Abhanga Rang

This production has materalised after 4 years of research on the Varkari Sampradaya (-tradition) of Maharashtra by Smt. Rajashree Shirke. The maharashtrian Saint Poets enhanced this tradition and enriched the literature of Maharashtra by their soulful devotional poems – abhangas. Such great philosophical sermons are given in the simplest of language, through the poetic form of abhangas.
This project works towards making these abhangas more colourful and picturesque by adapting them to the medium of dance.

Trayantra

in celebration of the seasons

A presentation based on the philosophical truths culled out of a collective understanding of some major Upanishads. Trayyanta as an endeavor is a ‘quest’ to perceive and project the Upanishadic truths through the idiom of classical dance.

At the macrocosmic level it signifies the pursuit of the human race to find deeper meaning of life beyond mundane existence. At the microcosmic level the quest is of the choreographer to re-investigate the power of abstractions and imageries in Bharatanatyam.

Giving up the dependency on words it reaffirms the connection of dance and spirituality. Trayyanta is an experiential work of art for both - the dancer and the spectator.

A presentation based on the philosophical truths culled out of a collective understanding of some major Upanishads. Trayyanta as an endeavor is a ‘quest’ to perceive and project the Upanishadic truths through the idiom of classical dance.

Margam

a solo dance-drama

Margam - means the path. Classical Indian dance is not mere entertainment. If practised with the right focus, intention and approach it leads the practitioner and the beholder to a higher plane of existence. The traditional repertoire of Bharatanatyam, within its structure as well as the presentation reflects this ‘truth’. Solo form of Bharatanatyam challenges the dancer and the dancing body, at once, to oscillate between being an individual identity to a philosophical concept.

(Some of the signature pieces are Ardhanarishwara- the choreography that has emerged out of a personal and an artistic journey reflects the two dynamic principles – the masculine and the femine. A composition of Muttuswami Dikshitar. Mukti- It is about a low caste saint Nandanar who is denied entry in temples…his angst…his fears..his suppression…his faith in god. Subhashitas – a unique piece wherein there are two shlokas based on hasya rasa. Harihara…..)

Saugna nirguna

a solo dance-drama

Saguna Nirguna - a journey withIN.

This performance is in two halves. The truth is that All is one universal ultimate principle -brahman. The journey, which initially, is to reach the unknown through what can be perceived and relished. It’s the human mind that has given the various images of gods. Its these gods with whom we build a relationship, whom we celebrate and venerate.

Once we realise that ‘everything’ is a manifestation of ’Him’ the journey begins moving inwards. “Who am I ?” is the question. This is the second half of the presentation. Saguna- nirguna is a reflection of this journey of the self.

Venugaan

a solo dance-drama

Venugaan -
Krishna is universally remembered as an incarnation of complete divinity in human form. Though he was deified and glorified he too was a human caught in the vortex of its joys and sorrows.

In Venugaan, Krishna is not just love of Bridavan or the king of Dwaraka as we know him. He is, instead, just like any ambitious man who is questioning the right and wrong of his actions, fighting with doubts about appropriate or inappropriate decisions taken.

It is the last day of his life. Flashes of memories with Radha, Rukmini, Arjuna, Kunti, Gandhari have surrounded him, his tragic journey of ambition haunts him, his life has become an unsolvable mystery.

Naamaa Mhane

...an awakening

Naamdev is one of the foremost saints from the Vaarkari sampradaya of Maharashtra who popularised the Bhagwat dharma in the 12th century. His influence also reached the north-west regions of India where he venerated by the Sikhs and the Dadupanthis.“Naama mhane…”, far from being an episodic enactment of his life, has evolved as a choreographers response to the spiritual awakening that affected Naamdev. The choreography is essentially built around three thematic landscapes :

• Bhaktibhaav – the childlike innocent conversations of Naamaa with Vithal; be it as a young boy, a teenager or a young man, that seeped into his persona and his abhanga’s
• Inward Gaze – the power of naamajapa to calm down the emotional turbulence caused when the body-mind are entrapped and enslaved by the transitory pleasures of life.
• Social awareness - addressing the divides created by humans; be it the vaishnavaites/shaivaites or touchables/untouchables.

Performers note- The choreography uses traditional interpretations, abstract narrations, classical motifs to portray journey of ‘Naamadev’ from being an individual identity to a philosophical concept- spiritual idea.“Naama mhane…” explores and examines various components of Bharatanatyam in its individual capacity to empower the dancer to lift the self and the spectators to an experiential state called ‘bhakti’.

Shrimant Yogi

Shrimant Yogi, a Bharatanatyam endeavour, attempts to capture a few impressions of a phenomenon that was - Shivaji Maharaj. The premise of the performance is the cultural, social and emotional state of the society and Shivaji himself. The entire performance far from the chronological life and history of Shivaji Maharaj, is more of an impressionistic dance expression.

Three hundred years of Mughal rule…. a wounded society…. birth of the saviour…. pledge of swarajya… war against the oppressors… establishment of Hindavi swarajya… inner spiritual conflict… the coronation…becoming Chatrapati Shivaji… the rule of dharma.

This is an inspiring tale of sacrifices, of war and conflict, of establishing Swarajya and of dharma. This is a story of a true Karmayogi- Shivaji Maharaj.

Sringar Rang

a solo dance-drama

It is a unique show which explores Sringar Rasa through two art forms - Bharatnatyam and Lavani. While Bharatnatyam uses its structured and refined approach to eroticism, Lavani throws the raw sensuality in its fluid renderings. It is interesting to see how one affects the other, where Lavani opens up to the discipline and divinity of Bharatnatyam, the latter derives energy and attemts to take the uninhibited approach to evoke eroticism. The show also uses a mix of male and female energies through their dance, voice and expression. Both the art forms are presented one after the other linking them through a well researched compering to take the audience to the next level.
There are totally 18 artists on stage.

Urvashi (produce by-mantra vision pvt.ltd)

...an awakening

Urvashi “Celebration of Love and Womanhood” A Dance-drama which is an enthralling mythological love story of a celestial maiden who is in quest 0f her own identity... in exploration 0f Love and the power to express her rights as woman.

Urvashi The heavenly nymph in Court 0f Lord Indra is not only the most beautiful and talented amongst all Apsaras; but cogent enough to quest her identity and valiant to revolt the heavenly laws tor her rights and sovereignty as woman. The story unfolds the extraordinary qualities of Urvashi as she has been created by a human where heart rules the mind.
The Presentation will lead us to the introspective journey towards inner self and to reveal the meaning of true love and celebrating womanhood.

Debotar Grash

a solo dance-drama

The Presentation - Vaibhav explores the motif of the beautiful, fragile and enigmatic relationship between a little boy and his mother through Tagore’s poem ‘Debotaar Grash from Sanchaiti. Vaibhav further imaginatively integrates ‘Bir Purush/Hero’, ‘My Song’ and ‘The End’ from The Crescent Moon collection which is written from the perspective of either the child or the mother. In ‘Debotaar Grash’, the mother decides to go on a pilgrimage leaving her child with her sister. But, the child is determined to go with her. Angered at the insistence, the mother curses the child that she will assign him to the sea if he persists. So, she goes ahead with her pilgrimage with the child. As the sea gets engulfed in a storm and there seems to be no way out, someone on the ship suggests that one of the travellers had promised an offering to the sea and unless that offering is made, no one would be spared. The mother gets pangs of guilt and horror as she remembers her words and is eventually forced by the fellow travelers to offer her son to the sea. Vaibhav tries to portray this poignant dilemma of the mother through his performance.
Performers note- There has been for long a deep desire to explore the mother-child relationship through my medium of art-classical dance. To explore something much more deeper in its emotional content than the usual songs used in dance. Thus was born 'Debotar Grash"- a solo dance drama on the saga of a mother and her child.

Debotar Grash becomes the frame within which is painted the emotional landscape of a child's innocence and mothers love. The original poem is translated into visual poetry of movements. The idiom, ofcourse, is that of Bharatanatyam. But the free spirit of Guru Rabindranath Tagore, an artiste whose expressions though articulated in the Bengali language has the unique energy to touch the innermost chords of universal human emotions, has influenced and affected the design of this endeavour. Hence spoken works interspersed within the narrative texture of Bharatanatyam, the flavour off English poems juxtapositoned against his original Bengali, Hindustani music and Karnatic percussion ensemble have been woven into the audio-visual texture of this Debotar Grash.

Mukti

the voice from the margins

It is the story of a Tamil saint- Nandanar….born a low caste…his angst, his fears, his suppression ….. yet his determined faith in his god….is attainment of the divine vision…is “Mukti”.
As a universal experience it voices the struggle of the people on the margins. At the personal level it is voice of any individual who has overcome worst obstacles.

Debotar Grash becomes the frame within which is painted the emotional landscape of a child's innocence and mothers love. The original poem is translated into visual poetry of movements. The idiom, ofcourse, is that of Bharatanatyam. But the free spirit of Guru Rabindranath Tagore, an artiste whose expressions though articulated in the Bengali language has the unique energy to touch the innermost chords of universal human emotions, has influenced and affected the design of this endeavour. Hence spoken works interspersed within the narrative texture of Bharatanatyam, the flavour off English poems juxtapositoned against his original Bengali, Hindustani music and Karnatic percussion ensemble have been woven into the audio-visual texture of this Debotar Grash.

Narmade Har Hara

in praise of Narmada Maiyya

In India, from ancient times, rivers have been given immense honour and respect. They are venerated as benevolent Mother goddess. A dip in a holy river is said to give the devotee eternal salvation. This Bharatanatyam presentation is a mythical as well as a mystical journey on the banks of mighty Narmada.
A Narmadaavaasi who makes his spiritual journey down the river, recounts the amazing stories and visions that the river invokes. The birth of Shiva-kanya i.e. river Narmada; her pravaaha- as a mugdha, madhya and pragalbhaa naayikaa; the Narmada parikrama- the myths of the various teertha-s on her banks; finally a narrative of the chaos that results from the conflict between man verses nature and the dilemma of Narmada maiyya are the various dance images woven into the dance choreography.
Today when we have moved away from the nature, symbolised by the river here, this endeavour reinforces the need of the hour- to live in harmony with nature.

Shiva

Multiple choreographies woven together, "Shiva" interprets the male and female entities in the universe within the all encompassing Shiva.

Shiva is the Ultimate Brahman. He who is Nirguna-niraakara (formless) but, ofcourse for the mortals He is perceived as Saguna- Saakaar (one with a form). He is perceived as Nataraja; Gangadhara; Neelakanth; Bhoothnath.
Shakti- is the supreme untameable, universal energy. “We bow to you oh! Durga”- the one who is the most splendid manifestation of Devi. Virginal and sublime she contains within her the power of all gods.
He is worshipped as Ardhanarishwara (Shiva-Parvati) and Hari-Hara (Shiva-Vishnu). The only god who merges his identity to have this concept of dual-principle godhead.
The Bhakti bhava's are various relations that the bhakta enjoys with his ishata-devata, in this case Shiva. The various bhakti-bhav-s are: Madhura bhava bhakti, Kanta-sakti, Sakhya bhakti, Dasya bhakti, Shanta bhakti which are narrated through dance.
Nataraj- the cosmic dancer- represents the constant bio-dance of life-creation, sustenance and dissolution. He who cannot be seen but can be realized through the manifestation of five elements.

Ekatatva

a performance in Odissi, Kathak and Bharatanatyam

Ekatatva is an endeavour where art and artist unite in pursuit of the Supreme Bliss.
Ekatava is about celebrating the use of the body through all of its movements to reach beyond the plane of mundane in search of higher existence.
Ekatava is a common principle of thought that strings together three dancers , three choreographers and three classical dance styles- Odissi, Kathak and Bharatanatyam

Sankhya presents - Vasant-Grishma-Varsha-Shishir-Vasant

Show design: Sushant Jadhav
Concept and Choreography: Vaibhav Arekar
Music compositions and arrangement: Aalap Desai
Percussion design and Music Composition: Satish Krishnamurthy
Poets: Sant Meerabai, Dharamapuri Subbaraiyyar, Nalesh patil and Sudheer Moghe.
Recorded at Trio Studios : Recordist
Costume design and Light design: Sushant Jadhav
Assistants: Radhika Karandikar, Rutuja Madiwale, Eesha Pinglay, Ruta Gokhale
Dancers: Eesha Pinglay, Swarada Bhave, Pracheta Bhatt, Ruta Gokhale, Mrinal Joshi, Aditi Paranjpe, Radhika Karandikar, Shruti Ranade, Chaitrali Dalvi, Gyansi Naik and Gautam Marathe.
Special Thanks to NCPA, Nupur jhankar, Sachin Lele, Shiela Raheja auditorium
Musicians:
Vocals – Rajashree Pathak, Vidya Harikrishnan, Alap Desai and Sathish,Krishnamurthy.
Percussion –
Pakhawaj - Ganesh
Sitar - Bhagirath Bhat
Violin - Manas kumar
Basuri - Milind Shevde and Sandeep Kulkarni
Mrudangam, Ghatam, Khanjira – Satish Krishnamurthy