An evening with Kalakshetra & its Bharatanatyam
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 23 2011:
The auditorium of the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy (JNMDA) here came alive to a Bharatanatyam performance by the artistes of Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai today evening, enthralling one and all.
The event was organized jointly by JNMDA and Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai as part of the later's 3-day long touring festival to the North East region.
After the first two days of the festival, which was held at Rabindra Bhawan, Ambari, Guwahati from October 20 to 21, a 31-member dance troupe of Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai, comprising dancers and musicians, flew down to Imphal for the this evening's riveting and exquisite solo and group performances of the well-known Kalakshetra style of Bharatanatyam.
Talking to Hueiyen Lanpao, Jyoti Menon, the Theatre Manager of Kalakshetra Foundation, who is leading the dance troupe explained that Kalakshetra style of Bharatanatyam has envolved from the original Pandanallur style and it attained perfection as well as popularity under the persistence hard work, diligence and guidance of Rukmini Devi, the founder of Kalakshetra Foundation.
The unique distinguishing feature of this dance form is its musicality and special focus on Anga Sudham (hand moment), which are delicately based on the words of the accompanying lyrics.
So, this dance form is more suitable to dance dramas, Jyoti pointed out.
"We presented 'Kannnappar Kuravanchi', one of our dance dramas at Guwahati.
But the performance could not be repeated here due to paucity of time", Jyoti said, adding that the dance dramas of Kalakshetra Foundation are mainly based on themes and episodes from Ramayana.
On the activities of Kalakshetra Foundation, the young Theatre Manager informed that Kalakshetra has been inviting and hosting performances every month, presenting both outstanding experts in the field of performing arts as well as upcoming young dancers and musicians, including dancers and artistes from Manipur, to facilitate exchange of ideas.
"But this time, we thought, why not we also go out.
So, we planned this Festival of the North East: Kurinji.
Our initial plan was to cover Assam, Manipur and Tripura.
But the Tripura programme could not work out", Jyoti disclosed.
"We are really thankful to JNMDA, which has been really supportive in organizing the festival.
In fact, JNMDA has been always helpful all these years", she added.
It may be noted here that, founded in January 1936 by Rukmini Devi Arundale, Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai is a cultural academy dedicated to the preservation of traditional values of Indian arts, especially the Bharatanatyam dance form and Gandharvaveda music.
Under Rukmini Devi, the academy achieved National and International recognition for its unique style and perfection.