Sindhuja’s Solo Performance - Kalasagaram -12th March 2016

                   
Sindhuja, Kuchipudi Dance
Creating An Enchanted Space On A Summer Evening
A Report from Sri Pratap Antony
pratapantony@gmail.com

Sindhuja’s solo performance of narrative dances for KALASAGARAM at Keyes High School on 12th March 2016 was all elegance and grace. What immediately strikes one about Sindujha’s prodigious dancing talent, is her feminine grace, and her calm yet impeccable elegance of movement; like watching a nymph dancing lightly and swaying fluidly in a sea of tranquility. Her interpretation in the visual language of dance - her face, her eyes, her head, her neck and her hands, arms, wrists her fingers and her feet, breathe life into movement. Her Nritta, rhythmic dance; Nritya, storytelling through hand movements and facial expressions; and her Natya, the drama of dance, tell the stories without reminding one of just how difficult the dance really is. Sindhuja’s soft, dainty, effortless dancing yielded some stunning passages of silent poetry!

The programme commenced with a composition by Sri Adi Sankaracharya on Lord Ganesha - Ganesh Pancharatnam, set to Ragamalika, Adi tala. Dance composed by Smt Shobha Naidu.

Next was a traditional composition – ‘Prahlada Pattabhisheka Shabdam’ in raga Kambhoji and Misra chapu tala. Dance composed by Dr. Yashoda Thakore. The story goes that Hiranyakasipu, a ruthless ruler receives a boon for his penance - he can be killed neither by man nor animal, during day nor night, in the sky nor earth, in the indoors nor outside! Angry with his son Prahlada who is completely devoted to Lord Hari, Hiranyakasipu fails to kill him. But an enraged Lord Vishnu appears as Narasimha and fulfilling the conditions of his death, kills Hiranyakasipu and blesses Prahlada. Sindhuja tells the story in typical Kuchipudi dance drama form.

Sindhuja’s next dance was ‘Annamacharya keertana: Muddugare Yashoda’ where Lord Krishna is compared to various gems - in raga Kuranji, Adi tala. Dance composed by Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam.
‘Narayana Teertha Tarangam’, ‘Govardhini giridhara’, in Mohana raga and Adi tala. Dance composed by Dr.Yashoda Thakore describes Krishna as the one who lifted the Govardhana Mountain; the protector of his clan and the remover of fear. To enliven the format, Sindhuja danced on the rims of a brass plate, associated with the Kuchipudi style, giving the impression of gliding and floating, and presented the lifting Govardhana as the highlight of the choreography.

‘Kshetrayya padam’ ‘Kodi kuse ayyayo’, in raga Saurashtra, Adi tala, is the story of Nayika telling her Sakhi that ‘just when my Krishna and me were about to unite, the rooster crowed! We had our amorous moments, decorated each other and at that moment, when we were about to become one, this rooster crowed and destroyed my happiness as it was morning and my beloved left me!’ The Dance was composed and taught by Smt. Bragha Bessel, and provided Sindhuja immense scope for abhinaya and extemporization which she did with earnest finesse, dramatic gestures and genteel and beautiful dancing.
The final dance was a Thillana. Lyrics in praise of Lord Krishna by Sri T.K.Govinda Rao in Raga Hamsanandi in Adi tala and the dance composed by Dr.Yashoda Thakore. This was a brisk composition with varied movement patterns woven together elegantly showcasing abstract dance.

Due to lack of sponsors Sindhuja danced to recorded music and under the fixed, harsh and steady stage lights provided by the venue. Despite not having a live orchestra and a lighting designer, Sindhuja transcended reality and performed without us in audience noticing this absence. Sindhuja was fluidity personified, she created an enchanted space in the open air venue, and danced like she was dancing on moonbeams. Sindhuja, is an Architect but has put architecture on hold while she concentrates on dance and does her PhD from the Department of Dance, University of Hyderabad. Sindhuja is under the guidance of Dr. Yashoda Thakore, a major Kuchipudi dancer, an author, an educationist and an inspiration to many. A graded artist by Doordarshan, Sindhuja has performed Kuchipudi all over India at prestigious events and runs her own school of dance. And due to her rigorous grounding in Carnatic music she adds an exceptional passion and understanding to her interpretation of the music. ​

*Sri Pratap Antony is a writer and writes on diverse topics.
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