Heart for Art...

If there is one thing I must credit my civil service mains exams, other than the prospect of success, it must be the way it has tried to broaden my horizon. But it’s a different issue as to how far I have been swayed by such positive influences. What else could one expect to go on in the mind when you have been just confined to one creepy room with books of all sizes. The temptation to day-dream is irresistible unless you are shaken by the fear of reappearing in the exam. Well, am just pointing out the strange thoughts and bizarre aspirations I used to get during those days. When I see a painting exhibition going on in the city my mind just wants to be there gazing at unfathomable modern art with a critic’s point of view. And when I see a dance performance scheduled that evening I wonder why I hadn’t become a dancer. Or at the least being present there myself. The thoughts go on, after all, it has no limits. Ain’t it??

Ironically, things changed after exams. I no longer seem to be interested in any other things. Except the movies I watched passionately. I tirelessly pursued this pleasure of watching pictures. But my interest in dance shows took rebirth when I incidentally met some of the dancers who had come to give their performance in Chennai. And moreover the Auditorium (Music Academy) was pretty close to my house. I know that the Music academy is of very high reputation and takes only the best performers. So I finally landed watching the show.

It was my first experience to watch contemporary dance. They say it’s a collection of system and methods from modern and post modern dances. This group of dancers, part of Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts, consist of graceful and electrifying youngsters who are trained in various dance form from Bharatanatyam, Kuthchipudi, Tai Chi , Ballet to Kalarippayatu martial arts. They performed a theme called “Purushartha”, etched on an Indian philosophical concept, blended with Japanese digital and sonic arts.

Throughout the show the dancers looked vibrant and their movements were observed by each one in the audiences with such an awe. The theme tried to portray the dilemmas in life through dance movements and the digital lighting at the background. Honestly speaking, there was very little I could figure out from the performance. And after the end, during the discussion with the artistes few from the audiences had the courage to ask what exactly the theme was about. But the concept maker Jayachandran Palazhy dealt with it very subtly giving the freedom to audiences to perceive the way their mind desired. In my opinion, these form of art should not remain open only to the arm-chair analysts and reviewers but also should pull the first timers and people wedded to Bollywood and Kollywood ( Stands for tamil film industry).

Nonetheless, the dance was engaging and exhilarating.