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Delhi steps up to organise classical dance carnival

Nawaid Anjum

The Old Fort (Purana Qila) in Delhi is all set to be lit up, again. Come Saturday, the old symbol of India’s heritage will be a witness to the beautiful mudras of classical dance coming alive to the strains of majestic ragas in group choreographies.

The stage is set for a cultural carnival as Seher, a city-based cultural organisation, lifts the curtain on its five-day "Ananya Dance Festival 2009", to be held from October 3-7 from 7-8.15 pm.

A spectrum of India’s various classical dance forms — Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Odissi and Mohiniattam — as well as contemporary dance, the fest will see the participation of artistes from Delhi, Mumbai, Baroda, Chennai and Manipur. A sought-after event on city’s cultural calendar, the festival, in its eighth year, is an annual fixture, organised by Seher and the Government of NCT of Delhi, in association with the Sahitya Kala Parishad.

All choreographies by the different exponents of classical dance forms have been created exclusively for the show. So, it’s going to be a whole new palette for the jaded dance enthusiast. The aesthetics of Odissi will unravel on stage with the city-based dancer Madhavi Mudgal, Shubha Mudgal’s sister-in-law, taking the audience on a trip down the diverse percussion instruments of Orissa. Two other parts of Ms Mudgal’s repertoire include the presentation of a piece from Kalidas’ epic poem, Kumarasambhavam — which talks about the birth of Kumara, the first son of Lord Shiva and Parvati — and an invocation to the holy river, Ganga.

Delhi-based sister duo, Monisa and Moumala Nayak, from the Jaipur and Lucknow gharanas respectively, are the young faces of the festival who will present "Nartan", a musical journey of Kathak showcasing the different varieties of music used in the dance form during the ancient, old and modern times. When you speak to her, a beaming Monisa tells you about their performance on October 5. "It’s an exploration into Kathak as an expressive dance form," says Monisa, adding that the piece — divided into temple, court and stage periods — will conclude with a modern-time jugalbandi (percussion) and a tarana in raag Bhairavi.

Monisa feels that the fest brings in "interesting patterns", presenting an amalgam of cultures and styles. She observes that organisations like Seher and SPIC MACAY have helped the masses connect with the traditional art forms. "Like the way they have taken to Western music, the young generation is very receptive to the Western dance forms. But, at the same time, they are also eager to lean and understand classical art forms," says Monisa, who has her next performance lined up in New York on October 19.

While their medium has brought international recognition and acclaim to some artistes, like the veteran Ms Mudgal and the budding Nayak sisters, there are many exponents of such performs who live in relative obscurity. It is here that organisations like Seher have to play a role. Sanjeev Bhargava, Seher’s founder and Ananya’s festival director, says that his organisation’s overriding concern has been to showcase the "best possible choreographers and dancers" from across the country, cutting across the regional divide. "It’s the eighth year of this festival and we have far more responsibility on our shoulders. We have got to bring in the best of such talents," says Mr Bhargava.

He informs that behind the five-day fest is the year-long work that it takes to zero in on the artistes and whittle down to the appropriate size of the performers. And since Ananya doesn’t repeat artistes, it paves the way for fresh faces every year.

One of such fresh faces at the festival is Baroda-based Bharatanatyam danseuse Rema Shrikant. The 53-year-old dancer, who has been learning and teaching Bharatnatyam for 35 years, is making her debut at the fest. "That’s the beauty of this festival. There are newer faces, newer choreographers every year," says the dancer, who never even sent any application to participate, but was chosen by Seher’s R&D wing, spearheaded by Mr Bhargava. Ms Shrikant, who is excited to be a part of the fest, feels that when the different artistes use the fest’s space — "unknown, unfamiliar" — they make the stage "their own" to interact with the audience. "There is a connect between the dancers and the audience," feels Ms Shrikant, who comes from a family of dancers. "Such festivals would help us to go global," she says, adding that had it not been for Ananya, it would have been difficult for someone like her who is not so "outgoing" to perform in Delhi.

Ms Shrikant will perform on the fest’s finale on October 7. Talking about her piece, she says: "It will be a traditional Bharatanatyam recital, with its set geometric patterns," she says. The four "building blocks" of the piece comprise the recital of Ganpati Vandana, Shrishti tandav and depiction of Shakti, and mazhai (rain) followed by tillana.

While fests such as Ananya put the spotlight on classical dancers, the fact remains that many such exponents of its myriad forms find it hard to stay afloat in the competitive day and age of Internet when the audience is spoilt for choice when it comes to entertainment. While the government does its bit to promote classical traditions, it is definitely not enough.

"Artistes have to be paid well. It’s only then that we won’t lose them," says Chennai-based Mohiniattam (the dance-drama based on the legend of the Hindu mythological seductress Mohini) exponent Gopika Varma, whose piece (on October 4) will explore the love triangle between Lord Shiva, Parvathi and Ganga and the journey of the soul to connect with the Creator.

On October 6, Astad Deboo, who is synonymous with contemporary dance, will present "an avant-garde contemporary fusion" with the Pung Cholom drummers of Manipur. Titled Rhythm Divine, it will capture the idyllic world of Manipur before it fell prey to "anarchy and chaos".

In bringing these dancers on one platform, Seher is only trying to contribute to Delhi’s identity as the "cultural hub" of India, with its discerning, cosmopolitan audience. By giving the artistes the creative licence to experiment with the language and vocabulary of their media, by not "pandering to the popular taste" and by "dictating terms for the audience in a positive way", it is hoping to build an atmosphere where "newer audience is born".

"Ananya is the result of relentless hard work. We need to have adequate space for classical dance forms. While it is good to have well-known dancers perform, people from small towns must also be identified," says Mr Bhargava.