As many of us are aware, BarathanAtyam has had a very catholic outlook to the language of compositions that are danced to, unlike most of the other classical dance forms: even in ancient times, BarathanAtyam was danced to songs in Tamizh, Telugu, and Kannada, in addition to Sanskrit. Dr. Padma Subramaniam is credited with having given the first 'outing' to Hindi sahitya when she danced to a mIrA Bajan in lieu of a padham. Rabindranath Tagore is reported to have someone from Kalasketra choregraph Rabindra Sangeet in BarathanAtyam. Ambika Buch, one of Rukmini Devi's first students, has composed a whole kuravanjI in Gujrati. I have seen Chitra Viswesvaran dance to a Malayalam composition as part of her thematic presentations 'Devi Ashtarasa Malika'.
Unlike this, most other classical dance forms use compositions in Sanskrit, or the language of the local region where the form evolved: kuchipudi - telugu and sanskrit; mOhiniAttam and kathakaLI - Malayalam and Sanskrit; Odissi - Oriya and Sanskrit...and so on.
Of late, there have been some cross-languaue efforts: the most recent was Saswathi Sen (probably the best kathak dancers currently, in my opinion) performed Kathak to 'krishnA nI bEganE bArO', in Thiruvananthapuram. Meena, do you know of any other such examples?
Ravi
Expanding Horizons
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mohan
- Posts: 2808
- Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 16:52
And now its Bharatanatyam in China
http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/09/stories ... 982200.htm
I believe the artiste has learnt from Leela Samson in Delhi.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/09/stories ... 982200.htm
I believe the artiste has learnt from Leela Samson in Delhi.
Last edited by mohan on 09 Aug 2007, 14:52, edited 1 time in total.
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Nick H
- Posts: 9472
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Saswati Sen has danced modern compositions. I do not know if the original language was English or Hindi but her dance which tells the story of a young dancer who marries a jealous man is based on a contemporary poem.
I think I have seen her dance it three times, and have been left with pain in my heart and tears in my eyes every time.
I think I have seen her dance it three times, and have been left with pain in my heart and tears in my eyes every time.
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srinandini
- Posts: 60
- Joined: 03 Apr 2007, 05:05
dance, especially bharathanatyam has no religious barriers either.
Rev Father Saju George,a priest and a disciple of Prof C V Chandrasekhar has performed to songs in praise of the VIRGIN MOTHER MARY and the Christ and songs based on the christian theology as part of festival celebrations at the local church in chennai.
Very true that art knows no barriers.... of any kind!!
Rev Father Saju George,a priest and a disciple of Prof C V Chandrasekhar has performed to songs in praise of the VIRGIN MOTHER MARY and the Christ and songs based on the christian theology as part of festival celebrations at the local church in chennai.
Very true that art knows no barriers.... of any kind!!