Steps of grace
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Samyuktha did her guru Vasundhra Doraswamy proud with a crisp Bharatanatya performance
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MERCURIAL MOVEMENTS A file picture of Vasundhara Doraswamy in one of her performances. She was on the nattuvanga for her student
Reputed dancer-choreographer-yoga expert and guru Vasundhra Doraswamy of Mysore proved to be an able mentor of young talent with one of students, young Samyuktha Kemparaj Urs doing her proud with her crisp and brilliant Bharatanatya recital at the JM auditorium. In a neatly planned programme held under the guidance of a noted organizer T. R. Harish, four State awardees - Rathnakar, Ramamurthy Rao, Chandramma and Rajasekhar Kota were honoured.
Samyuktha's mercurial movements and good understanding of the medium was rewarding. There was never a dull moment in her recital. The traditional Todayam was followed by Jayachamaraja Wodeyar's Athana krithi on "Sri Maha Ganapthini." Her abhinaya was profound. In the Vasantha jathiswara, the dancer could translate the demanding jathis into an attractive dance language. Samyuktha was in top form in the delination of the Charukeshi varna.
Guru Vasundhara Doraswamy (nattuvanga), P.Rama (vocal), Janardhan (mridanga), Prasannakumar (khanjira) provided an impeccable musical support.
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A popular exponent of Kathak and Bharatanatya Nandini Mehtha held her two-day annual dance festival Nadam at the ADA Rangamandira successfully. The first programme featured her in a duet with Murali Mohan. In the presentation of "Bho Shambho" (Revathi), Nandini's Bharatanatya-prowess could be seen. Murali's Kathak gelled with Nandini's Bharatanatya. Both of them demonstrated a praiseworthy standard of artistry in etching the traits of Lord Shiva. Tushar Bhat and Nandini's disciples Leela, Niveditha, Smitha and Vaishnavi rendered "Aa ree basanth" had both plus and minus points. Nandini and Murali exhibited their cleverness and craft in drafting japtaal. With rhythmic aplomb and abundant grace and vigour, the dancers were fluid in their presentation. All the dancers shared the stage to portray Purandaradasa's "Pillangovia", enumerating the leelas of Balakrishna.
Ganesh Desai and Chandrika (vocal), Srinivas (sitar), Shivalinga Rajpur (fute) and Praveen Rao (tabla) were the accompanists who enriched the duet.
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The rhythm was fully under control, the movements were flawless — perfect ardhamandali and the finished leg stretches and hand movements in the faster passages were attractive in their exactitude. She was at home in both the macro framework of nritta, nrithya and abhinaya and also in their details.
The opening Ardhanarishwara stotra and Dikshitar's krithi "Ardhanarishwaram aradhayami" (Kumudakriya) brought to the fore her grasp over lasya and tandava aspects of Bharatanatya. Sporting a precise anga shuddhi, "Shankara Sri Girinatha" had fine greeva bedhas.
She excelled in her abhinaya for "Oorake pakkaku rammante vachchuna" rendered in vilambakala. Her satwikaabhinaya was striking in the depiction of an excerpt from the 12th canto of Kumarasambhava.
M. SURYA PRASAD
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