Curated by Ranjana Dave
Abhanga Ranga is a presentation that captures the spirit of the Varkari saints of Maharashtra through the medium of Bharatanatyam. The abhangas, which are gems of poetry rich with devotional fervour, have been translated into a visual landscape in this performance. The choreography through descriptive images in Bharatanatyam, unfolds the stories of deities like Ganapati, the glories of Lord Rama, the leelas of Krishna, the pangs of separation from the God, ending with Dnyaneshwar’s Pasaayadaan. The traditional narrative of classical dance idiom also explores the philosophy and thoughts of Bhakti Marga. The pulse of this celebrative work is the rich literature of the four pillars of Varkari Sampradaya, Sant Dnyaneshwar, Sant Naamdev, Sant Eknath, and Sant Tukaram.
Curated by Leela Samson
Chavittu Natakam originated in the coastal belt of western Kerala during the 16th and 17th century, together with the advent of the Christian Missionaries. Closely connected to Koothu and Koodiyattam of Kerala, the dance form also bears striking resemblance to the Greek Opera. While in the olden days, the performance of a single story of Chavittu Natakam extended between ten to fifteen days, it has now been confined to a short span of two hours. The story of this play is based on the heroic deeds of the French emperor Karalsman (Charlemagne), who defeated Albrath, the emperor of Jerusalem, regaining the land he had once lost.
Curated by Ranjana Dave
‘Look Left, Turn Right’ is a site-specific intervention that questions the fine line between functionality and performativity in movement. Set up as a series of structured improvisations, ‘Look Left, Turn Right’ is performed at busy traffic intersections, thus pulling dance out of a formal setting into an everyday public space that is accessed by all. The performers engage with the site in real time as a first encounter, thus setting up relationships between a dynamic passing audience, and the space they temporarily inhabit.
Curated by Leela Samson
Odisha is a land of art and culture, where many folk dance forms have evolved in different regions of the state. Vividh Varna comprises the dance forms of Gotipua, Danda Nata, Sambalpuri and Ghumara, representing the myriad of hues and colours of the folk culture of Odisha. Gotipua is a traditional dance form performed in Odisha for centuries by young boys, who dress as girls to serve in Vaisnavite religious festivals. “Danda Nata” is a popular folk dance of Odisha which derives its origin from the ‘Saiba Purana’ i.e the mythological history of Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati. It is also linked with the socio-agricultural scenario. When the Earth is ripe with the harvest and the oceans of paddy sways madly in the wind, the first cut of fragrant grain is offered to Goddess Lakshmi and a jubilant community sings and dances at the prospect of renewed prosperity. Ghumura is a traditional dance of Kalahandi in Odisha and performed with great pomp and ceremony in each and every village of Kalahandi.
Curated by Leela Samson
The performance, which is laden with an age-old tradition and the abundance of flowers, accounts for Krishna’s ‘raas-leela’ with the gopis. Travelling from the land of Vrindavan to the coastal region of Goa, the spirited dance engages a variety of colours, movements, and sounds.
Curated by Ranjana Dave
Kumbakarna and Lakshmana, the brothers of the two protagonists of the Ramayana, are connected by boons that dramatically alter their cycles of sleep and wakefulness. Kumbakarna along with his brothers, Ravana and Vibhishana performed a major yajna and penance for Lord Brahma. When the time came for asking a boon from Brahma, his tongue was tied by goddess Saraswati (acting on Indra’s request). So instead of asking for Nirdevathvam (annihilation of the Devas), he asked for Nidrawathvam (sleep) and his request was granted. Laxmana, on the other hand, was allowed to give up his sleep completely and bequeath it to his wife, Urmila, for the fourteen years of his exile. In the course of time, both boons seem to acquire the dimensions of a curse, as they each have an uncomfortable outcome.
Curated by Ranjana Dave
This site-specific work at Adil Shah Palace looks at igniting an experience that is created by placing moving bodies in and against an architectural space. The aim is to capture the variety of episodes/phases/stages the palace has been through over the course of time. The collaborators look at ways to manifest the essence of the building and the people who occupied it over time. They are inspired by the ideologies, political philosophies, and roles that the building has accommodated in some form, still withstanding the test of time. That the palace was constructed in a mixed architectural style is something they want to look at from the perspective of present times. The idea is to imagine a convergence of all this information in the framework of a movement-based expression.
Curated by Leela Samson
Movements and Stills is an experimental idea based on challenging the physical energies to create a contemporary dance piece. The vocabulary of Kathak has innumerable patterns of lyrical movements- at times slow, at times crisp. The structure of the dance is based on different taals, and the rhythmic composition ends on the sam, or the first beat of any given taal with a position of still, thereby forming of a static pose. The name of the production is derived from the style of Kathak, which is designed around movements and stills.
Curated by Leela Samson
Lokapalanmare, a solo performance by Sadanam P.V. Balakrishnan is the first scene from the famous Kathakali play (Attakatha) Nalacharitham by the 18th century playwright, scholar ad poet, Unnayi Variar. The Nalacharitham, based on the Mahabharata, is a four-part play about King Nala and his consort Damayanti.
Curated by Ranjana Dave
An excerpt from the Indian epic Ramayana, Adishakti’s Bali is a retelling of the various events that led to the battle between Bali, the ruler of Kishkindha and Ram, the King of Ayodhya and eventually, the death of Bali. Here, the writer has tried to explore the notion of right or wrong through its various characters, while steering clear of any subjective influences. Through this play, we explore how one evaluates this notion and, how it can change when each and every character is given an opportunity to voice thoughts and opinions. The play weaves multiple stories through the point of views of Bali, Tara, Sugreeva, Angadha, Ram and Ravan and talks about how each of them make decisions and take actions based on the ethics that define their lives. The play gives its audience a space for introspection, to take a step back and detach ourselves from our dominant ideologies and rigid identities to understand different perspectives. Will relativism answer our questions? Where do we draw the lines? We leave it to you to decide.
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