The Soorya Festival brought together some of the best musicians and dancers under one roof. The festival had an array of performances, including one by well-known classical bharatanatyam danseuse Padma Subramaniam, who performed to a full house in the City recently.
The programme began with a performance titled 'Sacred Earth' by Ragamala Dance Ensemble, a dance troupe that seamlessly carries bharatanatyam into the 21st century. The troupe embraces the philosophy, spirituality, myth and mysticism of its heritage to create not works but worlds— visceral, universal experiences that use Indian art forms to express contemporary point of view.
The 'Sacred Earth' explored the inter-connect between human emotions and the environment that shape them. Performed with live music, the dancers created a sacred space to honour the divinity in the natural world and the sustenance that people derive from it.
"The performance is inspired by the philosophies behind the ephemeral arts of kolam and warli painting and the Tamil Sangam literature. The performance captured the singular vision of the beautiful, fragile relationship between nature and man," explained Aparna. The performers were Ranee Ramaswamy, Ashwini Ramaswamy, Tamara Nadel, Amanda Dlouhy and Jessica Fiala.
Padma took centre stage almost 45 minutes later. Dressed in a beautiful blue costume, complete with jewellery, Padma, who is known for her graceful movements began her performance by rendering the Devi Stuti, Jayatri devi Chamundi where the roudra rasa was depicted in a smooth manner. Her portrayal of different facets of Chamundi was a visual delight.
Again, her depiction of Rakthabijasura, the demon, had a realistic feel about it. Her expressions were not only powerful but engrossing as well. Another interesting piece was the Shivyyadu Marakilliye which was a depiction of Shiva's devotees. The depiction of emotions such as anger, frustration and devotion was particularly interesting.
The evening drew to an end with a song from the work of poet Subramanya Bharati. Padma depicted the various popular dance forms, including kuchipudi and mohiniattam to portray themes of national integration and peace.
Most of the people in the audience have seen Padma perform before and were there to watch her perform live once again. Suresh K, a member of the audience, said, "Even after all these years, her expressions remain powerful and sharp. Age hasn't dampened her enthusiasm for the art form. Her dedication and commitment are something to emulate."
Anjana Rao, a homemaker, said, "My daughter is learning bharatanatyam and I wanted her to watch Padma's performance. Her abhinaya is perfect and it is an inspiration to young dancers."