NEW WAVE, NEW IDEAS
Traditional forms of dance in India are on life support. Meet the people who are refusing to pull the plug
Over the years, the threat of extinction has forced traditional dance to resort to gimmicks, experimentation and dilution. But the youngest and the most successful dancers of the city have discovered a love for the traditional and undiluted forms of dance. Helped by the unique initiatives of some senior dancers, the young enthusiasts could be ushering in a revival of the traditional forms.
The dying dance forms of Andhra Pradesh are the focus of the younger lot. “People talk about Bharatanatyam, but not many people know that Kuchipudi is a huge part of the Andhra tradition. Most of the aspects from Natyashastra are incorporated in this form, so it is important to carry it on,” says Preethi Tatambhotla, who is often invited to perform outside AP.
Preethi was part of a large event to raise awareness about the dance form at Gachibowli stadium, where 5,000 dancers attempted to make a Guinness record. “It was a mass stunt to propagate Kuchipudi. The original essence of an art form cannot be disturbed in the name of experimentation. Western pop culture will come and go like a tide,” she asserts.
For Vyshnavie, dance was an obvious choice. She grew up watching her mother, the famous Rajeswari Sainath, dance. But what sets her apart is her ability to perform over six forms of traditional dance, among them Bharatanatyam, Simhanandi, Odissi and her latest obsession, Kalaripattu. At 24, she also successfully runs her own dance institute.
“To have had a part in keeping ancient art forms alive has been a great source of fulfilment for me,” she says. She is now busy planning another experimental show involving jazz musicians from Australia.
The twirls and the footwork of Kathak attracted Dishna Kidambi, a Class XI student, into learning this dance form. Dishna just completed a training session with Pandit Birju Maharaj. “Kathak saw me through some of the most difficult times of my life,”she says.