Dance is the most accessible of the arts that involves your body and mind to react to a note of music or sound of jati, producing exciting moments. There is no wisdom or knowledge, nor art and devices of action that is not there in Bharata’s Natya Sastra . One got to see this confluence when young and beautiful dancer Vyshnavie Sainath brought out a novel theme titled ‘Silpam’ and presented it at Ravindra Bharati, last week under the aegis of South Indian Cultural Association (SICA). No wonder she has such a fan following that the entire auditorium was filled to the brink.
Vyshnavie’s dance looked as though it was celebration of what all was taught in Natya Sastra. It was universality of emotions where different dance forms like Bharatanatyam, Odissi and Rajasthani found place. To be precise, one would like to say that the theme woven around was mere excuse to bring in all these forms into action.
Greater advantage Vyshnavie had was the accompanists’ support most of them hailing from Chennai. On the kirtana side it was just pallavi line of compositions, repeatedly rendered in myriad ways in different ragas and talas in varying speeds. One just concentrates on every move of Vyshnavie that also included karana and yoga forms, all to rhythm.
The theme has been inspired by a Greek Mythology ‘Metamorphoses’. In ‘Shilpam’, the sculptor who’s been commissioned to do a sculpture of a woman by the king, does his job well, in fact so well that he falls in love with it when it comes to life. So smitten is the Sculptor that he refuses to part with the ‘shilpam’. The infuriated king threatens to cut off the sculptor’s hand. But, the beautiful ‘statue’ speaks out saying the loss of the hand will mean the loss of great works of art to the world. This statue then thinks it is better to assume its original form of a beautiful statue for the benefit of the world.
Though story in short is comprehensive, it was how Vyshnavie presented this theme was mattered most. This was the most attractive chapter of her presentation. She was seen quickly changing into the minimal costumes of a Bharatanatyam artiste, Odissi and Rajasthani too assuming the sculpted figures. She was simply brilliant in adapting to these styles too including the folk element of Rajasthani. Her performance also included a display of the flexibility of her body whre she did splits with elan. There were some karana postures too.
Seasoned instrumental and vocal support too stood by her with Karaikkudi Mani composing marked jatis of complex patterns that Vyshnavie presented true to their spirit. The compositions vocalist Gomathy Nayagam rendered were Bhuvaname Mechchiya Shilpiyam Arpudham in Gowla meaning universal praise of shilpi for his artistic quality; Vaanmugil Guzhalgal, Maanpondra Vizhigal Mayilanna Aattam describing hair, eyes and dances; and Vilai Pesamal Payilvai Silaiyai Meendum Maariduven thematically meaning she better stay back as sculpture.
Karra Srinivas conducted the show with refined nattuvangam to mridangam by Nagai Narayanan and flute by young Shruti Sagar, a big draw. To suit other styles Budhanath Swain of Odissa played Pakhawaj, Nandakumar on sitar, Aslam Khan on sarangi and Srikanth on tabla. Music was composed by Rajkumar Bharati to lyrics penned by Kavi Kannan. Concept and choreography was by Rajeswari Sainath and Karaikkudi Mani. Basavaraju took care of lighting effects.
