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THE MESA TRIBUNE | MARCH 20, 2022
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Mesa Arts Center presents South Indian production BY SRIANTHI PERERA GetOut Contributor
A
dance form that requires a decade of study to perfect will come next weekend to the Mesa Arts Center. Bharatanatyam, a South Indian classical dance that originated in the temples of India 3,000 years ago, is the basis of “Vimshathi Vaibhava.” The 21-year-old Silambam Phoenix will present at 5 p.m. Saturday, March 26, “Sarvagnya: She is Limitless,” a production highlighting the many facets of woman as creator, nurturer, educator, activist and artist. The 7 p.m. March 27 production, titled “Dasa Mahavidhya: She is Omniscient” is about the Mother Goddess by Srimathy Mohan and visiting dancer Priya Murle. “Bharatanatyam is a highly complex visual art from that combines layers of melody, rhythm, emotions, story, philosophy and poetry. However, beyond all this that one sees at the outset, lies the essence of this art form – its tradition rooted in devotion and spirituality,” said Srimathy Mohan, the school’s founder and artistic director. Since the tradition combines spirituality with physicality, she said, “Every Bharatanatyam performance is an experience for both the artist and the audience.” Mohan established the nonprofit Silambam, named for the ancient practice space of the dance, in 2000 with six students. Among them was her own daughter, Prithvi, who turned 5 that year. “It’s incredible to see how much Silambam has grown over 20 years. I’ve been a student, performer, and teacher since the beginning and I’m so proud of the growth, commitment to arts and culture, and philanthropy,” said Prithvi Mohan, now a resident physician in pediatrics at NewYork Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Prithvi said that her mom built the school not only for Bharatanatyam, but also as a safe space for mentorship and growth.
Bharatanatyam dance teacher Srimathy Mohan, center, and her students prepare for their 20th anniversary celebration of the dance school Silambam Phoenix at Mesa Arts Center. (Courtesy of Kayla Dewees.)
Prithvi and 13 others who are away in college are returning to participate in the concert, along with current students. “We have been together for so long at this point that we’re basically all a big family,” said Meghna Jayaraman, 24, a former student who has been dancing for more than 15 years. Graduation is by presenting a solo concert, called an “arangetram,” which Jayaraman did in 2013. The two-hour performance has about eight items, the longest of which is about 40 minutes. So far, the school has presented 17 graduations. Born in America to Indian parentage, Jayaraman said she didn’t know anything about the dance form when she first began learning at 7 years old. “The way she teaches dance, it’s very holistic,” she said. “It’s not just the dance, she teaches you the ideologies behind the stories, the history behind it, the Carnatic music; she teaches a lot about growing up because she sees us over our formative years.” Bharatanatyam has a steep learning curve. “It took seven years to feel really com-
fortable,” Jayaraman said. “It takes a long time before you come to learn any sort of full piece.” Each October, Mohan enrolls seven to 10 new students. “The goal of Silambam Phoenix is to not only make the young students good dancers, but also mold them into cultured and artistic individuals who are confident, team players and better citizens with high moral values,” she said. The teaching and learning ambiance at Silambam are informal, but the training is systematic and disciplined. The students are taught to pursue art for art’s sake and develop an appreciation for the arts. Jayaraman voices her appreciation for the training that goes beyond the form. “Dance has played such a formative role of who I am. Because we went to dance class and spent our full Sundays there for so much of our time while we were growing up, it really influenced us who we are,” she said. “There are so many values that I have. How to work hard. There are so many perspectives that I have because of dance and how I’ve grown up and how it has in-
fluenced me.” After mastering the basic steps, endurance comes a close second. Further along, expression and emoting have to be perfected. Sinchana said she likes the dance form as it gives her many benefits: The level of discipline she learns, the exercise she gets and the opportunities to be with others of her culture. “Since I don’t have any other family here, it helps me keep in touch with the rest of my culture and family by practicing this dance form,” she said. For Mohan, an after-school activity has become a lifelong passion. “Once I started my dance school, it has become my purpose,” she said. “I strongly believe that my training and my love for the art form are things that I need to pass onto the next generation.”
If You Go...
What: “Vimshathi Vaibhava” celebrates 20-plus years of Indian dance school Silambam Phoenix with two evenings of dance at Mesa Arts Center. Proceeds will be donated to seven charitable organizations, including Arizona South Asians for Safe Families, Center for Rare Childhood Disorders and Save the Children. AZ Commission on the Arts provided a Youth Arts Engagement grant toward the Sarvagnya production McQueen Road, Chandler When: 5 p.m. March 26: “Sarvagnya: She is Limitless” is a thematic Bharatanatyam production featuring the many facets of woman by students of Silambam Phoenix. 3 p.m. March 27: “Dasa Mahavidya: She is Omniscient” is a thematic Bharatanatyam presentation on the Mother Goddess by Srimathy Mohan and Priya Murle. Tickets: $20-$75 (valid for both performances). Details: 480-644-6500 or mesaarts. com. The school: silambamphx@gmail.com or 602-820-8548.
