Wednesday 5 December 2012

Big attendance for 'Na Maargam' dance production

Shows at The Music Academy must be scheduled after 7 p.m. Most start at 7.30 p.m. The evening traffic chaos at this junction delays you a lot.

It did this evening as we hurried to the Academy for the 6.30 p.m. premiere of 'Na Maargam', a dance production blessed by guru Sudharani Raghupathy. And we were surprised here - the campus was car-packed.

Guests had packed into the main auditorium on time and more walked in as the curtains went up. Rarely has a dance show been marketed and advertised so wide and so strong - even the social media has been tapped determinedly. Plus, with the backing of a city-based builder, Sumanth & Co. a lot had been put into this show.

The recorded music, with inputs from a  variety of artistes, the rich backdrop and professional lighting for 4 dancers - Priya Murle, Priya and Prabha Dixit and Krithika Subramaniam - was the kind of stage that few dream of, few are lucky to be given and few can aspire to.

The recital ran for over 90 minutes, mostly classical and guests sat through till the end.

Two observations popped up at curtain call - the dance did not completely draw us in and the dancers were overwhelmed by the aesthetic decor. Two, the music dominated, perhaps overwhelming the audience.

The show was a tribute to Sudharani, marking her 65 years as an artiste-guru. She is not in the best of health but she relished the experience this evening.

Her son Anirudha who did the soundscape which had its highs and okays said the 'Na Margam' idea had its genesis in the idea of inter-linking of rivers ( a issue that dominates this state now and one which was first proposed by a relative of his family ages ago).

The Academy's stage soon became the space for socializing - with well-wishers, guests and cameramen falling over each other to greet, exchange words and chat. Sudharani's sishyas greeted her as did friends and family of the 4 dancers. Actor-dancer Shobana who introduced the show drew the star-gazers.

In the lobby was a unique show that many may have missed. An array of large sized photos - of traditions, rural landscapes, sculptures, rituals and more - by well known photographer Usha Kris: lit by UV light, the black and white pictures got a life of their own.

It drizzled.

This show will be staged again at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan on Dec. 19.

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