Classical dance – VAGABOND IMAGES

Glimpses from the International Dance Day

Upendra SwamiApril 30, 2019538 Views2

It was International Dance Day yesterday and from various events organised to mark the day, I had chance to witness one at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. It was a wonderful event to mark the landmark day. This day not just makes you celebrate the spirit of dance but also helps you learn new developments in performing arts and know about new artists. I had tried to be regular at such events for some years now. Artists from different dance forms together for a performance on International Dance Day In 1982 the Dance Committee of International Theatre Institute (ITI) founded International Dance Day to be celebrated every year on the 29th April. This was the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), creator of modern ballet. The intention of the International Dance Day Mes...

IndiaPhotogallery

Vilasini Natyam – Dance of the Devadasis

Upendra SwamiOctober 25, 2018998 Views2

Purvadhanashree performing Vilasini Natyam (all images) Devadasis has been a long debated issue- as a temple ritual as well as a dance form, although it has been into existence for centuries and perhaps older than many other classical dance forms. As a social ritual it was discredited a long ago and even many laws were brought to abolish the system. Even the dance form went into oblivion, until it was researched and revived in last few decades. Vilasini Natyam is said to be the dance of Telugu Devadasis. It was traditionally performed in temples as a ritual, in courts for the royalties and in the chambers for intellectuals for their aesthetic experience. It was also performed for the general public at dance theatres for their infotainment, to educate them, to ent...

IndiaPhotogallery

Expressions: Divinity of Bharatnatyam by Purva Dhanashree

Upendra SwamiJune 22, 2016707 Views5

Well, just after the Summer solstice when on World Music Day, everybody was listening to the music of Yoga, we had chance to witness an excellent Bharatnatyam performance by Purva Dhanashree. Purva is known along with her accomplishments in Bharatnatyam, also for carrying forward the tradition of lesser known Vilasini Natyam from none other than the legendary Swapnasundari. Any dance has to do lot with the facial expressions. Along with body movement, its by there expressions that a dancer creates a perfect emotional contact with the viewers and takes them to a different world. Well, so here I have tried to capture some of the facial expressions from Purva Dhanashree during her performance last night (click the photos to see them in enlarged form and enjoy the real beauty of the exp...