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| Smt Bragha Guruswamy Bessell Bharatanatyam exponent from Chennai |
I decided to indulge in a thought sharing session.
Tell us about your yesteryear days, your brush with dance.
I along with my sister started training under Shri Mangudi Durai Raj Iyer where I had my Gejje Pooja. This guru an octogenarian drove a bicycle, cycling close to ten kilometers each way to teach us. What a determination and dedication in his service!! As he got old and could not travel, we had to switch to Shri Kunchitapadam Pillai where we continued for 17 years.
When Shri Kunchitapadam sir could not continue, I really felt lost. Only then I realized that I could not even teach the fundamentals as I had learnt them when I was a child of 9 years. Whereas I wanted to tread this field longer, I had to learn dance the margam way. This opened doors to Shri Adyar K Lakshamanan where I restarted right from Thattadavu.
It is here that I happened to meet Kalanidhi Mami’s (Smt Kalanidhi Narayanan) students. No sooner I saw myself at her house pleading her to give me weekly classes. She obliged in spite of her busy schedule, something I would be grateful forever. I go to Adyar K Lakshmanan and Kalanidhi Mami for further lessons till date.
Your experience with Kalanidhi Mami?Poetry is something which transcends us into the higher world outlying us from our mundane lives and thoughts. This appreciation of poetry leads the dancer to portray whatever she likes in it.
Mami had a strange aura, a magic around her. What I learnt in awe is to enjoy poetry. Poetry is something which transcends us into the higher world outlying us from our mundane lives and thoughts. This appreciation of poetry leads the dancer to portray whatever she likes in it. Kalanidhi Mami was a keen observer. She would be quick to appreciate growth and effort. This has always been a morale booster to bring out the best in me. All in all just being with Mami, a person full of life and talent is worth an experience.
You speak your own language on stage!
Oh! (a gentle laugh) It's each artiste’s vision of her dance, of her character and the internal joy that comes as an outcome on stage. What I feel of a character is what I am at that point in time. So I convey the same to the audience, a colour that I paint. It varies from one artiste to another. Typically, a person’s nature also plays a very important role as she dons the role of a dancer.
You work with a lot of youngsters conducting workshops. Some advice.
I definitely insist that a young dancer should always put his/her best foot forward. Aspiring to give in a hundred percent should be the motivating factor. Trying and attempting things is the key. The result may be different or odd or even wrong. The very intent to try impels the dancer in the right direction.
Specifying my approach towards abhinaya, there is a lot of beauty in tradition (viz. traditional Padams). In the quest for being different, youngsters should not ignore these valuable treasures - poetry in traditional Padams. Understand the character and the audience will surely come along.
The cultural scenario today is a rat race. Your view.There is a lot of beauty in tradition. In the quest for being different, youngsters should not ignore these valuable treasures - poetry in traditional padams. Understand the character and the audience will surely come along.
True, it is a rat race, and it does affect. But there is an abundance of talent available as I see. Where there is talent, opportunity will follow, how early or late is the question. I optimistically believe everyone gets a fair deal what with tremendous exposure facilitating this generation dancers. So, true art will stand to enjoy the fruit. On the hind side of it, I accept, luck plays a very important role too.
Do you think Bangalore needs a season like Chennai?From what I have experienced of the city, it has great artistes and interested organizers. Trying out a season, a music and dance season as in Chennai is a very good idea. This will put Banglore in the map of a happening cultural hub. It could be started out as a week long experiment and taken further.
But my initial memories of moving around in Bangalore were that of constantly getting stuck in traffic. But Bangaloreans have perfected the art of wading through traffic. So Bangalore, go for your cultural season next!
How important is practice? What is the right mode of practice?
It can be looked at in two senses. If a dancer dances for joy, then she could practice whenever it gives joy. Whereas if one is seriously pursuing dance, then practice is the mantra, practice is what takes her to the higher level. All the more because the standard of classical dancing is on the rise. It is only practice with which the flow, understanding and internalization happens.
The right mode of practice would be a good blend of both Nritta and Abhinaya aspects. For example one cannot just perfect the Nritta passages of a Varnam and leave it at that. Abhinaya is what adds colour, and its gets prettier when polished. Also this "new item" tag is very dangerous; Old items are items too, they were new at one time. Items need to be practiced irrespective of tags.
Dance as a career or dance as a passion, how or which to choose?
Passion ought to be there to inspire the interest to learn. However, if it is to become a career then passion is what is needed to drive the dancer for a lifetime of learning which is but essential. Dance requires dedication plus passion!
