Tag: dance

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Arts & Culture Culture Lite Blogs

Kathak depicts phases of life creation

In collaboration with Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsava, the Bhartiya Sangeet Sadan is all set to present the “Kathak ki Kahani – Kathak Through Ages” on 28rd July 2023, at 7:00 PM onwards in India Islamic Cultural Centre, Lodhi Road by renowned Kathak exponent, Dr. Uma Sharma, and her group…reports Asian Lite News

The Kathak dance from had its birth in the temples of Ayodhya and Vrindavan in the form of Raas Leela and where it was used as pantomime to accompany the recitation of the Kathaks (Katha Vachak), the professional story-tellers who recounted and interpreted tales from Hindu mythology such as Shreemad Bhagvat and Ramayan etc.

It soon involved dance and song as these rhapsodists reached the point of ecstasy in their devotion. Then it became a full fledged hereditary art. It was one of the ancient, great classical forms and was recognized in the Hindu Shastras, the artistic canons for these arts which were still religious.

Kathak was then introduced as a form of entertainment in the courts of the Hindu Rajas or Kings and became a secular art. It is during this period that it began its development as a distinct and individualistic style, In a great period of renaissance in India, the cult of Krishna was at its height. The major part of the interpretive themes centred around Radha Krishna (symbolic of the urge of the soul for the universal of divine soul). And these themes were developed into passages of mimetic dance (or dance drama, as they soon became) retelling incidents in the life of Krishna. Simultaneously, material verses using words in praise of Krishna coupled with rhythmic syllables came to be composed and used in Kathak Thus another dimension was added to this highly composite form.

The Kathak dance depicts ‘Life’. The three phases of creation, preservation and destruction “Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh” are clearly reflected through this media. It is therefore based on natural movements and is not confined to mudras. Its poses are more lifelike than sculptures and abhinaya subtle and true to life cover a very large canvas. Ending with Vijayi Vishwa Tiranga Pyara, Jhanda Uncha Rahe Hamara by group dancers.

“As a senior dancer, I believe it is crucial for the public to truly understand the essence of Kathak dance. Today, we witness a gradual decline in the number of Kathak artists. It is disheartening to see this beautiful art form losing its prominence. Kathak is not merely a dance; it is a gateway to our rich cultural heritage, a mesmerizing blend of rhythm, grace, and storytelling. Let us embrace and appreciate the magnificence of Kathak, preserving its legacy for generations to come. Together, we can revive its splendor and ensure that this timeless art form continues to enchant and inspire all who witness its magic.”

In collaboration with Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsava, the Bhartiya Sangeet Sadan is all set to present the “Kathak ki Kahani – Kathak Through Ages” on 28rd July 2023, at 7:00 PM onwards in India Islamic Cultural Centre, Lodhi Road by renowned Kathak exponent, Dr. Uma Sharma, and her group.

The program “Kathak Ki Kahani” is a dance performance where students from Dance Bhartiya Sangeet Sadan will showcase the art of Kathak dance. They will beautifully portray the stories through their dance movements. The renowned Kathak exponent, Padma Bhushan Uma Sharma ji, will also grace the stage and present a mesmerizing Kathak nitrya abhinav performance. 

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Bollywood Lite Blogs

‘Hip-Hop is the coolest and most fun styles of dance’

Expressing her excitement on being part of the show, she said: “‘Hip-Hop India’ are literally the words that I like to shout out loud whenever I see anyone grooving and dancing…reports Asian Lite News

Bollywood diva Nora Fatehi is all set to be a judge on the dance reality show, ‘Hip-Hop India’, and termed it as ‘pure excitement manifested into reality’.

Nora will join choreographer Remo D’Souza as a co-judge, as the two scout for country’s next biggest Hip-Hop sensation, while enthralling audiences with their on-screen charisma and chemistry. The poster of the show features Nora in an unique avatar sporting a glamorous underground look.

Expressing her excitement on being part of the show, she said: “‘Hip-Hop India’ are literally the words that I like to shout out loud whenever I see anyone grooving and dancing. Hip-Hop is one of the coolest and most fun styles of dance that exists. To be a judge on this show and the fact that my co-judge is my dear friend, Remo, is nothing but pure excitement manifested into reality.”

The show will stream from July 21 on Amazon miniTV.

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Culture Lite Blogs

Vande Mataram: Bharat Ek Sone ki Chidiya

With the G20 logo and the world in the background, they performed Odissi and Mohiniyattam dances that showcased the beauty and grace of traditional Indian dance…reports Asian Lite News

“Vande Mataram: Bharat Ek Sone ki Chidiya,” a stunning dance ballet that brought India’s rich culture to life through a visual feast of colour, movement, and song, was performed by the Urvashi Dance song Art & Cultural Society. The choreography for the dance ballet was overseen by Rekha Mehra. Viewers were amazed by the amazing performance, which included elements of classical, folk, and modern dancing. 80 disadvantaged girls were among the 100 artists that performed for the audience.

The Satyam Shivam Sundaram theme and an exuberant, lively taal played on the piano and tabla set the mood for the rest of the ballet’s performance. Then came the Kathak and Chhau dancers, who were decked out in stunning white gowns and whose movements were graceful and mesmerising.  The Chhau dance added a unique touch to the performance. A stunning jugalbandi of sitar and mridangam was played after that, delighting the audience. The next act was a Manipuri dance that reflected the magnificence of our country, which has always been referred to as “Sone ki Chidiya.” The dancers wore petals and displayed the magnificent patterns and embellishments of nature in the background while donning the petals.

With the G20 logo and the world in the background, they performed Odissi and Mohiniyattam dances that showcased the beauty and grace of traditional Indian dance. The Shakti, Yukti Sambhritam Bhavatu Bharatam performance paid homage to the valour of pioneers and soldiers who lost their lives to secure our independence and protect us. The event became more joyful with the Holi performance that came after.

Following was the Baisakhi festival, which featured a rural scenario that immersed the audience in a rural setting, replete with dancing crops. The Haryanvi beat gave the performance an earthy taste, and the Bharatnatyam poses resembling yoga asanas were a great compliment. The use of Malkham demonstrated the flexibility of the performers. Rekha Mehra’s performance honoured the empowerment of women by showcasing their talents and adaptability. Sword dances by the girls highlighted their might and might. Another wonderful performance that enthralled the audience was Ganga Aarti. The last performance was a celebration of India’s grandeur and featured a song in multiple Indian languages. The dancers paid tribute to Vishwaguru by giving a loving and passionate performance to the music.

The event was attended by several important dignitaries, including Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of Culture, ICCR President Dr Vinay Sehsrabuddhe, Film Actress Joyshree,   Bollywood Ace Choreographer  Dharmesh Yelande and Taran Mehndi, CEO at DRecords International Pvt Ltd.

Talking about the event, Rekha Mehra said, “We are delighted to present this larger-than-life dance ballet, which draws together the various art of Indian culture as well as artists from various nations. The entire performance was carried out using numerous props imported from Singapore to bring life to the sets and the performances.”

The magnificent performance captivated the audience, which not only included a blend of classical, folk, and modern dance techniques, but also a stunning background and props imported from Singapore. These feature huge butterfly wings, large pink and yellow flower petals, golden bird attire, and a Led screen.

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Every artist has her personal dialogue with her art form

Dancer Rama Vaidyanathan.

Managing to maintain a fine balance between tradition and innovation, the dancer says it is impossible for her body to move in a ‘un – Bharatanatyam’ manner. “My technique has always been grounded,” she adds…reports Asian Lite News

For several years now, she has been venturing into new avenues of Bharatanatyam with respect to vocabulary, poetry, and treatment. Choreographing multiple dance compositions that can become a part of the traditional repertoire, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award-winning dancer Rama Vaidyanathan’s latest ‘New Dimensions to Margam’ born out of these ventures will have its India preview on April 21 at India Habitat Centre in the national capital as part of Madhvi Festival.

One of the directors of Ganesha Natyalaya, the dancer says it has been an exciting journey discovering her dance form, celebrating it, and adapting it to her body, mind, and intellect. “Every artist has her personal dialogue with her art form, and it is this phenomenon that helps the art form to evolve. In my case as well, I was able to harness the vocabulary that I learned from my gurus and search for a fresh impetus and different approach which then became my own individual statement,” she tells.

For someone who started creating her own pieces quite early in life, there was never any apprehension about what the purists would think. “Well, I was too busy having fun with my dance, and doing that, you seldom stop to think of its repercussions. The madness of exploring, deciphering, and reconstructing had engulfed me so strongly that all I could do was to throw myself wholeheartedly into creating new compositions,” she recalls.

Anyone who has witnessed Vaidyanathan on stage can effortlessly gauge that her performances go beyond grammar and conventions. She says it is imperative to go beyond the form because the same is the basic medium of communication and its essence and beauty will be enhanced only if there is a soulful liberation in its execution. “It is a tool that we need to utilize with aesthetics and sensitivity. It is a path need to walk on to discover new spaces and embark on exciting journeys.”

NCPA Mudra Dance Festival 2022.(photo:IANSLIFE)

Managing to maintain a fine balance between tradition and innovation, the dancer says it is impossible for her body to move in a ‘un – Bharatanatyam’ manner. “My technique has always been grounded,” she adds.

Staying in Delhi, Vaidyanathan has always been exposed to multiple art forms and follows sculpture, painting, literature, music, and genres of dance as well. “This has helped me open several doors in my mind and has widened my perspectives. Particularly with regards to poetry in different languages that find a lot of space in my repertoire.”

Pleased with the many performance courses that have been introduced by different private universities, she feels dance is serious, and needs to be studied just as other disciplines of learning are done. Along with the actual practical stream of dancing, such courses teach about the treatises on dance, its history, social connotations, and areas of research. “This gives the dancer a very holistic approach to dance and at the end of the course, it throws open many more vistas of exploring for the student. Performance is just one aspect of dance, there are many other areas, especially scholarship that we actually need many more youngsters to adopt.”

Stressing that the country needs more professional setups for dance — with proper payments, opportunities for performance and research, where artists can make a living from art, Vaidyanathan adds that there is also a need for schemes for pensions for aged artistes and scholarships for young dancers from weak economic backgrounds who do not have resources and the capacity to enter into this world.

She also feels that the private sector needs to support classical dance more liberally considering in India the government is still engaged in providing basic medical needs and education to a large section of our society. “It is definitely the responsibility of the society as a whole to preserve, cherish and propagate our ancient arts.”

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High Commissioner of Singapore dances at G20 meet

G20 delegates experienced tea plucking on the sidelines of the first-day event…reports Asian Lite News

High Commissioner of Singapore in India Simon Wong danced with folk artists at a G20 meeting in West Bengal’s Darjeeling.

“A wonderful evening at the G20 Tourism Working Group meeting. Moonlight tea picking was the highlight. HC Wong,” Singapore in India tweeted on Saturday. G20 delegates experienced tea plucking on the sidelines of the G20 Tourism Working Group Meeting in Darjeeling.

During the three-day meetings, the foreign delegates would get to experience the tea industry, Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and adventure tourism.

“Our second meeting for tourism has taken place here in Darjeeling. This is a new experience for the G20 delegates. The workers who work here are also getting encouragement after this. Tea tourism will increase in the upcoming years,” Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy said.

Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy said that tea tourism will increase in the coming years, after attending the first-day event at the second G20 Tourism Working Group Meeting here on Saturday.

Union Minister said, “Our second meeting for tourism has taken place here in Darjeeling. This is a new experience for the G20 delegates. The workers who work here are also getting encouragement after this. Tea tourism will increase in the upcoming years.”

Meanwhile, the G20 delegates experienced tea plucking on the sidelines of the first-day event.

Darjeeling, the Queen of the Himalayas and one of India’s leading tourist destinations, along with Siliguri, located in the foothills of the Himalayas, has been chosen to host the second Tourism Working Group meeting from April 1-3, 2023.

Around 130 participants are attending the event.

The delegates from the G-20 member countries will get the opportunity to discuss the ways of reviving the tourism sector which got affected due to the Covid pandemic, in this three-day meeting from April 1 to April 3.

On the first-day event, Chief coordinator of G20 Harshvardhan Shringla said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed us to showcase India to the world as we are ready to host the G20 Summit in September this year. I recall him saying that, “each part of India has its own uniqueness, heritage, beauty and culture and that our G20 meetings should not be confined to the national capital, New Delhi, alone.”

To explore India during the G20 meeting, Shringla said, “The delegates from the G-20 member countries will get the opportunity to discuss the ways of reviving the tourism sector which got affected due to the Covid pandemic, in this three-day meet.”

During his speech, he also pointed out, “India, especially the North Eastern part of the country will get a big opportunity to showcase the rich cultural heritage and tourism potentials dominated in the region.

“Around 10 ambassadors from different countries including Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, G20 Chief Coordinator HarshVardhan Shringla, Arvind Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism participated in the program in Siliguri and Darjeeling on the first day of the second G20 Tourism Working Group meeting. (ANI)

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Arts & Culture Lite Blogs London News

Sanskruti’s SaptaTandava enraptures diverse audiences

Presenters and Organisers of Sivoham event

The seven Tandavas of Lord Shiva were presented through a variety of dance forms

Sapta Tandava- a theme that remained unexplored in the dancing scene in Britain, was presented at The Bhavan recently.

Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence has pioneered another interesting subject- the seven Tandavas of Lord Shiva, which were presented through a variety of dance forms- Yakshagana, Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Mohiniattam, and Kuchipudi.

Amish Tripathi speaking at Sivoham event.

The event titled Sivoham was attended by 300+ audiences coming from different parts of England. Renowned Author Amish Tripathi, Minister (Culture & Education), and Director of Nehru Centre, London was the Chief Guest of the function where he befittingly gave the opening words on Shiva, his reverence and relevance.

He also commended the artists and the organisers for bringing out such a salient subject. Invocation to Shiva was rendered through classical and tribal dances by young and old alike, on Panchakshari stotra and rare folklore.

Sapta Tandavas were then beautifully presented by Shivani Bhandari, Arya Arun, Yogindra Maravante, Lakshmi Aveen, Ragasudha Vinjamuri, Manju Sunil, and Dr. Pritha Dasmahapatra, while the context of each Tandava was explained as a prelude.

Folklore Invocation to Lord Shiva

Centuries-old compositions of Shahuji Maharaj of Tanjavur,(Chhatarapati Shivaji’s grand nephew) Mahadeva Sambho of Andhra Pradesh, etc. in Sanskrit, Marathi, and Telugu were used for the depiction.

The concept is conceived and executed by Ragasudha Vinjamuri, who herself presented one of the Tandavas,  Dr. Mattur Nandakumara, Executive Director of The Bhavan felicitated the artists. The vote of thanks was rendered by Sushil Rapatwar and the program was anchored by Radhika Joshi and Raj Agrawal.

Invocation

Invocaton dances were presented by Devanshi Patel Uppula, Swechha Manikireddy, Harsheta Pratap, Vutpala Sai Samruddhi, Diya Shanmugam, Sucheta Mangalagiri, Kaavya Rapatwar, Ayati Yuvaraj, Shravani Shivashankar, Aditi Mote, Madhusri Prasanna, Darshika Vijay, Sreehitha Shunkishala, Pritika Sivakumar, Medha Sunil, Dr. M Srinivasa Rao, Vanamala Accha, Ahana Hegde, Ananya, Shirisha Devraj and Shreya.

Sanskruti Centre has been presenting culturally and socially important subjects through classical dance, researching & highlighting folk and tribal dance traditions and linguistic diversity of India for the past 14 years in the UK.

Sivapanchakshari Stotra presentation
Ananda Tandava by Shivani Bhandari
Sandhya Tandava by Arya Arun
Kalika Tandava by Yogindra Maravante
Vijaya Tandava by Lakshmi Aveen
Oordhva Tandava by Ragasudha Vinjamuri
Uma Tandava by Manju Sunil
Samhara Tandava by Dr Pritha Dasmahapatra
Sapta Tandavas
Appluading Sapta Tandava
A section of audiences at Sivoham
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Arts & Culture Lite Blogs

‘We do not fit in India’s budget’

Leela Samson

Samson, who recently curated ‘Charishnu’ at Sunder Nursery in the national capital hosted by the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), its first major cultural event in a public space…reports Sukant Deepak

As we speak, a procession of writers have entered this institution in Kerala where the pen is the deity…

Asserting that it is only people who can really do anything instrumental for arts, and not monolith governments which rarely understand the nuances of traditions — be it pottery, instrument making or the dance forms, Padma Shri recipient dancer, choreographer and writer Leela Samson feels the latter end up making dance and music as a form of entertainment, using it to their advantage.

“Throw in the smoke and glitter, put people in arenas… This larger-than-life kind of exhibit based on the Russian model takes away from our art form and brings it to a common level. It is more appearance than actuality, and yes, it is a tragedy as you seem to be giving out a message to the future generations — only this much is enough. On top of that, you get school kids to do it, who are not trained traditional dancers…and so many artists are forgotten,” the former Director of Kalashetra tells.

NCPA presents 3-day Nakshatra Dance Festival. (CREDIT:IANSLIFE)

Samson, who recently curated ‘Charishnu’ at Sunder Nursery in the national capital hosted by the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), its first major cultural event in a public space.

The production included several of India’s dance forms and brought together some of India’s most celebrated dancer-choreographers in a collaborative production, directed by Samson, who started learning Indian classical dance and music at the age of nine at Kalakshetra, under its founder Rukmini Devi Arundale.

Intentionally choosing pre-Vedic texts as they deal with concepts of time and space, and not religion, Samson, who formed Spanda (1995), a dance group to review the traditional vocabulary of Bharatanatyam, says that the kind of students she had were always awakened, knew the importance of questioning and believed in putting their points across.

Talk to her about the fact that most government-run akademis have become redundant, something one witnessed during the pandemic when they could not come up with a model to help artists, and this former chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CFBC) feels that while successive governments have always been careful to put an artist as a figurehead in these so-called autonomous organisations, they are not autonomous in any way.

“Frankly, in the larger scheme of things, we do not fit in India’s budget. The kind of allocation that is given ensures that everyone has to fight over that. However, I am quite pleasantly surprised by some localised sabha systems in different parts of the country wherein people take the lead and contribute towards art — the government has nothing to do with it,” feels this recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi award.

She says such localisation is a truly democratic approach, and if that happens one could dream of a situation where arts are nourished by the people.

NCPA presents 3-day Nakshatra Dance Festival. (CREDIT:IANSLIFE)

Talk to her about the many private art foundations that have come up, and she asserts that they may become the new “maharajas of the culture”.

“Well, they might be a little better than the government because they have both Indian and western sensibilities, but there might be setbacks too. Also, for many, it is a great branding exercise to show that they are not just interested in business and care of heritage and the arts.”

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Mayuri Upadhya born to ‘create’ and she will continue to do that

Talking about her studio process and how she selects her themes (or how they ‘come’ to her), this dancer and choreographer states when one is an artiste, creativity trickles down to every part of the DNA…writes Sukant Deepak

Her journey with dance started at the age of six. She stresses that for her it is not just an art form, as the relationship with it is more internal, emotional, and spiritual. That it is the way she understands, communicates, and expresses — from body, voice and imagination to design thinking.

Mayuri Upadhya, choreographer and dancer feels as one grows with time, there are many intertwined layers of what she/he wants and what the world wants of the person, yet, strangely, it all makes sense.

“I started off as a performer, a dreamer, but today I am a doer, I persevere on an uncharted path with intuition, hard work, and by constantly refining my talent and skill,” she tells.

Upadhya, who will be one the curators for the dance segment at the Serendipity Arts Festival to be held in Goa in December smiles, “I was born to create, and that I will continue to do. All the other variables will fall in place.”

Adding that she is excited to bring world-class Indian acts to the festival, Upadhya assures the dance programming at the festival is a perfect mix of immersive, experimental, and inclusive.

“We have mythology musical with ’18 Days’ by Sharath Prabhat, new works by Madhavi Mudgal, and Ashley Lobo’s Navdhara India Dance Theatre. We see Sita’s point of view in Shruthi and Parshawanath Upadhye’s ‘Abha’ and award-winning contemporary works by Surjit Nongmeikapam. Not to mention, the excellently curated street jam ‘On The Move’ on the penultimate night of the festival that brings the international street dance styles all under one roof.”

She feels that there need to be more art festivals — not for the world to see us but for us to see the world.

Talking about her studio process and how she selects her themes (or how they ‘come’ to her), this dancer and choreographer states when one is an artiste, creativity trickles down to every part of the DNA.

“Probably that is the reason there is seldom a dearth of ideas. I also believe that an idea picks the person or the channel and not the other way round.”

Adding that for her there is a different intuitive process for every project, she says, “You can say my process is that I am not conscious of breaking dance patterns. Dance is like a mould of clay that can constantly change shapes — ones I want to play with, break and recreate.”

Upadhya feels the country definitely needs more dance repertories.

“Both repertories and their heads need to be nurtured. Companies can be adopted for a minimum period of five years to show their true potential. There can be a one-time corpus fund created to help basic financial challenges,” says the dancer whose favourite form is Odissi.

“There is nothing that beats it because it’s so poetic, complex, and yet so effortless,” she concludes.

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‘Traditional dance does not really need a choreographer’

Lamenting that governments or the private sector have done little to ensure that folk arts and artists thrive, she feels that the country needs an ecosystem of traditional artists and focus on the art forms and not struggle for survival…writes Sukant Deepak

Her performance has long ended. The one in which every move had a soul, an outfit. It was not just about the grammer of dance but evolving an inner language that communicated effortlessly with those spellbound by her.

Asha Sapera, a dancer and singer who comes from the Kalbeliya gypsy tribe of dancers and musicians in Jodhpur, Rajasthan is chatting up with her Spanish friends, one of who suddenly breaks into a Flamenco move.

“You have to see my collaboration with them. It is almost otherworldly — the coming together of our worlds. After all, when we work with different cultures, it is never about finding only points of similarity, but also celebrating our distinct identities and the compound that emerges with two different dances, ” she tells IANS during the recently concluded Jodhpur RIFF that witnessed participation by musicians from India and abroad.

It has been a long journey for Sapera who has performed in more than 80 countries — starting at the age of five. Now, 32-years-old and at the peak of her career, she maintains that for her everything is ‘new’ right now. “That is because everyone is asking for something ‘new’. While our traditional singing and dance carries on, I am focussing a lot on fusion and offering something to youngsters that will make them pause and look at this art form.” she says.

Talking about her recent collaboration with a Mexican choreographer, she adds that while their traditional dance does not really need a choreographer, working with one added a new dimension to the performance. “What then emerged was something unique. And I am proud that our troupe of 11 people could pull it off. It is important for an artist to challenge herself constantly and step into uncharted spaces.”

Sapera, who is also a dance teacher in her home state of Rajasthan says that the majority of her students are from abroad. “Sadly, most people in India and many even in Rajasthan have no clue about our dance form. It has always been my dream to open a dance school in the state so that the tradition flourishes. The same would also provide opportunities for many artists. However, this cannot be done without the active support of the state government.”

Lamenting that governments or the private sector have done little to ensure that folk arts and artists thrive, she feels that the country needs an ecosystem of traditional artists and focus on the art forms and not struggle for survival.

“We boast of such immense cultural wealth. It is high time that like the West, the governments, corporates and foundations come together for the sake of the arts.”

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Arts & Culture Lite Blogs

‘My work and my life are the same’

Sarabhai, who shot to international fame when she played the character of ‘Draupadi’ in Peter Brook’s nine-hour theatre production ‘Mahabharata’, admits that it changed the very course of her life and she was no longer the same person after that…writes Sukant Deepak

 “Is it not tragic that it is mostly a series about gory crimes and criminals that gets all the attention on OTT platforms? However, I have complete faith that content revolving around the ‘good’ will have a sizable audience,” Dancer and actor Mallika Sarabhai, Artistic Director of ‘Darpana’, who is currently producing multiple pilots and will soon approach different digital platforms, tells IANS.

To be produced under the banner of Darpana, the content aims to arrest the narrative that only violence and crime get people to binge watch.

“It is such a cliche that audiences do not want to see stories revolving around the positive. We are hoping we crack that and show an alternative — one can always choose compassion. But if you do not give viewers that option, then how are they supposed to choose it? Why do the characters have to be horrible to do something cool,” asks this Padma Bhushan awardee.

Not only an actor and dancer, Sarabhai, known for social activism and raising her voice for democracy and standing by different peoples’ movements, stresses she sees little sense in slotting art and social activism for they intersect for her at all levels.

“My work and my life are the same. There is never a moment when I am doing something and my mind is not raving about what I can create from that moment,” she tells.

Sarabhai, who shot to international fame when she played the character of ‘Draupadi’ in Peter Brook’s nine-hour theatre production ‘Mahabharata’, admits that it changed the very course of her life and she was no longer the same person after that.

“It made me realise I have the power to make a difference. I got the confidence to become my

own modelling clay. It completely altered my trajectory and pushed me into becoming my own defendant. A deep journey to find my limits started. It’s not what Peter did to me. It’s what happened to Mallika,” recalls the artist, who was recently in Chandigarh on the invitation of Nagina Bains for the IWN (Indian Women Network) Chandigarh Tricity Chapter Annual Session supported by Testler.

While for most artists, the pandemic-induced lockdown ensured a lull in activities, but not Sarabhai.

“My artistic director, I, seven dogs and a peacock were on the campus throughout. The highway next to us was completely silent. We would fix the lights, had our own studio and spaces. So if you go to the YouTube channel of Darpana, you will see a lot of our new work from 2021. We also went online the day the lockdown started. Our students did not really miss a single day of work/study. We generated a lot of material. Also, realising how awful other dancers must be feeling, we did something called ‘Dance Unlocked’, where we got dancers from all over the country and trained them on how to hold the camera etc. through WhatsApp.”

On the condition of artists during the lockdown, she laments that India has never had a decent budget for the arts in the past 30 years.

“Whatever little is there, goes to the favourites. One wonders what the multiple akademis are doing? The situation is deplorable. Think of what happened to the weavers who used to make the sarees for costumes, the leather cleaners for the tablas. Or the metal worker who makes the

ghungroos. When we talk about what Covid did to art, you are only seeing us. Not the hundreds of people behind us.”

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