Going Beyond - Dance India, Singapore

Written by Anuja Varaprasad – one of the Alumni (and our newly elected Treasurer!), who was an attendee at this year’s Dance India, Singapore

Going Beyond
Dance India, Singapore (Sept 1- 4)

Priyakka (centre) with alumni Anuja, Shruthi, Dhriti, and Sruti

Dance India is an exciting and visionary dance education programme for students, teachers, and performing artistes led and organized by Milapfest, UK. This year, Apsaras Arts in collaboration with Milapfest and supported by the National Arts Council and Esplanade, brought Dance India to Singapore for the very first time. Held over 4 days, the workshop comprised core classes, lecture demonstrations, panel discussions, and performances. The main highlight? Core sessions with Priyadharsini Govind and Leela Samson: renowned artistes and performers. Singapore was indeed fortunate to have such eminent Bharathanatyam gurus come down to teach its young and aspiring dancers.

It was a grueling 4 days – we would start with yoga every morning at 8am, and in spite of the core-strength building exercises we were subjected to, this was still the most relaxing class of the day. Priyakka would then put us through the paces with a Shatakshara Kautuvam (at what seemed like 6^th speed), forcing our feet to move at a speed and precision never imagined before. Even though all the participants were from different backgrounds, we brought with us a singular love for Bharathanatyam and pushed on. It was simply an experience observing Priyakka’s dedication in teaching and explaining the item to us. It was surprising how affable she was to our clarifications, patiently answering our queries.

A new item was not the only take-away from the lesson. Right from our namaskaaram, there were lessons on posture and stability, using our core muscles and breathing through the dance - things we dancers take for granted. There were reminders that nritta movements had their own set of expressions and that the smallest control over eye movements could have the biggest impact on an overall performance. No matter how many times we had to practice the new piece, she demanded 200% effort from us – no compromise. She remained encouraging, coaxing us firmly to try again, but each time with more aramandi or more expression.

The session with Leelakka was unforgettable. Without even trying, she commanded attention. Initially slightly terrifying when she begun the conversation with “So…tell me which adavus you all dislike doing”, she made us aware of even the smallest movement in our bodies. The perspective she brought through her years of experience brought new knowledge to our foundations. She described the namaskaaram as “unforgiving” as it requires the dancer to sit down in muzhumandi even before being warmed up. Her insights on the Alarippu were enlightening – she shared that the beauty of its choreography was its emphasis on the centre, the subtle use of bhedas, and the gradual build-up of levels and speed.

The various lecture demonstrations with prominent Kathak, Odissi and Kuchipudi performers contextualized Indian art forms from their temple origins intertwined with historical influences and revival personalities. These lecture demonstrations questioned our assumptions – Aditi Mangaldas, founder of the Dhrishtikon Dance Foundation, questioned the meaning and intention of an invocation. Going beyond an invocation as prayer, Mangaldas put forth the idea of an invocation as an attempt to still the mind, so that the dancer is immersed in a state of concentration and is able to let everything go and accept whatever may happen.

These lecture demonstrations also led to a discussion on what has changed between then and now, and what is next for these classical Indian dance forms. There was no argument on the survival of these dance forms, given their lasting current presence. However, there was extensive discussion on innovations in classical forms. Leelakka opined that aesthetics should be considered in depth, while Priyakka suggested that we relook at the way we understand the word ‘contemporary’. Contemporary means ‘of the present time’; in that sense, ‘traditional’ dance being performed now is essentially contemporary. The form has been adapted to be relevant to contemporary times, and is still accessible to a wider audience. She put things in perspective – Bharathanatyam performed now is an evolution from Bharathanatyam performed 50 years ago. Mangaldas spoke about adapting the form to suit the current context - in this case, a shift from the temple to the proscenium stage. She stressed the need for innovation to be organic and come from the fundamentals of the art form itself, without resorting to the western definition of contemporary, and for innovation with integrity and honesty.

On the whole, there was a bigger lesson in Dance India. The experience left us with a knowledge that Indian classical dance was beyond the physical. The art form is a life experience, with culture, history, and spirituality being equally important forces. It is an intellectual exercise, and it is imperative that a dancer constantly expands his or her knowledge of the art form. Through this, the dancer obtains a firm grasp of the origins of the art form, appreciates how far the dance has come, and is then able to take it lovingly into the future. It is a personal journey as much as it is a way of life.