Pulse - Summer Issue 117 by Lucinda Al-Zoghbi

Pulse asian music and dance

Summer 2012 - Issue 117

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INSIDE In the Frame Sadhana Dance Reviews Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company, Arunima Kumar & Shane Shambu, Ileana Citaristi, Guru Pratap Pawar, Soumik Datta & Bernhard Schimpelsberger

Dancing Their Way to London 2012

Profile on Anusha Subramanyam Reflections from Alchemy Festival 2012 Behind the Lines: The Art of Critical Writing

Celebrating

sound in print

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connecting asian dance and music communities

THE COMPLETE INDIAN MUSIC EXPERIENCE !

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WHATEVER YOUR MUSICAL BACKGROUND THERE’S SOMETHING FOR YOU AT MUSIC INDIA! SPECIAL FEATURES OF MUSIC INDIA — Interact and learn with world-renowned tutors — A unique structured timetable — Lecture demonstrations on a variety of Indian music topics — Evening performances of music and dance at INDIKA festival

THE UK’S BIGGEST SUMMER SCHOOL FOR INDIAN ARTS, WITH OVER 150 STUDENTS OF INDIAN MUSIC AND DANCE ALL ON ONE BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS APPLICATIONS CLOSE 13 JULY 2012 For more information and booking please contact Shyla Lakshminarayana at Milapfest — Tel: +44 151 291 3949 | Email: shyla@milapfest.com www.milapfest.com

www.milapmusicindia.wordpress.com Conceived and created by

CONTENTS

Pulse Summer 2012 — Issue 117 ISSN 1476-6019 Published by Kadam Asian Dance and Music c/o The Hat Factory, 65-67 Bute Street, Luton LU1 2EY +44 (0) 1582 876 038

117/Contents 3

Editorial Team Commissioning Editor Sanjeevini Dutta

2 3 5

Editorial News Listings

Olympics What can we expect from the arts in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympic Games? Donald Hutera investigates.

Profile on Anusha Subramanyam Bharatanatyam artist, Anusha Subramanyam, talks training, creation and philosophy with Donald Hutera.

In The Frame Simon Richardson captures the essence of Sadhana Dance - Elixir.

Reflections from Alchemy Festival 2012 Jahnavi Harrison shares her impressions of this year’s Festival. How does your experience compare?

Dance in the Community Bisakha Sarker recalls how a chance meeting brought back some very fond memories of a community dance project in Liverpool.

The Art of Critical Writing Lucinda Al-Zoghbi shares the vision of our recent short course.

Lecture/ Performance: Thumri Rasrang Dance academic, John Cooper, reports on an enlightening lecture demonstration at the University of Roehampton.

Dance Performances Dev Kahan Hai? / Configurations (Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company) Arunima Kumar and Shane Shambu (Akademi)

Assistant Editor Lucinda Al-Zoghbi Assistants Jahnavi Harrison Katie Ryan Design Art Director Pritpal Ajimal

Photography Director Simon Richardson Subscriptions & Advertising subscriptions@pulseconnects.com advertising@pulseconnects.com Contacts info@pulseconnects.com Disclaimer Pulse is published by Kadam Asian Dance and Music. Kadam are a part of SADA (South Asian Dance Alliance). No part of the magazine may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. Copyright of the text is shared with its authors. Copyright of the photographs/images reside with contributing photographers/artists. All other rights reserved. The views/opinions expressed in Pulse are the authors’ and not necessarily those of the editor or publisher. While reasonable effort has been made to avoid errors, no liability will be accepted for any that may have inadvertently occurred. Annual subscription £30 with free delivery Cheques payable to Kadam, c/o The Hat Factory, 65-67 Bute Street, Luton LU1 2EY.

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Pulse serves the art’s sector by recording, critiquing, profiling and archiving South Asian dance and music in the UK through Pulse magazine and the website: www.pulseconnects.com. The magazine relies solely on income from subscriptions, advertising and donations. All donations welcome through our website www.pulseconnects.com

Odissi Dance Recital (Ileana Citaristi) Seventieth Birthday Celebrations (Guru Pratap Pawar) Music Performance Circle of Sound (Soumik Datta and Bernhard Schimpelsberger)

Contents Page Photo Credits

FC Sampad Moving Earth / Photo: Tim Cross 3 6 10 12 14 17 18 22 24

Akram Khan and Farooq Chaudhry / Photo: The Society of London Theatre Sampad’s Mandala Dancer: Devika Rao / Photo: Sai Smith/Ballistic Anusha Subramanyam / Photo: Vipul Sangoi Sadhana Dance / Photo: Simon Richardson Sonia Sabri Company / Photo: Simon Balson Bisakha Sarkar and dancer / Photo: Courtesy of the Artist Sanjoy Roy and Melissa Blanco Borelli / Photo: Yasmin Khan Ileana Citaristi / Photo: Simon Richardson Circle of Sound / Photo: Courtesy of the Artists SUMMER 2012 PULSE 1

UPFRONT — LETTER FROM THE EDITOR / NEWS

Kadam’s Unlocking Creativity Series

Letter from the Editor Dear Reader By the time this issue gets to you there will be only five Fridays before the 27 July Olympic Opening Ceremony. Mindful of not overwhelming onlookers with too much novelty, details of the event are being released bit by bit as d-day approaches. We know that the Olympic Stadium is being turned into a child’s model of the English countryside, replete with farmland animals, a game of cricket, rolling hills, hedgerows and even clouds dispensing rain. How charming and appropriate! Danny Boyle’s vision as Artistic Director of the Ceremony, is to ‘show us as we are’. In reflecting Britain as it is, the artistic content must rightfully include our diverse cultures and communities. We know that Akram Khan is one of five choreographers creating the 1,500-strong ‘movement section’. This will feature street, hip-hop, contemporary, ballet and perhaps even Bollywood given Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire. We can expect an intelligent narrative with twists and surprises characterising British ‘quirkiness’. Whatever our politics, we wait with bated breath to be part of the 500-million audience who will be glued to their TV screens at 9pm GMT on Friday 27 July. This issue reflects the energy of the summer programme with parallel festivals dovetailing one into another: London 2012 Festival, Big Dance, Olympics and Paralympics opening and closing ceremonies. Featured on the cover is sampad’s contribution to London 2012 at Birmingham’s Centenary Square. With the tour of Bells by Akademi and a new commission by Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company, South Asian dance has a fair profile in this summer of international visitors. Jahnavi Harrison reflects back on Southbank Centre’s Alchemy Festival, with salient points about this annual multi-arts celebration. While the exchange between British- based and subcontinental artists at the heart of Alchemy is laudable, some of the artistic collaborations, hastily put together, ended up looking like ‘works in progress’ to full ticket-buying audiences. We profile Anusha Subramanyam, bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer and community artist. Her piece From the Heart, based on her experience working with people of different abilities, captured the imagination of audiences at the recent Unlocking Creativity Shorts platform at the Hat Factory in Luton. When the big jamboree is over, we will still be relying on our dedicated teachers going through the everyday steps and exercises that are the foundations of classical dance and music. Let’s look upon the Olympic Games and the cultural festivities surrounding it as an opportunity to be grateful to all who work so hard to underpin the grand spectacle. Sanjeevini 2 PULSE SUMMER 2012

April was a big month for Kadam, which not only launched workshops at Alchemy Festival 2012 but also presented its annual choreo-jam, Unlocking Creativity, with a new twist. On Thursday 26 April, the Hat Factory in Luton played host to Unlocking Creativity Shorts – a platform for previous UC participants to showcase their work. It was an evening of diverse performances from Devika Rao,

Akram Khan and Farooq Chaudhry | Photo: The Society of London Theatre

Akram Khan: Olivier Award Winner On Sunday 15 April, big names from the world of art gathered at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden for the Olivier Awards. This prestigious awards ceremony which began in 1976 celebrates the best of British theatre, so it comes as little surprise that leading dancer and choreographer, Akram Khan, was awarded Best New Dance Production for his most recent solo work, DESH. The show received great critical acclaim at its premiere back in October 2011, so an Olivier Award must be the cherry on top!

Pulse ‘Art of’ Series Back in April, we launched a series of short courses named ‘The Art of’ at Alchemy Festival 2012. Three sessions, ‘The Art of Seeing’, ‘The Art of Listening’ and ‘The Art of Critical Writing’ took place as part of the festivities and were well received by participants and tutors alike. In fact, they were so successful that we’re taking them elsewhere, so watch this space for more dates to be announced. On Saturday 26 May, we took ‘The Art of Critical Writing’ up to Leicester for the Let’s Dance International Festival. The event was attended by young writers and arts enthusiasts looking to sharpen their skills in observation and critical analysis. One of the outcomes from these sessions is that we’re developing our pool of writers, giving them the opportunity to enhance their skills through practice while receiving the coverage and feedback they need. Two participants, Archita Kumar and Nicholas Minns, from the first round of ‘The Art of Critical Writing’ have had their work published on our website and in print in this very magazine – see page 22 for Nicholas’s review. Drop us a line at info@pulseconnects.com if you’re interested in hearing more about our forthcoming courses.

Kali Chandrasegaram | Photo:Simon Richardson

Scheherazaad Cooper, Sitara Thobani, Veena Basavarajaiah, Kali Chandrasegaram, Jahnavi Harrison and Anusha Subramanyam. A Q&A session followed, with positive and constructive feedback from the audience. Although the Shorts performance was a first for Kadam, there is already talk of building on the initial success by reworking the show to include participants from this year’s course which took place on Saturday 28 April, also at the Hat Factory. Now in its fifth year, UC5 was led by a fresh team of tutors which comprised UK-based odissi dancer Kali Chandrasegaram, Netherlandsbased bharatanatyam artist Kalpana Raghuraman and acclaimed choreographer Shobana Jeyasingh, with live music accompaniment by Jesse Bannister. Participants commented on the strength of the programme, particularly the use of props and the supportive working environment.

Dance India Take On Asia Pacific It’s that time of year again, another season of summer schools and, for young dancers learning classical Indian dance and music, there are some great

NEWS — UPFRONT

Leela Samson leaves Kalakshetra

Dance India | Photo: Courtesy Milapfest

opportunities available. One example is Milapfest’s Dance India – a week-long intensive programme which attracts talented dancers from all corners of the world. Now in its fifth year, Dance India is going from strength to strength as news comes of an Asia Pacific faculty. This recent development extends the training possibilities for young dancers from further afield as until now Dance India was only available at Milapfest’s base in Liverpool. The programme is credited for its holistic approach and boasts an impressive line-up of tutors, acclaimed teachers, choreographers and performers. Dance India Asia Pacific 2012 is presented by Apsaras Arts in collaboration with Milapfest (UK), Esplanade (Singapore) with the support of National Arts Council (Singapore).

Songlines Music Awards 2012 World music magazine Songlines announced the winners of its fourth annual music awards in April. There were four categories in total including Best Artist, Best Group, Cross-Cultural Collaboration and Newcomer: the nominees were voted by the general public and the Songlines editorial team gave the casting vote. Representing South Asian music in the Best Artist category was Anoushka Shankar who is currently touring the world with Traveller, the record that won her the title. Bollywood Brass Band were runners-up for the Cross-Cultural Collaboration award for their album Chaiyya Chaiyya which saw them team up with Pakistani singer Rafaqat Ali Khan. A 16-track album has been released and features the winners and all nominated artists from this year’s awards.

The dance world has been shocked and dismayed by the resignation of Leela Samson, the dynamic director of Kalakshetra, the premier Chennai-based bharatanatyam institution, founded by Rukmini Devi Arundale. Samson, herself an alumnus of Kalakshetra, was appointed seven years ago and presided over a phase of re-focus and renewal for an institution that had revolved around a charismatic founder. Kalakshetra’s recognition from the Indian Central Government and transfer of management to the Culture Ministry was accompanied by complex bureaucracy. On a technicality of retirement age being sixty years (Samson is 61), and flimsy allegations of misappropriation, it is believed that she was ‘pushed’ to leave the organisation. Leela Samson has the support of artists, not just in India but across the world, who have responded with messages in print and social media, including Anita Ratnam’s e-petition calling for Samson to be reinstated. While the tangles of legalese may win the day against the artistic spirit, it is speculated that the real loser will be the dance form of bharatanatyam.

A Celebration Like No Other On Tuesday 22 May, Padmashri Guru Pratap Pawar gave a one-off performance at the Nehru Centre to mark a double celebration: 2012 is the year of his 70th

acclaimed dancer-choreographer Akram Khan. Prior to the performance, friends, family, colleagues, associate artists and disciples were greeted with a reception to pay tribute to the incredible achievements of Pratapji. The performance itself was choreographed by the man himself and followed by a Q&A session. An incredible achievement; here’s to many more years pioneering the form.

London 2012 Festival The nation is buzzing with anticipation as the London 2012 Olympic Games draw nearer, and news comes of an event specially commissioned to celebrate the Games. Dubbed ‘the hottest ticket of the year’, the London 2012 Festival will showcase some of the best of British dance, music, fashion, art, film and theatre across the capital and nationwide. The Festival opens on 21 June and runs until 9 September, which is also the last day of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, and will comprise ticketed and free events suitable for families. This cultural extravaganza forms part of the Cultural Olympiad, an initiative which was set up in 2008 to promote Olympic-inspired creativity among young people across the nation. Local and large-scale performances have involved as many as 18 million people so far and the London 2012 Festival will mark the big finale. We’re keeping our eyes peeled for these events: Bamboo Blues by Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch; Mandala produced by sampad and Seeper; TooMortal from Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company; and reworking of Bells from Akademi in partnership with Theatre Tol.

SJDC Auditions

Guru Pratap Pawar | Photo: Courtesy of the Artist

birthday and fifty-five years dedicated to kathak. The event was supported by the Cultural Wing of the High Commission of India and hosted by Pawar’s disciple, internationally-

Following the success of the recent Classic Cut UK tour, Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company is looking for dancers to join the winter tour which includes further dates in the UK and Stockholm. Shobana is looking for male and female contemporary dancers as well as dancers trained in bharatanatyam for the period 20 August–18 November 2012. Those who are interested in working for the Company should send a film clip (YouTube or similar

digital platforms) of you dancing, together with CV, to: auditions@ shobanajeyasingh.co.uk Auditions will be held in London on 23 June and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on either 9 or 23 July, by invitation only.

Swati Youth Dance to perform at U.Dance Swati Dance Company’s youth group, Swati Youth Dance, has been selected from over 250 applicants to perform at the U.Dance 2012 National Platform. The company will be performing

Swati Youth Dance | Photo: Vaishali Karanjkar

on Friday 13 July at the Opening Performance in Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre. U.Dance 2012 is the only youth dance festival involving dancers from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Other groups performing at the event include Anjali Youth Dance Company, Cordeo de Ouro London, Kobika and uNique. Swati Youth Dance is the only classical Indian dance group taking part, a wonderful achievement for South Asian dance.

Celebratory Performance for Kathak Gurus On 3 and 4 July, Sujata Banerjee Dance Company (SBDC) will present Utsāv, a performance to celebrate the auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima at the Nehru Centre. SBDC will present the students of many London-based kathak teachers as an homage to the contributions of many eminent kathak Gurus and their enrichment of the form around the world. In addition to group presentations, the programme will include a short solo with live music accompaniment by Jaina Modasia, a 17-year-old kathak student. The celebration of Guru Purnima will continue on 4 July with a kathak solo by Natalia Hildner with live music accompaniment, also presented by SBDC. Natalia is a highly talented kathak dancer who SUMMER 2012 PULSE 3

UPFRONT — NEWS

has been training with Pandit Birju Maharaj since 2007 and has performed in various prestigious events and festivals around the world, including the USA, Canada and India.

Dancer: Jaina Modasia | Photo:Simon Richardson

She is currently a student at the University of Roehampton studying South Asian dance, and this programme will be her London debut.

Canada Council for the Arts Honours Artists with Prestigious Award At the end of May, the Canada Council for the Arts announced the recipients of the Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Awards 2012. Each award is worth $15,000 and recognises the work of artists in the seven disciplines funded by the Canada Council: visual arts, dance,

Projects and her work is highly acclaimed in bharatanatyam and contemporary circles.

The UK is about to witness the premiere of EKATVA, a show which includes a cast of sixteen children from Ahmedabad’s Since its inception in 1982, Dance four main slum communities. UK has been operating as the The multi-media dance-drama national voice for dance artists, production was two and a half teachers and students, and it’s still years in the making and will be going strong thirty years later with performed in English in London, events like its nutrition conference Birmingham and Leicester from which took place last month. 18 June 2012. The UK tour has Dance and healthcare professionals been organised by UK-based gathered at London’s Royal Society charity Connect India, which has of Medicine on Monday 30 April for an insightful day of discussion surrounding eating disorders and info @beeja.com their relationship with nutrition, www.beeja.com artistry and athleticism. There was a keynote from Kenneth Tharp, Chief Executive at The Place. Among the panel of invited speakers were artistic directors such as Dame Monica Mason (Royal Ballet) and Richard Alston (Richard Alston Dance Company), as well as professional dance artists Lauren Cuthbertson and Zenaida Yanowsky (Royal Bharatanatyam Ballet), Gemma Nixon (Rambert Dance Company), Teneisha Bonner (ZooNation Dance Company) and Archana Ballal (South Asian freelance dancer). At the end of the day, the kadam National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science (NIDMS) was launched, East of a huge breakthrough for Dance UK England who initiated the campaign. The project is supported by Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Jerwood Centre for the Treatment and Prevention of Dance Injuries, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, University of Wolverhampton, University of Birmingham and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital where the NIDMS is based. Thanks to the campaign, injured dancers can now ask their GP to refer them to the NIDMS clinic where they will receive the necessary advice and treatment.

Dance UK Conference and Campaign Success

Classes

4 PULSE SUMMER 2012

had a long-term relationship with the project organisers, Manav Sadhna, a non-profit organisation based in Ahmedabad. EKATVA, which means ‘Oneness’, is a show inspired by the lives of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. Each EKATVA child has faced the daily challenges of living below the poverty line. Connect India’s Ani Develi said: “We believe that not only will the lives of these children be transformed but they will act as role models and an inspiration to all those around them.”

Bharatanatyam classes with focus on body awareness and safe dance practice. A distinc tive method of teaching the form which is both enjoyable and efficient. Classes for adults: beginners to advanced at The Place, Euston, London Classes for children: beginners and intermediate at Swiss Cottage Community Centre, London; Nupur Arts, Leicester & DanceXchange, Birmingham

connects asian dance and music communities

Nova Bhattacharya | Photo: John Lauener

integrated arts, theatre, music, writing and publishing, and media arts. This year’s winners include sculptor Valérie Blass; bharatanatyam/contemporary dancer Nova Bhattacharya; interdisciplinary artist Manon de Pauw; playwright, actor and director Denis Lavalou; composer and conductor Brian Current; poet Sylvia Legris; and filmmaker and multimedia artist Graeme Patterson. Bhattacharya leads Ipsita Nova Dance

UK Premiere of Show Inspired by Global Ambassadors

BIG DANCE COMES TO

To submit a news story or an event listing, please email info@pulseconnects.com

BEDFORD

Big Danc dance fore is a biennial cele of London all. This year Big bration of the Cult 2012 Festival, Dance is part be the UKural Olympiad, andthe finale of ’s biggest it dance fes is set to tival EVER @ LOVE LUTO In Bedfor ! d s h ir e BIG DANC N FESTIVAL Kadam ar ing Big Da e n c E STA c o e o e rd ve M to offer s omethingnts with our partninat- WARKET HILL 1 GESe for every ARDOWN 2-3PM/ one. rs PARK 5

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11/6/12 11:12:35

LISTINGS — UPFRONT

June till 23

Dance/Music/Theatre Wah! Wah! Girls: Various Peacock Theatre, London www.sadlerswells.com

Theatre RELEASE: Icon Theatre & Shane Shambhu Company Burrel Theatre, Truro http://releaseinfo.org Dance Double Bill: Pissing off the Neighbours and Quicksand as part of Canada Dance Festival: inDANCE NAC Studio, Canada NAC Studio

Theatre RELEASE: Icon Theatre & Shane Shambhu Company Square Chapel Arts Centre, Halifax http://releaseinfo.org

Dance Synchronised: Balbir Singh Dance Company Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheffield www.ponds-forge.co.uk

Music Mid-Day Mantra: Tom Pope Birmingham Symphony Hall Cafe Bar, Birmingham http://www.sampad.org.uk

16-17

Dance Just Jhoom! Fitness Certification Course (Bronze Level), Just Jhoom! Sports Wales National Centre, Cardiff www.justjhoom.co.uk

16Installation Art 23 July Gowati by Gundecha Brothers: Gundecha Brothers, Sandeep Singh Virdee Phoenix Square, Leicester phoenixsquare.org 17

Music Play Out at Indian Summer: Jesse Bannister, Zoe Rahman, Seb Rochford,Kenny Higgins The Curve, Leicester www.curveonline.co.uk Music Circle of Sound: Soumik Datta and Bernhard Schimpelsberger DimaJazz Festival, Algeria www.soumik.info

21-22

Dance TooMortal, Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company St Pancras Church, London www.danceumbrella.co.uk

Theatre RELEASE: Icon Theatre & Shane Shambhu Company Courtyard Theatre, Hereford http://releaseinfo.org

Dance Ekatva Tour: Milapfest presents: Manav Sadhna and Darpana Dance Academy Bhavan Centre, London www.bhavan.net Dance “Maaya” at Arts in Parliament: Akademi Westminster Hall, London www.parliament.uk/artsinparliament

Dance Big Dance Stage at the Love Luton Festival: Various Artists including Aakash Odedra, Shane Shambhu and Two Thirds Sky, Ish Dance (Bollywood dance group) Market Hill Stage, George Street, LU1 and Saddlespan Stage, Wardown Park, LU2, Luton www.bigdance2012.com

12-14

Music Circle of Sound: Soumik Datta and Bernhard Schimpelsberger Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia www.soumik.info Dance Four Corners: City of London Festivals presents 60 dancers of which dancers from the CentralSchool of Ballet have been working with Nina Rajarani MBE Millennium Bridge, Festival Gardens, Paternoster Square, St Paul’s steps, London www.srishti.co.uk Music TooMortal, Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company St Mary’s Old Church, London www.danceumbrella.co.uk

Dance U.Dance 2012 National Platform: Various including Swati Dance Company Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, London www.southbankcentre.co.uk Music Circle of Sound: Soumik Datta and Bernhard Schimpelsberger Rhythms of the World Festival, Hertfordshire http://rotw.org.uk

12-19

Music Tarang Orchestra Course: Milapfest Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool http://milapmusicindia.wordpress.com

13-15

Music Discover Indian Music! Introductory 3-Day Course at Music India: Milapfest Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool http://milapmusicindia.wordpress.com

13-15

Dance Parampara Solo Kathak Presentation: Crishna Budhu Watermans Arts Centre, Brentford crishna8@hotmail.com

Music Mridangam Masterclass: Milapfest Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool http://milapmusicindia.wordpress.com

13-17

Dance Shades of Love: Odissi Ensemble Kala Sangam Arts Centre, Bradford www.kalasangam.org

Music Hindustani Music Retreat: Instrumental/Flute: Milapfest Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool http://milapmusicindia.wordpress.com

13-17

Music Mid-Day Mantra - Manasamitra presents ‘Nada Notes’: Manasamitra Birmingham, Symphony Hall Cafe Bar, Birmingham www.sampad.org.uk

Music Carnatic Music Retreat: Flute/ Violin/Instrumental: Milapfest Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool http://milapmusicindia.wordpress.com

14-24

Dance/Music Indika: Rakesh Chaurasia, Lalgudi GJR Krishnan, Shashank Subramaniam, Leela Samson, Priyadarsini Govind, Sujata Mohapatra, Prashant Shah and many more The Capstone Theatre, Liverpool www.thecapstonetheatre.com

18-19

Dance Bhangra Intensive with Nachda Saansar Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool http://milapdanceindia.wordpress.com

Music Music for the Mind and Soul: Manjiri Asnare: Manjiri Asnare, Vishwanath Shirodkar, Tanmay Deochake The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk

Music Music for the Mind and Soul: Joydeep Ghosh + Kousic Sen The Capstone Theatre, Liverpool www.thecapstonetheatre.com

Dance/Music/Poetry/Storytelling/ Arts And Crafts Sampad Arts Mela 2012: Various Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton www.sampad.org.uk 15

Dance Bamboo Blues (Kolkata): Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch Barbican Theatre, London www.barbican.org.uk Music Ustad Tari Khan Wolverhampton Racecourse, Dunstall Park, Wolverhampton www.sampad.org.uk

Music Music for the Mind and Soul: Hindustani Vocal & Kathak Double-bill: Chandrima Misra, Pandit Vishwaprakash, Pandit Rajkumar Misra The Capstone Theatre, Liverpool www.thecapstonetheatre.com

JULY

Music Samyo Orchestra Course: Milapfest Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool http://milapmusicindia.wordpress.com

Dance Summer Production 2012: Dancing Nikita Company Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Maidenhead www.dancingnikitacompany.com

Music The Raghu Dixit Project Live: Raghu Dixit Project Brighton Dome, Brighton http://raghudixit.com

Dance Synchronised: Balbir Singh Dance Company The Edge, University of Leeds, Leeds www.ludusfestival.org

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Dance Urban Fusion ‘Through the Fire’: Urvashi Dance Company Larkhall Park, Lambeth, South London www.urvashidance.com

28-30 Music RSVP Workshop & Performance: RSVP Mevagissey Festival, Cornwall www.asianartsagency.co.uk

Theatre RELEASE: Icon Theatre & Shane Shambhu Company The Hat Factory, Luton http://releaseinfo.org

Theatre RELEASE: Icon Theatre & Shane Shambhu Company Oxford Playhouse, Oxford http://releaseinfo.org 23

Music The Raghu Dixit Project Live: Raghu Dixit Project Solas Festival, Wiston by Biggar, South Lanarkshire http://raghudixit.com

Theatre RELEASE: Icon Theatre & Shane Shambhu Company Corn Exchange, Newbury http://releaseinfo.org Music The Raghu Dixit Project Live: Raghu Dixit Project Birmingham Town Hall, Birmingham http://raghudixit.com

Dance/Music An Evening of Devotional Dance (Bharatanatyam with Song and Sound) Strawbale Studio,Epping Green, Hertfordshire bitzia@bitzia.co.uk

Music Music for the Mind and Soul: Mehboob Nadeem and Shabaz Hussein The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk

Dance/Music Workshop of Yoga, Dance and Voice Healing Strawbale Studio, Epping Green, Hertfordshire www.bitzia.co.uk | www.koratone.com

25-29 Dance/Music Chakardar Tabla and Dance Summer School 2012: Padmashri Pratap Pawar, Pandit Shankar Ghosh, Bickram Ghosh, Prabhu Edouard and Harkirat Rayatt Yehudi Menuhin School, Stoke d’Abernon, Cobham harkirat@chakardar.com 27

Music The Raghu Dixit Project Live: Raghu Dixit Project Larmer Tree Festival, Larmer Tree Gardens, on the Wiltshire/Dorset border http://raghudixit.com

Music Music for the Mind and Soul: Simon Thacker’s Svara Kanti The Capstone Theatre, Liverpool www.thecapstonetheatre.com

Music Red Baraat at Fusion Asia Festival: Red Baraat South Hill Park, Bracknell www.redbaraat.com

Music The Raghu Dixit Project Live: Raghu Dixit Project WOMAD, Charlton http://raghudixit.com

Music Red Baraat at Fusion Asia Festival: Red Baraat Edinburgh www.redbaraat.com

Music Red Baraat UK Tour Rich Mix (tbc), London www.redbaraat.com

Music Red Baraat UK Tour Bridgewater Hall, Manchester www.redbaraat.com

Music Red Baraat UK Tour The Curve, Leicester www.redbaraat.com

6-29

Dance/Music/Theatre Wah! Wah! Girls: Various Theatre Royal Stratford East, Stratford, London www.stratfordeast.com

Music Red Baraat UK Tour Town Hall, Birmingham www.redbaraat.com

Music The Raghu Dixit Project Live: Raghu Dixit Project Milton Keynes International Festival, Milton Keynes http://raghudixit.com

AUGUST 4

10-12

SEPTEMBER

Music Open Souls Seb Rochford, Jason Singh, Ranjana Ghatak Exhibition Road Show, London http://exhibitionroadshow.co.uk Dance Community Groups @ Arts in Parliament: Akademi Westminster Hall, London www.parliament.uk/artsinparliament Music London International Arts Festival Ilford Town Hall, Redbridge, London www.dhruvarts.org

SUMMER 2012 PULSE 5

LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES: KEEPING THE DANCE FLAME ALIVE

London 2012 Olympic Games Keeping the Dance Flame Alive PHOTO: PETE SCHIAZZA / UK PARLIaMENT

Words by donald hutera

‘Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises.’

With the London 2012 Olympic Games fast approaching, speculation is rife and the question on everyone’s lips is: what will London deliver? We set Donald Hutera the (near impossible) task of answering that question; here’s what he came up with.

6 PULSE SUMMER 2012

he above quote is from Shakespeare’s The Tempest, a work which has been cited by the Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle as one of the chief sources of inspiration for the Opening Ceremony he’s spearheading for the London 2012 Olympics. The same words will, not incidentally, be inscribed on the 23-tonne harmonically-tuned bell that will ring in the whole event on 27 July. Staged in the Olympic Stadium in front of a live audience of 80,000 but with an estimated

“The Games are a chance for the UK to trumpet its collective glory as a cultural powerhouse...”

global reach of 4 billion, Boyle’s mega-spectacle is bound to inspire much noise both literally and in the international media. But that’s just what the multitude of arts-related events attached to this gigantic sporting event is meant to do. The Olympic and Paralympic Games are a chance for the UK to trumpet its collective glory as a cultural powerhouse, a shout to the world to sit up and take notice. Aspects of it are also being touted as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any and everybody in Britain to get up, go out and move. In short, this four-nation isle of ours is going to be full of noise and movement. High hopes aside, it can also be said that

“...a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity for any and everybody in Britain to get up, go out and move.”

wrapping one’s head around the bulging layers of Britain’s cultural remit this summer is daunting. You might well wonder what’s on the agenda, and just what you might want to see or do. For me the whole thing is like a series of Russian Matryoshka dolls, with the fourth and now nationalised edition of Big Dance (7–15 July) bursting out from within the larger calendar of events known as London 2012 (21 Jun - 9 Sept) which is itself contained inside the Cultural Olympiad. One can only imagine what sort of bureaucratheavy political wheeling and dealing must have gone on to set all of this in motion. Consider Big SUMMER 2012 PULSE 7

LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES: KEEPING THE DANCE FLAME ALIVE

Sampad’s Moving Earth | PHTOO: RKL Photography

Dance. Fuelled by a partnership between the Greater London Authority, Arts Council England, the Foundation for Community Dance and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), plus scores of other organisations across the country, this is obviously the most kinetically-focused strand of the entire Olympian shindig. A network of twenty-one ‘hubs’ (including five in London, six in Scotland and one each in Northern Ireland and Wales) is co-ordinating and delivering a diverse programme potentially involving up to 5 million people as participants or spectators. Plans in London tend to reflect the character and aims of the designated hubs. “That’s part of the magic,” says Big Dance director Jacqueline Rose. “A lot of the programme comes out of the vision and methodologies of the people running each hub.” Priority seems to be given to projects that cater to those who live or work in or near each catchment area. Also, many events and activities are open-air or presented in either ‘hidden’ or iconic locations. Luca Silvestrini of Protein Dance, for example, has fashioned a performance for a handful of Big Dance Picnics occurring in Greenwich. In the same borough some ‘small is beautiful’ interventions are being devised for a Big Dance Walk set in Oxleas Meadows (15 July). Members of English National Ballet are busy all over the city, including five nights (4–8 July) dancing a new one-act ballet by the Israeli master choreographer Itzik Galili inside a circus tent erected in the grounds of Greenwich’s Old Royal Naval College. One of many projects kick-started by East London Dance is Leaving Limbo Landing (7 July), in which a cast of six performs in the air, on water and on land in London Fields Park. Siobhan Davies 8 PULSE SUMMER 2012

Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company’s TooMortal. Dancer: Rathimalar Govindarajoo PHOTO: JP Masclet

“South Asian dance has its place at the Olympics table... “

Dance, meanwhile, has set up Your Move, an easyaccess online gallery to which we’re all invited to contribute photographic images of everyday movement (people, traffic, birds, etc). And on 5 July, the South Asian dance organisation Akademi transforms the historic 900-year-old interior of Westminster Hall into a site-specific performance space with Maaya, part of a month-long fusion of arts, heritage and media projects called Arts in Parliament. Although the twelve-strong ensemble features two circus artists, at the finale it’s acclaimed bharatanatyam dancer Priyadarsini Govind who will seize the spotlight. South Asian dance has its place at the Olympics table, although perhaps not enough to satisfy some of the senior members of the sector. Setting off-therecord grumblings aside, there are still high-profile projects such as Shobana Jeyasingh’s TooMortal, a twenty-minute, all-female piece created for presentation in churches in London (28–30 June and 12–14 July) and Worcester (19–21 July). The organisation sampad is responsible for Mandala, in which vast projections of dance will illuminate Birmingham Town Hall (7 Sept) and Nottingham Council House (9 Sept) to the beat of live music from Talvin Singh. And let’s not forget the ‘Britain meets Bollywood’ musical Wah! Wah! Girls, with Gauri Sharma Tripathi as choreographer and dates at Theatre Royal Stratford East (6–29 Sept) following a West End run at the Peacock Theatre. So, what will the legacy of the Olympics be? Hard to say. I’d apply the same phrase to whatever Boyle and his team of big-shot producers and artists are cooking up for the Opening Ceremony. Only titbits of information have been released (or leaked) to the press, e.g. £80 million as an estimated budget for all four opening/closing events, including those

“...all eyes will first and foremost be directed towards the 27 July event.”

that top and tail the Paralympics. But all eyes will first and foremost be directed towards the 27 July event. Tradition dictates a parade of flag-bearers and athletes from all competing nations, speeches and the climactic entrance of the Olympic Flame, which ignites the Cauldron and signals the Games’ official commencement. We know, too, that ‘Isles of Wonder’ is the Bard-inspired theme. Everything else is being kept top secret to an almost paranoid degree. Working with fifty dancers (and possibly the only ones being paid for their participation), Akram Khan is definitely one of Boyle’s choreographers. Wayne McGregor, although heavily involved in Big Dance (including directing 1,000 dancers at the free grand finale in Trafalgar Square on 14 July), apparently is not. According to Rajpal Pardesi, manager of Kenrick Sandy’s Olivier-winning Boy Blue Entertainment, anyone taking part professionally has had to sign a non-disclosure agreement that in Sandy’s case is approximately nine pages long. Bradley Hemmings, Director of the Greenwich and Docklands Festival (from which two major productions are included in London 2012, one featuring Place Prize-winning choreographer Ben Duke as a collaborator), is more forthcoming about what he and Co-Director Jenny Sealey, head of the theatre company Graeae, have up their sleeves for the launch of the Paralympics (29 August). Their overall theme is enlightenment, a notion quite intentionally referencing the historical era during which science and the arts were wedded to ideas about human rights and reason. Helmed by Kevin Finnan of the dance-theatre company Motionhouse, the Paralympics event will also play with concepts of parallel equality in ways that, as Hemmings reveals, “seek to transform perceptions about disabled people not only in the UK, but globally”. What else is known about the ceremonies generally? Well, a total cast of 15,000 will take part (with 3,000 slotted for the Paralympics). About 900 are students from eighteen primary and seven secondary schools in London, all recruited by Boyle’s entourage. The time commitment must be intense. An adult friend of mine who successfully passed two auditions (first by mainly walking in front of a load of people with clipboards, then miming various sporty moves) claimed she dropped out largely because of what might well have amounted to 100 hours of unpaid rehearsal. The few sessions she did attend were a case of “getting everybody in the right place at the right time. People who pick movement up quickly can get really bored.” My friend also mentioned the likelihood of “some dancing on pointe” in the closing ceremony, chiming in with a rumour about Darcey Bussell being on tap as “the phoenix of the Flame”. The ballerina’s presence makes sense, given that Kim Gavin, the Royal Ballet-trained dancer who directed Bussell and Katherine Jenkins in their 2008 show Viva La Diva, is overseeing the closing event. Gavin scored Olympic-sized points the following year for his handling of pop group Take That’s record-breaking Circus Stadium Tour. But all this is speculation. The spectacle will ‘speak’ for itself. I’ll close with a brief encounter of my own. Spotting Boyle in the foyer of the London Coliseum in March, I called out, “Good luck!” And what was his response, given with the broadest of smiles? “I’ll need it!” SUMMER 2012 PULSE 9

Anusha Subramanyam: One from the Heart PHOtO: SIMON RICHARDSON

PHOtO: SIMON RICHARDSON

PHOtO: VIPUL SANGOI

Anusha Subramanyam One from the Heart

What makes an artist tick? How did their journey begin? And what drives them to go further into the art form that they know and love? Donald Hutera gets to the heart of the matter by speaking to UK-based bharatanatyam artist, Anusha Subramanyam.

T “...I’m interested in creating work that is eclectic and not always genrespecific.”

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he dancer, choreographer, teacher and movement therapist Anusha Subramanyam is a small figure with a bright, intense yet pacific presence and a big, lifelong mission: to make dance for, and with, as many people as possible and in as many ways as she can. “I love people,” she says, sitting in the light-filled parlour of her home on a long, quiet street off bustling Green Lanes in the north London borough of Hackney. “I just adore them. There isn’t a single person I can’t work with, or don’t want to work with.” Subramanyam’s face beams so as she speaks that you can’t help but believe her. She likens herself to a honey-bee, explaining, “People tell me I always want a bit of this and a bit of that, but it’s because I’m interested in creating work that is eclectic and not always genre-specific.” Subramanyam’s sense of cross-pollinating culture diversity began early. Born in Khirki, next to Pune in the state of Maharashtra, she enjoyed a peripatetic childhood. “We moved almost every year or year and a half at the max,” she recalls, citing her father’s career as a telecommunications officer in the army as the reason.

“...do the things you love or love the things you do.”

Despite the continual displacement, Subramanyam and two younger siblings (a brother, a business analyst now living in Australia, and a sister who is a doctor) seem to have grown up bathed in security and affection. She dubs their father “a lovely man” with an abiding interest in the arts and literature. “Everything that is good and glad in me has come from him,” she says, adding by way of example his advice that she should “do the things you love or love the things you do. It’s given me a very happy countenance.” Subramanyam’s mother, a trained dancer and singer, was as deep an influence. As she puts it, “Everything I do is because of her.” In each new locale to which the family moved, her mum soon became involved in folk dance, street theatre and whatever other arts-based activities were happening. Thus Subramanyam learned the value of art for its own sake early on. A self-confessed ‘workafrolic’, Subramanyam’s career path to date has several landmarks of personal growth, many pinned to some extraordinary gurus and divas. She’s an alumnus of Kalakshetra in Besant Nagar, Chennai. “I went at a period when things were changing,” she says, “but I got the pioneers.” Subramanyam emerged from the renowned bharatanatyam-based arts academy in 1986, equipped with the inner knowledge that “beauty is who and what you are, and art gives you that”. Subsequently she trained and danced with Leela Samson, whom she pegs as “thoughtful, articulate and sensitive. She’s often seen as a classicist, but the way she creates works evokes an emotional and visceral response. It’s very much a Zen practice, coming purely from the body as much as from any layering of narrative.” Another profound impact was the MA in art history pursued at the National Museum of Delhi, especially

PHOTO: VIPUL SANGOI

Words by DONALD HUTERA

“I consider myself a friend of Mr. Pooh, the bear with little brain: you don’t think too much, you do.”

Anusha performing Na Asat

under the ‘life-changing’ tutelage of the Gandhara art scholar Lolita Nehru. “Through art I was relooking at the world. Nothing in it is straight. It’s all this,” Subramanyam says, hands darting round in front of her torso like restless birds on interlocking flight paths. “It was like seeing 3D in a film.” Workshops at a festival in Delhi exposed Subramanyam both to the legacy of the American modern dance pioneer Doris Humphrey and contact improvisation. “It was so exhilarating but also deeply disturbing,” she says, remembering questioning herself at the time: “If you like this so much, then what happens to the aesthetics you’re involved with?” The answer was to continue to expand her horizons and knowledge base. “I consider myself a friend of Mr. Pooh, the bear with little brain: you don’t think too much, you do. Movement had got me, but it was not just about me. I felt everybody should get a bit of this, and the body seemed a place where we all can share. I also wanted to do something to make a change for India. Maybe there were other forms of dance that might facilitate my work with people of other abilities. I now see myself as a person with many tools. These other viewpoints give me authenticity and greater freedom.” From the get-go Subramanyam’s work and teaching embraced many cross-disciplinary styles, locations (from big-city slums to rural settings, museums to railway stations) and people including the elderly, children, students or those with disabilities. In 1993 she undertook a year-long course in movement therapy. The following year the British Council invited her to the UK as a drama therapist. Although her scope is international, she’s been based in Britain ever since. Retrospectively she suspects what slightly set her apart from many of her peers was an interest in performance more than therapy. “My experimentations in school or community settings might not be considered professional work, but my practices within these contexts were what contemporary choreographers were doing.” Subramanyam formed her company Beeja (Hindi for ‘seed’) approximately a decade ago with an aim to ‘generate new ideas, new understanding and fresh creative forms’ via solo, group and interactively collaborative performances, workshops, residencies and classes. She has since amassed a body of ‘trans-cultural and inter-generational’ work fashioned while operating both within the traditions of classical Indian dance and outside it. A personal and professional bedrock is her

“...my truth lies in being with people or with moving.”

“Of course I want more for me, for dancers and for the South Asian sector, but there seems to be many possibilities. There’s no us or them, it’s only ‘we’.”

husband Vipul Sangoi, designer, photographer and core member of the Beeja team. “Such a gorgeous guy,” she remarks. “He’s constantly reminding me that my truth lies in being with people or with moving.” Although she’s earned a reputation within the South Asian dance community as a determined and genuine bridge-builder, Subramanyam uncomplainingly observes that she’s yet to have access to all the resources that an artist with her range of experience might well know how to best use. Still she can say, “I feel truly blessed. I came here with ‘nothing’ but a small scholarship and knowing no one, but I was given support by various organisations and opportunities. It’s extraordinary to think I’m in a place doing what I love most. Of course I want more for me, for dancers and for the South Asian sector, but there seems to be many possibilities. There’s no us or them, it’s only ‘we’. I just wish we could see more evidence of this sense of abundance being truly given to the younger generation.” For the past four years Subramanyam has been subject leader in bharatanatyam at the South Asian CAT (Centre for Advanced Training) programme managed jointly by Birmingham’s DanceXchange and sampad. Meanwhile she continues to work on a multitude of projects, including several that are in the offing this autumn: a performance with the elderly made in collaboration with a film-maker, poet and musician all based in Suffolk, and another in Hampshire combining young deaf people, bharatanatyam dancers and ‘the commonality of gestures and personal narratives’. Further afield in terms of time and/or location is Aseema (a working title meaning ‘limitless’), a piece to be devised by disabled and non-disabled artists from Sri Lanka, India and the UK. One of the motivations for making it, Subramanyam says, is the lack of recognition disability arts tends to receive from the gatekeepers of South Asian dance. Among other projects in development is an immersive, cross-arts piece inspired by the poetry of three female mystics (Sufi-Islamic, Hindu and Christian), and a collaboration with disability arts powerhouse Caroline Bowditch and composer Chris Benstead exploring biomechanics, metaphorical meanings and interpersonal relations associated with the heart. This last work, Subramanyam says, will be “about the things we see and encounter when we meet from the heart”. It’s a subject that undoubtedly speaks directly to who she is and how she interacts with the world. SUMMER 2012 PULSE 11

IN THE FRAME— SADHANA DANCE

Sadhana Dan

PHOTOGRAPHY BY simon richardson

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nce – Elixir

or several months Sadhana Dance have been touring the UK with their second work, Elixir, a creation that combines dance and science – two passions of the company Artistic Director and choreographer, Subathra Subramaniam. The work premiered back in February at The Point in Eastleigh, which is where the company is based, before going on to venues in London, Canterbury and Bridport and, from 23–28 April, Sadhana Dance embarked upon a short residency at Springhead in Fontmell Magna, North Dorset for a special open-air performance which recaptured the beauty of the work. Elixir takes water, a natural and essential element of life, and explores it in a free-flowing dialogue of movement, music and visual art. But wherever the location, we hope you find the beauty in the simplicity of this unique work.

Watch Elixir, premiered at The Point, Eastleigh, 9 Feb 2012

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ALCHEMY FESTIVAL 2012: REFLECTIONS Sonia Sabri Company | PHOTO: Simon Balson

Alchemy Festival 2012 Reflections

Words by JAHNAVI HARRISON

“...this is a festival that allows South Asian art to be four-dimensional...”

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ain is thundering down on the Waterloo Bridge. There’s not much sign of anything special happening on the other side of the river – only one brightlypainted rickshaw (with now soggy seats) hints at what is unfolding inside the Southbank Centre. Today is the last of Alchemy – the annual, two-week festival of South Asian dance and music that was born three years ago. In the Clore Ballroom, a space that has hosted most of the free events, a large audience is applauding a series of London-based Indian dance troupes. Competing for attention is a trapeze performer on the left side of the foyer, and the rattle of dholak and ankle bells from the Rajasthani street performers on the right, who are raising smiles with their hip-shaking, shimmying marionettes. The UK boasts more quality Asian arts events and festivals than any other country in the world. From Dartington’s Tagore festival to Darbar, arts organisations and venues never seem to tire of exploring Britain’s unique, long-standing links with the Indian subcontinent. Arguably, to choose ‘Asian arts’ as the artistic thrust of a festival is a rather worn idea these days. But Alchemy-goers have nothing to fear. Far from a thin demonstration of ‘traditional culture’, this is a festival that allows South Asian art to be four-dimensional – presenting a living, breathing cross-section of what the cream of South Asian-influenced artists from around the world are creating. Many festivals choose to focus on just one or two aspects of South Asian art, but Alchemy

is a broad, ambitious attempt to cover all bases. Even on just a purely practical bums-on-seats level, it is smart. Almost every event I attended was packed, including those free of charge. Over two weeks, everything from Sufi poetry to yoga and contemporary Indian theatre was presented to an audience just as diverse. Care was taken to programme events that appealed to both London’s existing Asian arts fans as well as those completely unfamiliar, yet nonetheless discerning.

Catalysing Collaboration

“On one side of me, a couple were riveted and exclaimed at how amazing it was... others reasoned that... presenting experimental, surprising work is exactly what a festival of this kind is for.”

More than just showcasing artists, the programmers commissioned and pushed for some special Alchemy firsts. Some were unusual pairings between familiar artists, like the Raghu Dixit Project with Gauri Sharma Tripathi and Bellowhead. The novelty of the mix was perhaps less surprising given that the latter two are Southbank Artists in Residence. This show may have been the most hotly-debated of all. In the first half, the artists presented a retelling of an Indian folk tale. The format felt charmingly old-fashioned – just three dancers, a basic stage design and a great cast of musicians. But with just three days to prepare, it was clearly a work in progress. On one side of me, a couple were riveted and exclaimed at how amazing it was during the interval. Another lady I spoke to said that it was plain cheeky to put something thrown together at the last minute as the prime showpiece for an audience of 800-odd paying public. Others reasoned

SACHAL JAZZ ENSEMBLE | PHOTO: SOHAIL ANJUM

Alchemy Festival 2012 has been and gone but where has it taken us? What were the highlights and how did they fare on the wider cultural scale of things? Jahnavi Harrison shares her musings on the Alchemy experience.

“Hearing a sarangi riffing on ‘Girl from Ipanema’ to a lazy dholak swing is certainly not an everyday experience...”

that rather than well-rehearsed pieces guaranteed to make a positive impression, presenting experimental, surprising work is exactly what a festival of this kind is for. The piece definitely has potential, and choreographer Tripathi reported that the artists will continue to work on eventually presenting a full-length musical. A similar concern was raised by Pulse reviewer, Archita Kumar, who felt of the Purbayan Chatterjee/Shankar Mahadevan offering, that “although there was a very high level of musicianship from all the artists on stage, one could sense a lack of preparation. This resulted in heavy reliance on improvisation to carry the pieces through.” Others felt that the art of improvisation particularly characterises South Asian music and was therefore to be expected, especially from such accomplished musicians. Opinions were less divided over the collaboration between the Sachal Jazz Ensemble and twenty UK-based jazz and classical guest musicians. It was a touching sight to see them all assemble on stage – most of the Sachal musicians are in their later years and shuffled on stage with a refreshing air of humility and unselfconsciousness. They had the crowd toe-tapping and hooting with their unique repertoire of old jazz standards by greats like Henry Mancini and Antonio Carlos Jobim, as well as their own compositions. Sometimes the cultural collision between the two influences was so unexpected that it was almost comedic, but their creativity was charming. Hearing a sarangi riffing on ‘Girl from Ipanema’ to

a lazy dholak swing is certainly not an everyday experience, and Alchemy organisers can take due credit for bringing these YouTube sensations to the UK for the first time.

Unlocking Creativity

“Ansuman Biswas...took his audience on a layered sensory journey that led to an almost spiritual climax.”

Festival organisers also endeavoured to open the treasure of South Asian arts to new audiences. The programme boasted a considerable range of free events, covering lesser-known arts like Arabic calligraphy, or the Pakistani music and dance recital curated by Sonia Sabri Company, as well as evergreen favourites like yoga and Bollywood dance. Some unusual workshops cropped up in the ‘Art Of’ series – a trilogy that explored the Art of Seeing and Listening for concert-goers, and a twoday seminar ‘The Art of Writing’ for budding arts reviewers. Each boasted accomplished presenters, like multidisciplinary artist Ansuman Biswas whose presentation on listening took his audience on a layered sensory journey that led to an almost spiritual climax. The public was also invited to join a Bollywood film project – shot over one week onsite. The script was written by Nikesh Shukla, with choreography by actress Shobna Gulati. Though surely a great idea in the boardroom, the end result didn’t have quite the punch that it could’ve – though it was tonguein-cheek, formulaic doesn’t equal funny and many audience members felt that though time was short, its production values were unnecessarily poor. Still, this could definitely be a hit next year with more

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ALCHEMY FESTIVAL 2012: REFLECTIONS JIYO Residency | PHOTO: Sam Appa Photography

Raghu Dixit | PHOTO: Courtesy of the Artist Festival Highlights

Yoga with the Art of Living

Raghu Dixit

preparation and perhaps a fresher approach. Young people were given special attention in the YUVA showcase on the last day of the festival. Though a very large audience had gathered, the standard of dance was so high that it seemed a shame the young artists weren’t invited to perform as curtain raisers for some of the bigger dance events. India Dance Wales students danced the story of Welsh gold miners through traditional bharatanatyam, demonstrating engagement with British history and culture without compromising classical form, and the pin-drop silence in the face of the composed grace of the Odissi Ensemble showed that there is an eager UK audience for the rarer classical forms too.

Creating Atmosphere Sachal Jazz Ensemble

Sonia Sabri Dance CompanyLok Virsa

Fashion Show

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A festival is as much about ambience as its performance offerings and though the weather this year prevented much outdoor transformation, the foyer space had some great additions. Bollywoodstyle posters were being painted, featuring London landscapes and chaste clinches. Innovative music project Charity Shop DJ was resident, playing vintage Bollywood records from Mumbai markets throughout the festival. DJ Jules said that people had stopped by to riffle through the records on offer, often sitting down to reminisce over where their lives had been the last time they’d listened to them. Another major presence in the space was the residency by arts and culture organisation, ‘Jiyo!’. Traditional crafts-to-die-for were displayed in

a dedicated area, and really showcased some of the more rarely-seen arts outside of India – like Andhra Pradesh leather puppets, Bihari Madhubani paintings and exquisite textiles. The stand-out feature was having the artists themselves present to demonstrate technique and help to sell their work with a smile (though disappointingly, bartering didn’t seem to be invited). One of the most unusual uses of the space was ‘Looking For Kool’, a one-woman theatre experience by Sri Lankan-born actress and writer, Rani Moorthy. The piece took audiences down into the labyrinthine basement passages to meet ‘Mrs U’, a survivor of war who recounted her experiences in a poignant, heartbreakingly funny monologue. Many who saw the piece rated it the highlight of the whole festival, and some from British-Sri Lankan backgrounds were particularly moved. As always, a roster of engaging lectures and presentations supplemented the evening performances, as well as film and displays of arts and crafts. One of the most promising aspects of the festival is that it creates a platform for British Asian artists, not just to interact with those from further afield, but to have a chance to showcase their unique art within a context where the preconceived notion of what being Asian means disappears. With one of the biggest arts centres in London behind it, plus a who’s who of the Asian arts scene on the advisory board, the Alchemy Festival will hopefully live up to its name – becoming a dynamic, creatively-charged lab with golden results.

DANCE IN THE COMMUNITY

A Lasting Connection Words by Bisakha sarker

PHOTO: DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY

PHOTO: Courtesy of the Artist

Community dance projects are integral to the growth and reach of the field, yet the work that’s being carried out is seldom written about. For that reason, we’re launching a Dance in the Community section. To start things off, we hear from acclaimed dance artist, researcher and educationalist, Bisakha Sarker, who shares fond memories of a project in Liverpool.

onnections made through dance are priceless gifts. Whether remembered or lost under layer upon layer of dusts of time, they remain fresh and alive. All of a sudden, I came across an old associate who resurfaced and flooded me with memories of the bonds we made many years back, while making and performing a dance in a community setting. A colleague, Tina Reed, had invited musician Chris Davies and me to take part in an animation project at a resource centre for adults with physical disabilities in Liverpool. She was planning to make an animation film on the idea of freedom using an African theme and filming appropriate hand gestures. I was not comfortable with the idea of the service users only filming my hand gestures. I felt that it should be their own expressions and understanding of restrain and freedom from an individual and a more personal standpoint. I was given the opportunity to develop the workshop using my own judgement. The levels of impairment and mobility varied from moderate to severe. Most of the participants were wheelchair users and a few had restricted upper body movement. All joined in the activity and contributed creatively. It was a revelation to see the deep joy people experience from movement. We were on a learning curve to see participants coming up with movements through engagement and conviction. It never looked strained, although it was quite plain that it took a lot of effort. The participants used movements of eyes, head, shoulder and wrists to respond. The film-maker had hung a curtain supported by two ladders to create a makeshift dark plain background for filming hands in action. One by one, each person came to the screen and responded freely with the movements of my hands. It will be hard to list all the non-verbal communications that passed between these hands. There was one participant in a low wheelchair. When it was her turn, I thought that if I can get to her eye level then we will be able to work better. To protect my old wobbly knee I grabbed a small cushion and knelt down. Just as we were about to start our eyes met and it stopped me in my tracks. I can’t explain what went through my mind. Almost in a trance, I asked: “I have danced with you before... haven’t I?” Her face lit up with a smile and she said: “I was wondering if you will remember.” Until that moment, I had not recognised her. I was treating her the same way as all other participants. I had met Amanda twenty-five years back when I first started to work in community dance. John McGrath was leading AIM (Arts Integration Merseyside), a disability arts organisation. He sent me to do a taster session of Indian dance for this resource centre, which was quite unheard-of in those days. The session was well received and Amanda and her friends wanted to work on a performance piece. We made a dance and performed it at the official launch of AIM. Community arts projects come and go; we move on in our own ways and leave behind the intimate memories of time shared. On that day, time stood still. Amanda and I were transported to the days when we had danced together.

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THE ART OF CRITICAL WRITING

The Art of Critical Writing Tutors: Sanjoy Roy and Melissa Blanco Borelli.

Words by Lucinda Al-Zoghbi PHOTOGRAPHY BY yasmin Khan

Earlier this year, in April to be exact, we launched the Art of Critical Writing, a short course enabling budding arts critics to finetune their analytical skills over an afternoon of practical tasks, feedback and discussion. The course proved to be a success among the participants at its premiere, at the Southbank Centre’s Alchemy Festival, and since then has taken on Leicester and Birmingham with further dates scheduled for November 2012. In line with these recent developments, we thought it was an appropriate time to reflect on the sessions, and share the concepts and issues that have arisen from them, with you.

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he Art of Critical Writing (AOCW) was curated by Kadam Director and Pulse Editor Sanjeevini Dutta, who wanted to open up the performance experience by encouraging arts enthusiasts to find their authorial voice. AOCW forms part of a trio of Kadam short courses, the others being Listening and Seeing, and was named ‘The Art of’ as a homage to Alain de Bottain’s The Art of Travel. Dutta invited cultural commentators to share their experiences of writing – spoken word, written word, or the performative kind – with our aspiring writers. Speakers have included Sanjoy Roy, dance critic for the Guardian, Dancing Times and Pulse; Dr Melissa Blanco Borelli, Lecturer in Dance Studies at the University of Surrey; Dr Anita Ratnam, Founder and Managing Editor of Narthaki; Jameela Siddiqi, a freelance music critic; and, more recently, Donald Hutera, a freelance writer for The Times and Londondance.com among others. Sanjoy presented his tried and tested model, a performance spider diagram if you will, which covered all angles of the performance experience: the performer, the choreographer, the observer and, of course, the critic. The model gave participants an enhanced awareness of the performance setting which, in turn, will inform their critical thinking, and of course, writing. When putting these thoughts onto paper, Sanjoy advised the participants to show, rather say, what they mean through their deployment of literary devices because the description and style, in itself, will reveal the experience for the reader. Following on from that, Melissa declared that a love of words is just as important as an understanding of how to

Tutors: Jameela Siddiqi and Sanjoy Roy

“I would like to thank Pulse for this wonderful workshop... it opened up a lot of thought processes for the writing mind.” Veena Basavarajaiah, AOCW participant at Alchemy Festival 2012

implement them. She shared extracts from some of her favourite writers to exemplify literary devices and encouraged participants to read a variety of writing styles in order to learn from and emulate them in their own work. Unfortunately, dance is an undervalued art form, partly because it has no material value: it cannot be hung on the wall of an art gallery like a painting, or picked up, read and have its pages turned like those of a book. Dance is ephemeral, all for the moment, gone in a flash but, to a certain extent, dance transcends time and space because of the feelings and images it evokes. To that end, Melissa suggested that the form is constantly present and therefore requires a present re-presentation. In other words, the critical writing should be in the present tense and the author should have an active voice to mirror the subject it’s conveying. Of course, we make up our own minds about how much (or how little) we enjoy a dance performance, and your opinion is just as worthy as the next person’s, but how do we make our opinions count? How do we share our personal thoughts with others who might not share the same view or haven’t seen the work we’re discussing? Melissa addressed this very issue by suggesting that critical writing is about making meaning from the performance so that it is relevant to today or, more specifically, relevant to you. Her presentation centred around six key principles/questions which she suggested might frame the participants’ critique. These principles include: where are we – setting the scene for the reader; what is happening – movement description and choreographic analysis; what frames of analysis are to be deployed – feminist,

“It was a great way of getting together and hearing different practitioners’ views and tips on writing. The feedback was invaluable.” Sonia Mehta, AOCW participant

cultural, political; and how do I want to leave my reader? Just as the dance left you, the observer, with an impression, how do you want to pass on your impressions of the piece to your reader? Following the tutors’ presentations, participants were asked to write a short review on a dance performance, live or recorded, so that they could put their skills into practice. It was a quick turnover between observing, writing and submitting the review but the participants rose to the occasion and Sanjoy was on hand to give individual feedback which could be implemented in their future written work. He emphasised the importance of a journalist’s toolkit – the what, where, who, when – even though these points seem the most obvious, particularly when they feature in the title of the review. He continued that description should be the first port of call; even when it becomes difficult to convey an idea, description will recreate the mood of the performance and everything else, like the critical analysis and value judgement, will come. Like a painter, sketching before he turns to oils and pastels, use description and then colour it with finer details from your memory of the performance. Critical writing is, indeed, an art not a science, and for that reason there is a limit to how much can be ‘taught’. Having said that, there is a constant need to address and re-address the issues that arise from performance conventions, and by discussing and practising different approaches, arts criticism will continue to develop and reflect the work of its time which will, in turn, confirm its role as an art form in itself. Pulse acknowledges support from ACE Grants for the Arts towards the workshops in the Art of Series

SUMMER 2012 PULSE 19

LECTURE/PERFORMANCE — REVIEWS

Natalia Hildner | PHOTO: Eulanda Shead

Dr. Margaret Walker | PHOTO: Eulanda Shead

Lecture/Performance

Company wives and nautchinis all the more complicated, nautch had another life in the superlatively Thumri Rasrang refined court of the last Nawab 21 May 2012 of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah. The Dr. Margaret Walker and Natalia sensuous, semi-classical musical Hildner genre thumri was a particular University of Roehampton, London favourite of Wajid Ali Shah, both Reviewed by John Cooper before and after his exile from Lucknow to Calcutta in 1856. n 17 May Dr. Margaret Under his patronage, nautch Walker, University took on that exquisite jewel-like, of Ontario, delivered Mughal miniature-esque precision a lecture entitled of line which Natalia Hildner’s ‘Subtle Glances and Graceful kathak performance displayed to Stances: The Gentrification of full effect. Women’s Dance in North India’, The pale plastered, stuccoed, followed by a performance of gilt-framed and ornately two thumris by kathak dancer fenestrated eighteenth-century Natalia Hildner. This double Terrace Room of Grove House, staging, part of the 2012 University Roehampton looks a lot like the of Roehampton Dance Festival, opulent colonial interiors in explored the history of kathak and watercolours and lithographs by its colonial precursor nautch. Balthazar Solvyns, Emily Eden, Before kathak there was Mrs. Belnos and Sir Charles D’Oyly nautch. A synthesis of singing, which depict nautch and which acting and dancing, nautch Dr. Walker displayed in her lecture. somewhat exceeded the West’s In fact, it was uncanny to hear the rigid hierarchy of fine art. ‘So bells of Natalia Hildner’s ankles in completely Oriental’, as the the corridor before she arrived on nineteenth-century travel writer stage after the lecture. It sounded Anne Katherine Elwood put it. like history arriving. For other colonial participants Nautch is not kathak. But mentioned in Dr. Walker’s lecture, what the images, texts and nautch was by turns ‘dull’ and full dancing of this dual lectureof ‘sameness’ (Emma Roberts) or performance demonstrated were a pretext for belligerent durbarthat kathak has complex roots. esque diplomacy (Cpt. James Dr. Walker explained that kathak Skinner of ‘Skinner’s Horse’). (All as we know it originated in the texts freely available, it should be emerging nation space of early said, on Google Books.) twentieth-century West Bengal, To make this aesthetic jarring of that it developed actually out of minds between nabobs, East India ‘anti-nautch’ social reform, out

of attempts to purge nautch of its ever-present association with the courtesan culture of tawa’ifs, and out of institutions – like the American Gramophone Company or Rabindranath Tagore’s school Santiniketan – which divested it of its links to hereditary systems of caste. Nevertheless, as Hildner opened her performance with a poignant choreographic acknowledgement of space, it became clear that there are continuities between nautch and kathak: the gat or travelling step, for example, or the beginning of a pirouette, starting with a ‘dip’ called palta. The first thumri danced was Kahe Ched Ched Mohe with music and choreography by Hildner’s guru Pandit Birju Maharaj-ji, a seventh-generation descendant from the Lucknow Gharana. This thumri narrated a dalliance of Lord Krishna and the gopi Radha with carefully stylised mime. As Dr. Walker had explained, the thumri form treats raga with particular flexibility and this allowed Hildner to develop a subtle story of expressive movement in line with the teasing push and pull of a seduction. In the guise of Radha, drawing her ghunghat (or veil) coyly across her kohlmarked eyes, executing a series of powerful rhythmic bols or a flurry of spins, Hildner’s performance demonstrated the powerful historical potential

of kathak. It was potent: full of seduction, self-possession, pure rhythmic virtuosity and the power to create meaning from gesture and expression. The second thumri to be performed was different. Jage Ho Kahin Re is a contemporary reworking of the thumri genre developed under Wajid Ali Shah, Nawab of Awadh in the midnineteenth century and was choreographed by Smt. Archana Joglekar, an abhinaya exponent from Mumbai and student of Smt. Asha Joglekar, to music by Pandit Birju Maharaj. Far from depicting voluptuous posturings and courtesan airs for an exclusively male gaze, this revisionary thumri voiced the feminist story of an expectant lover betrayed by her deceitful partner. Jage Ho Kahin Re showed that the opposite of courtesan culture is not banner-waving, loud, radical Westernised feminist reaction. It can be more subtle: the ability to own stories physically through dance. Calmly and out of breath, Hildner left fragments of different times on the stage behind her. Across the span from the court of Wajid Ali Shah to the international dance world of the present, the complex forms on which kathak draws were shown by both Hildner and Dr. Walker to be alive with potential. In fact, they suggested that one possible future for kathak is a new investigation of its past.

SUMMER 2012 PULSE 21

REVIEWS — DANCE PERFORMANCES

Dance Performances Dev Kahan Hai?/ Configurations 17 March 2012 Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company Linbury Theatre, London Reviewed by Sanjoy Roy

hobana Jeyasingh trained in bharatanatyam, and when she formed her company back in 1988 she was clear that the abhinaya aspect of that style – its vocabulary of gestures and expressions used for narration and characterisation (we might call it the ‘acting’ side of dance)

Sooraj Subramaniam | Photo: Chris Nash

– was not her interest. Instead, it was nritta, the formal lexicon of steps, sequences and rhythms (the ‘dancing’ side) that attracted her. Broadly speaking, that outlook has remained with her, so it was fascinating that her latest piece Dev Kahan Hai? (Where is Dev?) took an archetypal abhinaya scenario – a woman waiting for her beloved – as its point of departure. But Dev Kahan Hai? is abhinaya as filtered through the prism of Jeyasingh’s very particular mind; characteristically, she does not leave this set-up unexamined. The woman, Sri Thina Subramaniam, may enter an empty stage, but it is already dense with the imagery: Pete Gomes’ video has already projected a collage of blurry passers-by, high-definition headshots, roads and rail tracks. Subramanian’s ‘awaiting’ solo is far from solitary, but placed within a busy world through which the stutters, whispers and echoes of Niraj Chag’s electronic score gust like dusty breezes. White-clad Subramaniam is only partly a traditional heroine: she mimes looking in the mirror, adorning herself with jewellery or listening for distant footsteps, but without the correctness of a classical dancer (she has some twisting turns and slashing jumps, for example, in which you sense both force and frustration). And if the traditional waiting scene is 22 PULSE SUMMER 2012

like a story put on pause so that its inner emotions can be elaborated, Jeyasingh now puts that whole scenario itself on hold in order to elaborate something altogether different. Subramaniam is joined by four dancers sporting cool shades and chic black outfits. They echo her poses and gestures as they cluster around her, like after-images taking on a life of their own. Naturally, this rather undermines the seriousness of Subramaniam’s character: if a bunch of hipsters are striking poses of longing behind you, it’s hard to have your own expressions taken at face value. Something that began by looking more like acting (expression) now starts to look more like dancing (form). The rest of the piece is something of a tug of love between two different worlds. In the white world are Subramaniam and Parshwanath Upadhye (the Dev of the title, one assumes), constantly being whisked up into the twilight zone of the hipsters who wear sunglasses in the dark. Two moments serve as pivots between these worlds. In the first, the dancers form a kind of conveyor belt, appearing to pick up ornaments at one end while at the other Subramaniam mimes putting them on, executing a little twirl as each passes by. The second is simply a mirror image of the first, this time with Upadhye as the axis. In both, you sense a precarious balance of power: are the unrequited lovers the cogs driving a loop of devotees, or are they mechanical dolls, spun around by their admirers? Who’s zooming who? Overall, the Shades (as I came to think of the hipsters) win out. The lovers stay separated, and are often frankly sidelined. The Shades get together though, and how: group sequences and duets show them in complex, combative mode, dodging and feinting like boxers. You sense a stylistic connection with the lovers-in-white, in the angle of a wrist or the rhythm of a step, but the energy is more martial-arts than classical with sinuous weaves, hovering balances and a sharper attack. It’s like a freeform modern-jazz riff on the lovers’ old-time tune – cooler and altogether more unpredictable – and the feeling is liberating. Departure and liberation have, in one way or another, been driving forces behind Jeyasingh’s choreography from the beginning. Finishing this double bill was a reprise of her

first work, Configurations from 1988. Other than Michael Nyman’s commissioned score for string quartet, it has been substantially remade (you might as well call it Re-Configurations). Originally a female trio, the current version is now a mixed quartet, and whereas the first version consisted largely of classical bharatanatyam sequences sharply pinned to the rhythms of Nyman’s score, this reworking has a much looser relation both to the rhythm and to bharatanatyam. Without trying to tell a story, Jeyasingh has added much greater dramatic impetus and variety to the choreography through purely formal means: in the torque of a torso, in the beats skipped in a step, in the facing and placement of the dancers. It is a more sophisticated piece in every way than the piece she made in 1988; a return to the past that also indicates her distance from it.

Akademi presents: Arunima Kumar and Shane Shambhu 28 April 2012 Akademi Rich Mix, London Reviewed by Nicholas Minns

kademi presents: Arunima Kumar and Shane Shambhu offered a thoughtprovoking comparison of the ways in which these two artists, both trained in classical dance (Kumar in kuchipudi, Shambhu

Arunima Kumar | Photo: Courtesy of the Artist

in bharatanatyam), have chosen to interpret their respective dance form for today’s audiences. Kumar uses her remarkable qualities and her understanding of the dance to reveal the essence of classical form in a contemporary creation. From the moment the lights pick out the crimson presence of Kumar in her latest work, AUM kara, a sense of mystery prevails. She seems to dance from a point of stillness around which her arms and hands are fluid expressions. Connected

powerfully to the floor, her body is nevertheless lightness itself and her eyes remain calm and reverent in the face of divinity. In DHeeM – Dance of the sculpture, the subject is well chosen, for the sculptural qualities of grace, beauty, rhythm and ecstasy are those that Kumar inherently possesses. Her torso is again held in total control, like a block of stone out of which the emotional body emerges. There is a feel of love and compassion, and a deep contentment – even ecstasy – while her physical and rhythmical mastery remains supreme. There is something more of Kumar herself here, which may be a subtle evolution in her creative approach. In her final offering, Maheshwara – Celebrating Shiva, Kumar chooses a piece of traditional choreography by Padmashri Guru Jaya Rama Rao in which she gives full expression to her virtuoso technique. It is a revelation how such a small gesture as the opening of a hand can be magnified into an event of breathtaking power. Throughout her dances, Kumar’s beautiful shapes and mastery of every fine detail are a joy to watch. Classical dance, whatever its roots, carries with it a cultural identity. In Pogunilla, Shane Shambhu explores how deeply ingrained such identity is. Symbolically, he divests himself of his outer robes to reveal a shirt and jeans. It is the beginning of a journey in which he re-choreographs a section from a well-known classical bharatanatyam work in a contemporary idiom. The contrast with Kumar’s classical form is revealing. Shambhu’s body is more relaxed, his centre more fluid, and his gestural conversation is more informal. Kumar’s dance is essentially upright, whereas Shambhu’s is in all directions, engaging the floor in ways that would be unthinkable in classical form. Shambhu relishes this freedom of movement, but if the outer form has changed, his cultural and religious attitude has not. This is what he cannot escape. In his second work of the evening, Dr Jagad & Mr Haridas, Shambhu is in full theatrical mode, with a table of phials, a chart of scribbled formulae and a plastic rat that suffers a squelchy death. In this retelling of the Jekyll and Hyde story with a DNA twist, the point at which Dr Jagad creates his alter ego, Mr Haridas, in the laboratory is where the dance begins. Finding

DANCE PERFORMANCES / MUSIC PERFORMANCE — REVIEWS

new forms to portray psychological drama is the fertile ground of contemporary dance and Shambhu experiments with the DNA of bharatanatyam to this end with great conviction. Since the evening’s works inevitably invite a comparison of the approaches of these two artists, it is this: Kumar keeps her subject matter – and her music – close to the roots of her cultural and spiritual heritage, and even when she creates a work, her form is never far from an expression of classical dance. Shambhu, by contrast, thrusts himself into a contemporary situation and challenges himself to devise a grammar that is pertinent to his narrative. Both approaches are valid, and each brings to the stage a living response to the cultural and spiritual heritage they share.

Odissi Dance Recital 20 May 2012 Ileana Citaristi Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, London Reviewed by Katie Ryan

ollowing her performance at the Nehru Centre in autumn 2011 – Ileana Citaristi’s first visit to the UK for many years – this Orissa-based dancer and scholar returned to conduct a one-week workshop at the Bhavan

Ileana Citaristi | Photo: Simon Richardson

and to perform a programme of choreography by her teacher, Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. Citaristi’s choice of items gave the small but appreciative audience the opportunity to see some unique compositions rarely performed in the UK. Throughout the recital, Citaristi’s sincere rendering of her Guru’s compositions was a joy to witness. Opening with Srita Kamala Mangalacharan, Citaristi depicted Vishnu with vitality in various scenes taken from the second song of the Gita Govind. Particularly poignant was the final verse in praise of the author Jayadeva in which the thanksgiving was truly heartfelt.

In a simple presentation without costume changes or any additions to the set, the delight of the shared experience between dancer and audience – an authentic, human connection – was brought to the fore and succeeded in maintaining the audience’s attention, even without the added energy of live music. In Pallavi Kirvani the joy and charm of Pandit Bhubaneshwar Mishra’s music was embodied by Citaristi through precise footwork and undulating torso movements to echo the syncopated rhythm. Citaristi carried off this demanding nritta (pure dance) item with a mature and contained approach. In the subsequent Ashtapadi Citaristi showed deep absorption in her portrayal of Radha’s account to her sakhi (friend) of her secret liaison with Krishna. Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra’s masterful composition Sakhi he kesi mathana mudaram combines humour, flirtation, unabashed eroticism and tenderness and was performed with a liberating openness. The final item, Ekalavya, was a refreshing contrast to the romantic trysts of the Gita Govind, exploring masculine characters in an episode of the Mahabharata. Perhaps Citaristi’s training in Chau assisted in her vigorous portrayal of the macho Pandavas and Kauravas as they rejected lowly tribal chief Jara from their martial school? And did Jara’s determined dedication to Guru Dhrona hit a chord with Citaristi’s long-standing devotion to her own guru? Whatever the reasons, Citaristi successfully evoked the tone of each character which, combined with Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra’s choreography and Pandit Prafulla Kar’s descriptive music, gave this complex narrative both clarity and life. Guru Dhrona’s struggle of conscience as he decides to test Jara by asking for his left thumb, a sacrifice of his archery skills, was particularly engaging, hinting at a complex mix of morality and politics. Concluding with Dhrona’s wonder at the sacrifice he has witnessed, the audience were left with ambiguity on whether justice has been done. As odissi gradually develops in the UK, performances such as this are vital in ensuring students, dancers and audiences are exposed to the rich heritage of the form, which as Citaristi demonstrated, has the range to portray hardhitting masculine characters as well as the lyrical, rounded lasya qualities for which it is more widely known. After bringing some of her guru’s compositions

to life for the Bhavan audience, Citaristi presented a copy of her biography of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, The Making of a Guru, to the Bhavan library. Let’s hope it provides others with further insights into the life of a great artist who is one of the foremost architects of odissi in the twentyfirst century.

Seventieth Birthday Celebrations 22 May 2012 Guru Pratap Pawar Nehru Centre, London Reviewed by Sanjeevini Dutta

hat could be a more fitting tribute to a performer whose love and passion for dance remain undimmed after fiftyfive years at the game, than to mark a milestone birthday by dancing? That very occasion arose for Padmashri Pratap

Guru Pratap Pawar | Photo: Simon Richardson

Pawar who performed to an audience of adoring colleagues, family and friends at the Nehru Centre on Tuesday 22 May. The event had been arranged by Pratapji’s students who wanted to honour their Guru’s formidable qualities as a kathak artist and, with all the seats taken and the aisles overflowing, there was certainly a high level of interest in this performance. The opening speeches and messages to the maestro came from legendary artists such as Asha Bhonsle, Lata Mangeshwar and Amjad Ali Khan. Akram Khan, Pratapji’s most renowned student, gave a heartfelt tribute, describing the deep and intimate relationship between a teacher and student as being the nearest thing to ‘sacred’ in his life. Akram recounted a life-changing anecdote of receiving a massive ‘slap’ from his Guru when as a young teen he used lies to cover up his embarrassment. “Wisdom and violence can come from the same source,” he noted. At last the talking was over and

the dance could begin. Dressed in a pale green achkan with multiplelayered pearl necklace, Pratapji took the opening stance, in the that and amad. The vilambit (slow) section used deep body bends, graceful movements of wrist, neck and eyebrow. Although he had prefaced his performance by acknowledging his age, almost immediately Pratapji was engaged in quick-fire tatkar (footwork). Over the next forty-five minutes Pratapji gave a balanced and engaging performance: a satisfying mixture of tukras and torahs, thunderous parans, delicate gat, precise chakkars. Pratapji even offered to follow Sanju Sahai’s tabla rather than the more conventional dancer-leadsmusician relationship and when he challenged the tabla player there was a moment of indignation from the audience that with a tabla player half his age this was not a ‘level playing field’. However, the dancer stood his ground. For the abhinaya section Pratapji performed a ghazal named Chandini Doobjai, Moonlight vanishes when you leave, the Door remains ajar, a classic piece rendered beautifully by vocalist Vishwa Prakash to santoor accompaniment of Kiranpal Singh and performed with great dignity and depth. Lastly a duet between Pratapji and Yuanna Carlos flamenco performer was greeted with whoops of pleasure. The meeting of the singers from the two traditions was another highlight of the evening. Kathak as flamenco reignites with live music; perhaps this is the art form’s true heart. The lesson of the evening was that talent alone will not ensure an artist’s success but the lagan (steadfastness) that they use to approach their profession. Dance is not for the faint-hearted – thank you, Pratap Pawar, for your 200 per cent belief in yourself.

Music Performance Circle of Sound 22 May 2012 Soumik Datta and Bernhard Schimpelsberger The Forge, Camden Town, London Reviewed by Ken Hunt

he UK-based duo of Soumik Datta and Bernhard Schimpelsberger is an electro-acoustic hybrid with SUMMER 2012 PULSE 23

REVIEWS — MUSIC PERFORMANCE

varying currents flowing through their music. In addition to Datta’s sarod, the short-necked, steelclad fretboard lute of Hindustani art music, and Schimpelsberger’s

Photo: Courtesy of the Artists

arsenal of percussion, what further colours their musical outcomes is their use and exploitation of laptop-fed visual and electronic elements. “The first thing you notice is the air,” intoned a male voice with a Scots accent. ‘Vibration talk,’ I thought. ‘This sounds promising.’ But any imagined Nada Brahma line of development swiftly vaporised. What happened next (as in, rolled across the screen) proved to be like a non-musical overture with a visual muesli mixture of polar and Alpine images. The snowscape and mountain sequence over, both musicians took the stage.

For the opening ‘Quest’ from their recent debut release Circle of Sound – indeed for the whole concert – Datta stood while playing sarod. Sarod, it turned out, functioned like some species of exotic guitar. Schimpelsberger sat behind a minimalist drum kit. To his left, he had a Hang – a UFO-shaped idiophone. To his right was a post-Airto Morierastyle percussion Toytown – rattles, shakers and dinky percussive things. For ‘Quest’ he began by creating metallic air sounds with cymbals and Hang. This was their sixth gig, Datta announced early on. Not having seen any earlier performances, my only comparison available was their CD, though this particular evening they also performed unreleased material – most promisingly ‘Zero Gravity’. Live, what they delivered was terser and shorn of overdubs – a worry, given the possibilities of laptop triggers, banished. In ‘Air India’, another new piece, Schimpelsberger used brushes, foot cymbal and bass drum to create far many more Western accents than anywhere else. ‘Air India’ resolved itself into a call-and-response item in what felt like a 16-beat cycle. (Afterwards it

Odissi Ensemble present

Shades of Love UK Tour 2012

occurred to me that I had written teentāl without counting it off.) The encore ‘Orion’ from the album summed up much of what they are about – groove stretching into bols rhythm syllables like the Grateful Dead were doing in 1969. The screened visual images throughout the show – and ‘show’ is a better descriptor than recital for what they did – never acted as anything more than light relief. Their performance, it soon became apparent, was clearly never going to be a Dose Hermanos-style realtime improvisation affair where keyboardists Bob Bralove and Tom Constanten simultaneously extemporise musically and visually. Mind you, the fact that any act is making forays into mixed-media deliveries is delicious. Any genuinely challenging music has to be a tightrope walk between artifice and honesty. In the case of Datta & Schimpelsberger – that ‘&’ conveys the ampersand’s strict typographical sense of equality – what they do means that over the course of a gig, concert, show, call it what you will, they will be walking backwards and forwards over an artistic tightrope. That is not an easy walk. Visual presets

make a rod for their own back, allowing a technological artifice to intrude. The best of the old light shows, especially in the 1960s, were a visual artist’s real-time responses to what was happening musically on stage. Theirs is static. It became apparent from the second number – ‘Footprints’ – precisely because of the new technology and them reeling off ways to connect – a blur of Skype, Tweet, WhatsApp Messenger and more – on stage, supposedly allowing people on their phoneand computer-mabobs to feed into the evening. As a theatrical device, it worked brilliantly, temporarily, for example, when their regular caller from Merthyr phoned in. Long term, it could look like a gimmick. This tour, it was too new to be classed as such. The concert delivered much ‘what if?’ food for thought. For example, during Datta’s solo piece ‘Meditation’, an idle thought breezed in along the lines of, what would his exotic guitar – an old joke but a good ’un – sound like if sarod received the steel slide or bottleneck touch? A really thought-provoking evening, judged as much on its visual as musical deliveries.

‘What made the performance come alive for me was the high standard of the dancers’ Donald Hutera Pulse December 2011

From spiritual devotion to earthly desires, love encompasses a wide spectrum of emotions from bliss to despair and many shades in between. The Odissi Ensemble represent a new generation of dancers emerging in the UK, who combine dedication to the practice of this classical Indian dance form with a modern sensibility. Tour Dates Sunday 8 July Abridged version - Indian Summer Mela, Christchurch Park, Ipswich, Free outdoor event | www.ip-art.com Saturday 14 July Full production - Kala Sangam, Bradford, 01274 303 340 www.kalasangam.org Wednesday 1 August Abridged version - Indian Promotion Campaign for the Olympics, Southbank Centre, London, Free outdoor event www.nehrucentre.org.uk Friday 12 October Abridged version - showcase event - Mac, Birmingham, Supported by Sampad, 0121 446 3232 | www.macarts.co.uk Saturday 13 October Full production - Colchester Arts Centre, 01206 500900 www.colchesterartscentre.com The Odissi Ensemble are available for bookings between August to December 2012. Please contact katie@pulseconnects.com or call 07917 771 418

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