Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Kerala duo symbolize the dancing universe through the Cosmic Dance of Shiva

The Dance of Shiva, which is perhaps the most energetic of dances in Indian classical dance, has never failed to impress those who come to see it and even those who perform this.

The renowned Irish social psychiatrist Diarmuid O'Murchu, a member of the Sacred Heart Missionary Order who has travelled the world over as a workshop leader, says: ‘The dance of Shiva symbolizes the dancing universe itself, expressed in the ceaseless flow of energy going through an infinite variety of patterns that melt into one another.’

The Neemrana Music Foundation & Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra presents this dance, often referred to as ‘The Cosmic Dance of Shiva’, being presented by the renowned dancers Madhu Gopinath and Vakkom Sajeev’s ‘Samudra Arts’ on 26 February in Kamani Auditorium at 7 pm.    
Apart from Madhu and Vakkom, the other dancers are Deepa.MS, Deepu B, Lithin Raj, Lithi Raj, Aneesh Soman, and Sandeep. The music is by Pandit Ramesh Narayan. The Light Design & Execution is by Jose Koshy with photos and documentation by Mohamed A. The entire presentation is conceived, choreographed and directed by the duo of Madhu and Vakkom.

The presentation is structured as a repertory recital, with a series of vignettes describing various aspects of Shiva woven together. Beginning with a chant, the Swayambhu, the self-created Shiva linga is described. From this emerges a sattvika (serene) form of Shiva. Sensuality in his form then emerges as his romantic mood and lasya are explored. The lasya here is not soft, but masculine and firm in its grace. A different interpretation of His Ardhanreeswara form showing the union of the male and female follows and becomes the focus. Shakti here is contained within Shiva. A celebration of his different moods then follows in a Tandava piece, where various bhavas, anger, joy and sensuality are explored. The composition concludes with a vigorous dance, where Shiva’s form as the destroyer and as the ultimate crucible of cosmic energy is represented.

Samudra is the flagship creative dance group in Kerala based in Thiruvananthapuram since 1998. It aims at viewing from a new perspective and discovering its messages in this age of globalization through unique dance forms. They concretize the abstractions of art bestowing on it a universal space for communication. Through this dance forms, Samudra is trying to interact with curious audiences on human values and global issues of life. With their contemporary innovation, the aim is to create harmony and brotherhood among the citizens of the world.

Madhu and Vakkom describe it as creative dance theatre and not as contemporary dance. They are both traditionally trained Bharatanatyam dancers who continue to perform traditional repertoires at temples in their hometown. Their work is rooted in their culture and in the ethos of the stories and myths of this land.  What they are striving for is to construct an alternate vocabulary for dance.  Their belief is that muscles and movements convey bhava and rasa as much as the face and hand gestures.

Siva is the Divine Dancer, visualized in terms of motion and vibration, who in 108 varied movements interprets the mathematical Law of the Universe. Nataraja personifies the kinetic aspect of Siva’s divinity – the elemental force through the power of which the whole universe is created, sustained, and ultimately destroyed. This cosmic dance of Siva is called Anandatandava, the Dance of Bliss. It symbolizes both the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction, and the daily rhythm of birth and death.

Siva depicted as Ardhanarishvara (half man and half woman) represents the union and differentiation of Yin and Yang (the eternal feminine and masculine principles), complementing, supplementing, initiating, completing and fulfilling the divine play of the Transcendent Reality with the manifest reality, in the phenomenal world of myriad changes of names and forms.

Siva as Nataraja, the Lord of the Dance, is therefore a quintessential symbol for the meaning of life itself – and the dance, its rhythms, and melodies, for the universe itself. In Siva’s dance, the body becomes the spirit.

Madhu Gopinath and Vakkkom Sajeev had undergone training in Indian Classical Dance forms. In 1994, Madhu and Sajeev joined the Aarti Dance Company and later started learning Kalaripayattu (martial art form of Kerala). In 1998 they co-founded Samudra Centre for Indian Contemporary Performing Arts and have given performances in many International as well as Indian dance festivals with their own choreographic productions.
They have choreographed three major productions named ‘The Sound of Silence’, ‘Jalam’ and ‘Rhythm’, which are well acclaimed both in India and internationally. Madhu and Sajeev, who choreographed the opening and closing ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi in 2010, have been awarded the Best Choreographers Award by the Government of Kerala and the Film Critics Association for the film – ‘Raathrimazha’ and won the National Award for the same film.  

No comments:

Post a Comment