Productions
There is a certain dramatic quality, precision and spontaneous energy that makesKuchipudi so exhilarating to watch. With roots in yakshagana, a folk theatre form, it is one of the eight classical dance forms of South India based on the ancient Sanskrit text, Natya Shastra. This dance drama was named after a village in Andhra Pradesh, where it was performed by the Brahmin villagers and began as an all-male performance art. Like other Indian classical dance forms,kuchipudi employs the use of mudras (hand gestures), abhinaya (emphatic facial expressions), rhythmic footwork and music to tell the story. But it is identified by its brisk, complex moves, lilting rhythms, and sensual curves, and, in philosophy, expresses the eternal human desire to unite with Divine. Dancers such as Amrita Lahiri, who is known for her physicality and sprightliness, add their own sense of aesthetics to the dance. She has also been praised for bringing a new dimension to the dance form.
In ‘Nritya Tarang’, Amrita performs a varied repertoire representing the works of many choreographers in the Kuchipudi style, including classic works such as Natesha Kautuam and Usha Parinayam, as a well as a Tarangam, in which the dancer performs rhythmic patterns on the edge of a brass plate, a trademark of Kuchipudi.
Nritya Tarang has been received warmly in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Singapore
- Duration: 75 minutes.
- Shorter performances can be designed.
- Accompanists: Classical solo Kuchipudi performances are best performed to live orchestra including a minimum of four musicians. However, recorded music is possible, especially for shorter performances in dance festivals or an artistic showcase.
“Lahiri is so connected to the music and the poetry that sometimes I wonder if the music actually comes from her body, and not from the fantastic group of musicians on the side of the stage. This performance comes with a standing ovation, the audience cheers with loud, long applause.”
-Ezekiel Oliviera
Fivelines
Full Article at - http://www.fivelines.asia/nritya-tarang-spirit-of-kuchipudi-dance-review/