Fresh touches to established form
THE rich tapestry of the performing and visual arts of India must be contemporised to appeal to modern audiences, says Anita Ratnam, one of India’s most recognised dance icons.
She has encouraged local dance teachers to experiment with introducing contemporary elements into choreography that are novel, yet Indian in spirit. “Contemporary dancing gives dancers the freedom to improvise on stage, using the learnings to come up with something new, something different. However, all this must not be done at the expense of the laid down rules of traditional dance forms,” she said.
With a career spanning four decades and with over 2 000 performances in 30 countries, Ratnam is trained in Bharatha Natyam, Kathak, Kathakali, t’ai chi, Kalarippayattu and Mohiniattam. Now a leading contemporary dancer, she was the international headline act at this year’s Jomba Festival at UKZN’s Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre with her much-acclaimed production A Million Sitas, which uses the pitiful plight of the heroine of the epic Ramayana to highlight the subjugation of women.
In an interview with POST, Ratnam explored various issues common to the dance scene in South Africa and abroad.
YD: What is your view of Indian dances such as Bharatha Natyam being referred to as traditional or classical.
AR: The terms “classical” or “traditional” only came up recently. The Bharatha Natyam that most of us learn had been performed to Telugu lyrics, composed in the Thanjavur courts and set to Carnatic music. The dance has never remained fixed. The same composition was written either in praise of the king or one of the Gods, depending on the patronage and audience.
YD: So, why do we talk about ancient, divine, sacred or classical as if they were some kind of fixed notions that have remained unchanged?
AR: Today Bharatha Natyam has changed so much from my early days. Modern poetry and semi-classical film songs have been introduced; teaching is being fast-tracked; and a two-hour performance has shrunk into a 75-minute presentation.
YD: There is concern about the retention of laid down rules governing Bharatha Natyam. Many teachers of dance impart a hybrid version of Bharatha Natyam – all wrong moves and steps. Are dance schools now becoming too commercial?
AR: The concern about the future of Bharatha Natyam is not exaggerated. So much change is happening in the teaching and the learning and everything is becoming so fastpaced. But classical ballet and classical Bharatha Natyam cannot be fast-tracked. The body needs a minimum of five to seven years to learn and absorb the physicality and the muscular memory of the dance form.
Bollywood and commercial dancing are attractive; (the dance form) seems to be fun and entertaining. It does not touch the heart. It is just a quick fix – although it also needs a lot of skill to perform a Bollywood dance well.
I feel that teachers of classical Bharatha Natyam in South Africa must insist on the proper methods and time lines of training.
The main components of Bharatha Natyam – the basic series of steps; the hand gestures; the head, neck and eye movements; and the facial expressions – are all inherent parts of the dance. By all means teach Bollywood for money but do not compromise the teaching and content of Bharatha Natyam just for popularity. You rarely get money and satisfaction from the same source.
YD: Is South Africa good for contemporary dance, where the different forms of dance such as Indian, Zulu and ballet can be incorporated?
AR: I see South Africa as very fertile ground for a new kind of dance and theatre expression. Indians have been here since 1860 and the younger generation now sees itself as South African first, and Indian second. Wherever they have emigrated to, Indians are notoriously suspicious of the majority race. But in cultural terms, it is important to realise and acknowledge that we can always learn, grow, be inspired and improve with what the majority have to offer.
South Africa has incredible rhythms, crafts, local mythology and history. Indians in South Africa also have inspiring stories of men and women who have struggled, gone to jail and suffered for freedom. Why are these stories not being told? What about Valiamma Mudaliar, Winnie Mandela, Fatima Meer and Albertina Sisulu?
I have always believed that we must acknowledge our immediate environment. Create from that soil, recognise that community and do not relegate our arts to a gated community.
Today (Saturday) I taught a workshop with African and Indian dancers. Shockingly, the African dancers had never seen or heard about Bharatha Natyam. What’s the Indian community doing about it?