Arattarangetram Sixth Episode - Part I and Part II

[raghu26]

Hi Friends,

The sixth episode is up for viewing. Part III will be uploaded in the coming weeks. Watch out for the question to viewers. Watch out at the end of the video for details!!!
We did not have a special guest in these two sections of this episode.
http://arattarangetram.wordpress.com/20 ... -i-and-ii/

0:01 – Introduction by Raj

Madhana’s segment – Youtubeaanubhava

0:16 – Discussing about the video clip “Shobana Live 2” by Shobana aka Shobana Chandrakumar
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXbm7hhxPYo) Bhairavi Varnam “Mohamana” (Video Courtesy: tripmonk0)

Discussion on her choreography

07:45 – Should we show smile or bhavam while doing nritta sections?

09:36 - Persona or Technique? What comes across on stage?

11:45 – Sanchari part of the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXbm7hhxPYo) “Bhoga Tyagesa”

15:41 - Difference in execution of the sanchari by Shobana and the previously discussed Balasaraswati’s video (http://youtu.be/fmV2OXSNjZk?t=18m24s).

16:43 – Mridangist (Nellai Kannan) role in the sanchari

19:48 – Wrapping up Madhana’s segment

21:34 – Lokadharmi versus Natyadharmi

Raghu’s segment - Dance history

25:31 – The Year 1936 – Why it is a significant year in Bharatanatyam?

26:55 – Blooper

27:30 – Actual start of the Dance History presentation (Image Courtesy: Dance history column @ http://www.narthaki.com; http://www.cinemanrityagharana.blogspot.com; Google Images)

38:30 – Previous episode (fifth)’s question to the viewers “What is the crown of Nataraja made of?“ and its answer

References:

http://tamilartsacademy.com/books/siva% ... ter11.html

http://tamilartsacademy.com/journals/vo ... dance.html

41:36 – Current episode’s question to viewers “Which famous dancer was born in 1936?“

Watch out for the Part III of the sixth episode!!! Send us your answers by commenting in this blog/video or in our facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/399141770149481/)

Do lookout for the third part of this episode!!! Also, send us your comments and views
As always, send us your feedback with comments here or in youtube or in the blog.

Thanks and Regards,

Arattarangetram Team

[bharatanatyamrasika]

I really do appreciate what you are doing with these arattarangetram discussions.
i do want to make a comment regarding one thing you were discussing and would like to request more discussion on that.

this is regarding either showing abhinaya or smiling during the nritta parts of the dance.

as a rasika(I am not a dancer) I find this rather strange: a dancer shows very strong emotion( for example: O Lord why are you not coming, I am so lost in you and you are putting me through so much grief etc) in the sahityam part of a varnam and then when the varnam moves on to the jati/swaram part the dancer switches to this bright big smile that is totally at odds with the lyrics preceding it or following it. I feel this breaks the song into these compartments that don't flow smoothly from one to the next. Even thought nritta is pure dance is it necessary to have that smile - can't a dancer remain in the main bhava (sthayi bhava? ) of the song? Also from the discussion in the sixth episode it appears different schools have different rules regarding this. Could you elaborate on that?

also one of the young men in the sixth episode was talking about using letters and then sentences and so on to express ourselves when we first start talking/writing and later on when we communicate, even if we forget grammar we are still understood. and so the dancer must dance and if grammar be lost so be it. i beg to differ here. great literature or even a good article in the new york times is great/good because of the feeling it is able to evoke in the reader/the information it gives the reader but giving up grammar, even a little bit, would only detract from the main purpose of communicating well. The communication need not be flawless but it does need to be grammatically correct and effective. from the discussion it appears the senior most dancers are held to less stringent rules of grammar than other mere mortals. i would have thought the reverse would be true?

I would also like to know how others feel about this - dancers, musicians and rasikas.
thanks and keep up the good work, arattarangetram folks!

[raghu26]

I really do appreciate what you are doing with these arattarangetram discussions.
i do want to make a comment regarding one thing you were discussing and would like to request more discussion on that.

Thanks for the comment bharatanatyamrasika, glad that our video blog is opening new discussions with viewers.

this is regarding either showing abhinaya or smiling during the nritta parts of the dance.

as a rasika(I am not a dancer) I find this rather strange: a dancer shows very strong emotion( for example: O Lord why are you not coming, I am so lost in you and you are putting me through so much grief etc) in the sahityam part of a varnam and then when the varnam moves on to the jati/swaram part the dancer switches to this bright big smile that is totally at odds with the lyrics preceding it or following it. I feel this breaks the song into these compartments that don't flow smoothly from one to the next. Even thought nritta is pure dance is it necessary to have that smile - can't a dancer remain in the main bhava (sthayi bhava? ) of the song? Also from the discussion in the sixth episode it appears different schools have different rules regarding this. Could you elaborate on that?

As for the Nritta Abhinayam, It's a matter of personal taste. Some view the Jathis as break between Abhinaya passages. If you look at certain lyrics, the tone can change between Pallavi and Anupallavi, so the Jathi is there to delineate a separation. Gives the audience a break. Others believe that a Jathi should reflect the mood and be consistent with the entire piece. It really depends on the varnam and its duration. Also, each bani has its own rules regarding what type of bhava to depict.

also one of the young men in the sixth episode was talking about using letters and then sentences and so on to express ourselves when we first start talking/writing and later on when we communicate, even if we forget grammar we are still understood. and so the dancer must dance and if grammar be lost so be it. i beg to differ here. great literature or even a good article in the new york times is great/good because of the feeling it is able to evoke in the reader/the information it gives the reader but giving up grammar, even a little bit, would only detract from the main purpose of communicating well. The communication need not be flawless but it does need to be grammatically correct and effective. from the discussion it appears the senior most dancers are held to less stringent rules of grammar than other mere mortals. i would have thought the reverse would be true?

I guess the analogy got stretched a bit. Thanks for pointing that out. The discussion was not about forgetting the grammar and performing as one wishes. Rather, the discussion went in a direction based on a quote of Martha Graham. In any case, we do not hold (and do not think) that less stringent rules apply to senior most dancers than others. So, apologies if the discussion gave that appearance, rather it is not. Basically, the conclusion of the discussion was that some audience go to see some of the senior's performance with keeping in mind what to expect. Of course, there is only one ruler to measure everyone.

I would also like to know how others feel about this - dancers, musicians and rasikas.
thanks and keep up the good work, arattarangetram folks![/quote]

Thanks and keep watching our future episodes.
Arattarangetram Team