Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Labour of love












I’d like to pay homage to the Indian classical dance form of 'Bharatanatyam',the enigmatic and vibrant dance form ,which finds its origins in the temple studded state of Tamil Nadu. Having trained as a Bharatanatyam dancer from the age of 6, the rigour and discipline it inculcates in a person is something I hold close to my heart.


Over the years this dance form has found international recognition and has adapted and infused modern elements to reflect an evolving society. Two of the leading Bharatanatyam dancers who have helped catapult Bharatanatyam onto the international stage are Smt. Alarmel Valli and Ms. Shobana Chandrakumar Pillai. I have vivd memories of evenings spent amidst the jasmine and sandalwood infused auditoriums watching in awe as Bharatanatyam dancers set the stage on fire with graceful yet deft dances, breathing life into the ancient scriptures and poems of yesteryear. Each artist  taking on the role of a storyteller interpreting and layering each script with music and dance movements to create a breathtaking experience for the audience.

A painting on a teapot is just a humble attempt at capturing the beauty of this dance form and in a way paying tribute to every dancer who dances today and keeps this dance form alive.

No comments:

Post a Comment