It was a fabulous week of dance, from Classical Kathak to traditional and contemporary performances. Kathak Kendra, the national institute of Kathak dance, celebrated its annual Kathak Mahotsava from 27 February to 1 March at Kamani Auditorium along with the morning sessions on “Baithaki Bhava” at the Kendra’s auditorium in Chanakyapuri. The Raza Foundation, in collaboration with the Astad Deboo Dance Foundation, on the other hand, presented Rhythm Divine-II: River Runs Deep at Kamani Auditorium on 3 March, choreographed by Astad Deboo and performed by the traditional drummers of Shree Shree Govindji Nat Sankirtan from Imphal, Manipur and Astad himself in his signature contemporary dance idiom.

Astad has been working with the artists of the North-East for the past 16 years. He earlier worked with the martial arts performers in the Thang Ta tradition of Manipur, and then with the Pung Cholom drummers when he choreographed Rhythm Divine-I in 2007. He loved to work with these young, vigorous artistes steeped in their own cultural traditions, performing with their instruments in a comforting cycle of familiar security. But this time he wanted them to change. He challenged the drummers in a different direction ~ that of a more open articulation of old fears through bold, new creative choreography that reflected in music and movements too, translating their restlessness and frustrations.

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In the choreographer’s note Astad said, “The North-East is a heartbreaking amalgam of natural beauty and militant aggression, of lightning moves and glacial response, of the turbulence of politics and the calm pace of tradition, flowing one below the other, like twin rivers.” In Rhythm Divine-II: Rivers Run Deep, Astad conceived and portrayed this predicament in a free-flowing choreography that begins on a gentle note, reflective of ordinary life as it is lived in the North-East. Astad and the young drummers are seen together and then taking turns with a gradual build-up to the sense of insecurity and even fear, against which many people in the region actually live their lives. 

The build-up to the crescendo was gradual and powerful, with the drums coming in to play the tempo, now very slow, then gradually frantic, in a stark counterpoint to a prolonged session of form and content, where neither could be separated. Every time Astad creates a new work, he breaks his own record of brilliance and leaves his admirers spellbound. 

Kathak Mahotsava of Kathak Kendra

The annual festival of Kathak Kendra was based on old traditional compositions of Kathak, this year. The three evenings at Kamani featured some of the brilliant dancers and choreographers while two morning sessions on “Baithaki Bhava” at the Kendra’s Sabhagar, had senior Gurus like Kumudini Lakhia, Shashi Sankhla, Nandini Singh and Ashok Maharaj underlining the Abhinaya aspect.  Each evening had a Solo, a Duet and a Group presentation. After the Solo by Nandita Puri on the inaugural evening, Anuradha Singh from Bhopal presented some old compositions of Raigarh Gharana and Kumkum Dhar from Lucknow presented some special composition of her Guru Lachhu Maharaj. In Duets after the Dhuandhar Kathak by Mishra brothers on the inaugural evening, Malti Shyam and her disciple Shailja Bisht gave a sophisticated account of the art of Jugalbandi, right from the opening Vandana in Bhupali, to the technical aspect in Teentala and Abhinaya on “Chanchal chapal chatur naar…” in Raga Basant, set to Drut Ektala.

Samvad, the duet by Ameera Patankar and Avani Gadre from Pune, trained under Guru Shama Bhate, was outstanding in form and content both. It was an ideal Samvad, or dialogue, between Sur and Laya (Melody and Rhythm), exploring Kathak in its minutest details. The conversation between the two chiseled dancers unfolded through various compositions, in beauteous painting like movements in space. 

The imaginative choreography, set to Ganesh Taal of 21 beats, showcased them converse in the language of “Khali-Bhari and Aroha-Avroha”. The amazing duet on a rare Tala and unique concept, using a ten-and-a-half beats cycle, had perfect synchronisation in challenging off-beat rhythmic patterns, both the dancers had internalised with precision.
 For the expressional aspect, or Abhinaya, their dialogue symbolised child Krishna and mother Yashoda pleading with her beloved baby while the other Gopi admonishes Krishna to stop playing pranks and behave himself!

Among the group choreographies Guru Prerana Shrimali’s Vivaksha stood out. “Guru bin kaun kare…” by Guru Rajendra Gangani and Swayambhoo by Guru Jaikishan Maharaj, were like the usual predictive presentations by the students of Kathak Kendra.