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.
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