keeping the melody on an even keel.

Source: The Hindu