Odissi without "the twist"

Saturday, Aug 26

Third concert in the series of "Kala Virasat" - by "Banyan Tree".


Had seen Madhavi Mudgal's troupe on an earlier occasion and was quite unimpressed. On insistence by husband to give the performers a "second chance" we attended this concert.


Madhavi Mudgal is quite past her time: neither are the movements graceful nor the expressions spell binding. The performance was too rigid for Odissi really. (In the next month we attended an Odissi recital by "Daksha Mashruwala" and group under the concert series "Gati Gayand" that was a more "flowing" Odissi).
After 5 minutes of brilliantly choreographed stage formations by the group, one really keeps waiting for the "real thing" to start anytime. But no - the group formations and steps that keep repeating to (repetitive) music did not manage to hold our attention at all. I have learnt dance, but have outgrown the "demonstration of good steps, and stage formations" really. Even if projected as entertainment (which dance is NOT supposed to be in my opinion), to hold attention one needs mood variations, and twists which were completely absent. Mere tempo variations could not do the job at all.
We both enjoy the elaboration and expression of themes (most preferably explained in advance). More specifically - elaboration of STORY THEMES, and interpretation of classics. (Digressing: another unkind word towards "abstract themes" which are conveniently left to the audience 's interpretation, who are mostly left clueless on what angle are they supposed to interpret anyway - covered in yet another unkind review of "Leela Samson" and group).
More expressive performance came through from Aarushi Mudgal - the celebrated niece of Madhavi. Kalidasa's Kumarasambhavam piece was interpreted well. The story goes thus: Parvati is unable to attract Shiva in any way other than through penance/ meditation. So she undergoes strict austerities and physical hardships. Shiva teases her by taking the form of an ascetic. In the end all ends well and both unite.


(My commentary on this piece itself would take another blog - what a loser Parvati is to undergo austerities for her husband who is supposed to love and support her anyway. What a loser husband Shiva is: to be such a husband AND to tease her when she undergoes hardships. Please - someone CHANGE our "moral stories" to match societal evolution !!!)


Returning to the performance.
Our view: If you don't mind entertainment, and have some patience, please do go. If you are looking for creative expression beyond technical mastery: can be completely avoided. 

A new perfection

Aug 26 2011

Second concert in the series of "Kala Virasat" - by "Banyan Tree".

Dance is the lens through which Pt Birju Maharaj views the whole universe. Laya is in everything, within you and me, in the sounds of birds, the ringing of the telephone, and the dancing of the peacock. This living legend is poetry and beauty personified. For more than one and half hours there was a free wheeling demonstration of the various aspects of laya danced in and by nature by Pt. When his senior-most disciple (also performing that day) - Saswati Sen reminded him of the time, he casually remarked " मैं मज़ा ले रहा हूँ, मुझे

लेने दो :)घडी नहीं थी - उस ज़माने से हूँ मैं" :-)

(I am having fun - let me be. I am from that time when there were no watches)

A sample video for his demonstration of a "duck". Another masterpiece demonstration of the "peacock" actually led the audience to imagine the full bloomed plume around the Pt.

The music was by live musicians (could not have been any other way for such a senior artist) - Sarangi, Sitar, Vocals, Harmonium, Tabla. A 100% extempore performance by Pt, he explained one line of the verse to the musicians, danced to his heart's content, came to the mike, explained the second line and so on. The most spontaneous, and unprepared performances ever witnessed in dance. As with spontaneity, there were  corrections, pauses and breaks.  But divine beauty was abundantly flowing in the imperfection. A new perfection.

Saswati Sen - his disciple for the past 43 years was expressive and technically competent, an accomplished artist in her own right, a bit overshadowed in grace and divinity by her Guru.

The "samvad" or dialogue between the tabla and the ghungroo - dramatized by Pt as if between a hero and the heroine whom he is pursuing, and finally culmination of the lovers in the "sam" or the end of the tala made it very obvious that the Kathak is indeed a very close kin of the percussion tabla. Perhaps due to a common evolutionary lineage with the "courtesan" era of the Mughals - alongside the Khayal style of music itself.

Kathak itself is so differently beautiful - de-linked from the usual "devotional" repertoire  with equal emphasis on expressiveness while maintaining the crescendo from the beat. (The concert has in-fact inspired us to learn more about the connection between Kathak and the Tabla, comparing it with other dance forms - where Tabla is significantly absent)

Our view: Transcendental experience.

Must pursue to see.

I am my Drums

Aug 26 2011

First day of "Kala Virasat" - a "Banyan Tree" concert series. More about Banyan Tree in later blogs :)

The concert series opened with "Taal India" a uniquely designed event showcasing percussion instruments from Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Manipur, and ofcourse the Tabla (lead). Very well created ensemble with due respect and air time for all percussion forms. The high point was the Manipuri "Dol Chalam" a mixture of beats, drums, happy shrieks and - acrobatics ! A sample from youtube (Nrityanjali Academy's upload) shown here.

Amazing how after a point each of the instruments seemed to be an extension of the performer's body - though we would of course wince merely lifting them !

Our view: Vivacious, competent, musical, fun, with dashes of discovery and surprise.

Must See !