Kalanadam
Nadam conducted the annual 'Kala Nadam' festival with music and dance concerts. Carnatic and Hindustani music, and in dance Bharathanatya, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Kathak, Chau and Kathakali brought variety and colour to the festival. On the last Thursday, there were three programmes - Odissi, Bharathanatyam and Kathakali by different troupes - both from in and out side Karnataka.
Nrityantar Dance Ensemble in its opening 'Konark Kantee' paid obeisance to Lord Jagannath and the Rathayatra (the chariot formation) by the dancers was attractive and the sculptures of Konark came alive beautifully. In the Jayadeva's astapadi (Yahi Madhava) Radha's love and suspicion was expressed with good feeling by Madhulita Mohapatra. The programme concluded with a contemporary piece on the super cyclone that wreaked havoc in the coastal Odisha. In that, movements of different animals (peacock, butterflies, birds) were well depicted.
Sparkling Chitraveena
L Raja Rao was a senior veena player, able teacher, author and a composer. In his memory a foundation has been formed and an award is being presented every year. N Ravi Kiran, reputed Chitra Veena player, received this year's award from Radha Vishwanathan in a special function on Friday.
Ravi Kiran, a child prodigy, is an exceptionally talented artiste and he is not only a Chitra Veena player, but also known as a vocalist and composer. Saveri Varna gave a fine start and 'Orajupu' was marked for its melodic vision. "Srimathru Bhutham" was another fine selection, followed by a familiar devaranama 'Yare Rangana'. "Maa Janakee" was embellished with a flurry of alapana and lively swaraprastara. The Kaanada Thillana of Veena Seshanna was evocative too. Though not one of his best concerts, Ravi Kiran made it with graceful impact. Akkarai Subblakshmi, Anoor Anantha Krishna Sharma and Guru Prasanna supported on violin, mridanga and khanjari respectively and shared the honours.
Nritya Neerajana
Ananya conducted the "Nritya Neerajana," with a quiz on dance, felicitation and dance recitals. B Bhanumathi, senior dancer, teacher and choreographer was honoured on the occasion.
Bhanumathi, with three other members of Nrityakala Mandira, performed Bharathanatya for a few classical compositions, which are familiar on the classical music concerts. She selected compositions of veteran composers and tried to perform for swaraprasthara, nerval and ragalapana too. Sheela Chandrashekhar opened "Geetha Nritya", with the popular Tyagaraja Keerthana "Manavyala" with swara. So also alapana of "Ksheenamai" (Mukhari) and Nerval in 'Shambho Mahadeva' in which the Gangavatharana was noteworthy. They also took a devaranama (Paradeshi Neenu) and a Thillana (Rathipathi Priya). Bhanumathi's dance was like a guiding lamp to young aspirants, while Sheela Chandrashekhar, Hemalatha Prakash and Chitra Vinod were certainly impactful, with sleek choreography. Pavan Rangachar (vocal), Janardhan (mridanga), Shankara Raman (veena) and T S Krishnamurthy (violin) supported with good understanding.
Kathak Rani Khanam is known as a senior Kathak dancer, choreographer and teacher (Aamad Dance Centre, New Delhi). She commenced her Kathak recital with a composition on Shiva. Her abhinaya with good feeling came to the fore in the gazal. The jugalbandi though overstretched, was proof of her expertise and practice.
Punyah Krishna
Bharathanatyam by Punyah Dance Company led by Parshwanath Upadhye chose 'Punyah Krishna' based on Adi Shankaracharya's Krishnashtakam, with brisk movements and stylistic postures. A few prominent episodes were depicted, which pleased the audience. The last item was a Thillana in Jonepuri.
Mysore V Subramanya
Nadam conducted the annual 'Kala Nadam' festival with music and dance concerts. Carnatic and Hindustani music, and in dance Bharathanatya, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Kathak, Chau and Kathakali brought variety and colour to the festival. On the last Thursday, there were three programmes - Odissi, Bharathanatyam and Kathakali by different troupes - both from in and out side Karnataka.
Nrityantar Dance Ensemble in its opening 'Konark Kantee' paid obeisance to Lord Jagannath and the Rathayatra (the chariot formation) by the dancers was attractive and the sculptures of Konark came alive beautifully. In the Jayadeva's astapadi (Yahi Madhava) Radha's love and suspicion was expressed with good feeling by Madhulita Mohapatra. The programme concluded with a contemporary piece on the super cyclone that wreaked havoc in the coastal Odisha. In that, movements of different animals (peacock, butterflies, birds) were well depicted.
Sparkling Chitraveena
L Raja Rao was a senior veena player, able teacher, author and a composer. In his memory a foundation has been formed and an award is being presented every year. N Ravi Kiran, reputed Chitra Veena player, received this year's award from Radha Vishwanathan in a special function on Friday.
Ravi Kiran, a child prodigy, is an exceptionally talented artiste and he is not only a Chitra Veena player, but also known as a vocalist and composer. Saveri Varna gave a fine start and 'Orajupu' was marked for its melodic vision. "Srimathru Bhutham" was another fine selection, followed by a familiar devaranama 'Yare Rangana'. "Maa Janakee" was embellished with a flurry of alapana and lively swaraprastara. The Kaanada Thillana of Veena Seshanna was evocative too. Though not one of his best concerts, Ravi Kiran made it with graceful impact. Akkarai Subblakshmi, Anoor Anantha Krishna Sharma and Guru Prasanna supported on violin, mridanga and khanjari respectively and shared the honours.
Nritya Neerajana
Ananya conducted the "Nritya Neerajana," with a quiz on dance, felicitation and dance recitals. B Bhanumathi, senior dancer, teacher and choreographer was honoured on the occasion.
Bhanumathi, with three other members of Nrityakala Mandira, performed Bharathanatya for a few classical compositions, which are familiar on the classical music concerts. She selected compositions of veteran composers and tried to perform for swaraprasthara, nerval and ragalapana too. Sheela Chandrashekhar opened "Geetha Nritya", with the popular Tyagaraja Keerthana "Manavyala" with swara. So also alapana of "Ksheenamai" (Mukhari) and Nerval in 'Shambho Mahadeva' in which the Gangavatharana was noteworthy. They also took a devaranama (Paradeshi Neenu) and a Thillana (Rathipathi Priya). Bhanumathi's dance was like a guiding lamp to young aspirants, while Sheela Chandrashekhar, Hemalatha Prakash and Chitra Vinod were certainly impactful, with sleek choreography. Pavan Rangachar (vocal), Janardhan (mridanga), Shankara Raman (veena) and T S Krishnamurthy (violin) supported with good understanding.
Kathak Rani Khanam is known as a senior Kathak dancer, choreographer and teacher (Aamad Dance Centre, New Delhi). She commenced her Kathak recital with a composition on Shiva. Her abhinaya with good feeling came to the fore in the gazal. The jugalbandi though overstretched, was proof of her expertise and practice.
Punyah Krishna
Bharathanatyam by Punyah Dance Company led by Parshwanath Upadhye chose 'Punyah Krishna' based on Adi Shankaracharya's Krishnashtakam, with brisk movements and stylistic postures. A few prominent episodes were depicted, which pleased the audience. The last item was a Thillana in Jonepuri.
Mysore V Subramanya