It’s the soul that dances, not just the body. Aptly put by celebrated Bharatanatyam danseuse Rama Vaidyanathan, the audience of the city will get to see her along with two talented Indian classical dancers — Meenakshi Srinivasan and Mythili Prakash, at this unique dance festival called Divinity Series.
With an aim to attract diverse audience towards the traditional dance form, the three day fest has brought together these three dancers who have their unique, fresh and modern approach to the beautiful dance form. In its maiden year, the fest has got a huge response from the younger audiences as well. “The idea of conducting such a fest came to my husband’s (Deepak Shourie) and my mind in a flash. We thought of celebrating the beautiful dance form as a festival so that the traditional side of the performances reaches a wider audience,” says Jyotsna Shourie, the organiser and a dancer herself.
The festival has been extensively promoted through social networking portals. “We don’t want to present fusion or anything like that. Traditions are like the roots of a tree which have to be strong. I am sure that the audience will be diverse and not just the rasikas,” she adds.
So will we get to see new choreography? “We don’t need to change the choreography. The fact that we three were chosen explains that we can connect to a wider
audience. My piece will be a fine blend of traditions, and the thought behind it will be modern,” says Delhi-based Vaidyanathan, who will be presenting the dance of the peacock through the moves of Bharatanatyam dance. Known for her poetic choreography, Srinivasan from Chennai will be presenting a posy of poems by celebrated Indian poets through her elegant dance moves and music. “I want to present authentic Bharatanatyam to the audience. We don’t need to simplify it. In fact everything about the dance is modern, be it the music or the lyrics. Our Indian literature is divine, it’s bhakti and shringara oriented,” she explains. US-based Mythili Prakash will conclude the fest with her elegant and chiselled lines of dance. “Her style is unique and stunning. Her magnetism on stage and her choreography is compelling,” adds Shourie.
So will we get to see new choreography? “We don’t need to change the choreography. The fact that we three were chosen explains that we can connect to a wider
audience. My piece will be a fine blend of traditions, and the thought behind it will be modern,” says Delhi-based Vaidyanathan, who will be presenting the dance of the peacock through the moves of Bharatanatyam dance. Known for her poetic choreography, Srinivasan from Chennai will be presenting a posy of poems by celebrated Indian poets through her elegant dance moves and music. “I want to present authentic Bharatanatyam to the audience. We don’t need to simplify it. In fact everything about the dance is modern, be it the music or the lyrics. Our Indian literature is divine, it’s bhakti and shringara oriented,” she explains. US-based Mythili Prakash will conclude the fest with her elegant and chiselled lines of dance. “Her style is unique and stunning. Her magnetism on stage and her choreography is compelling,” adds Shourie.
Catch it live
What: Divinity Series
When: September 27-29
Timing: 7-9pm
Where: Chinmaya Auditorium, Lodhi Road
NEAREST METRO STATION: Khan Market on the Violet Line