Vishwa Natya Dhinam
Priya Sakhi,
Today is International Dance Day-- Happy Dancing! Am I proud to belong to this special fraternity.
A dancer's life is not easy. Passion drives us. For many an artiste it consumes their entire being.
Recently a good friend said that dancers are very `self absorbed'-- Are we?
Well , Who is not? From the politician to that person who sweeps the road, even the millions of non-profit organisations that mushroom, the social activist-- for everybody, there is that sense of `self' . The degrees, the intensity varies....
Coming to think of it Sakhi! Priya Sakhi, a dancer is many things rolled into one-- her interests cannot just stop with dance/natya-- music, sculpture, theoretical knowledge, culture, religion, stage craft, costume, colours, aesthetics.... then writing, speaking, being on par with technological advancements, public relations, understanding media, psychology--- as we need to gauge the pulse of the audience, man management, student psychology, physiology, new exercise routines, kalari payyittu, yoga, pranayama... I am sure there are many more. Then if it is a girl/woman, throw in the joys and anxieties of being a daughter, sister, niece, sister-in-law, cousin,wife, mother,mother-in-law....( And the male dancers have their roles and of course the transgenders have their roles too).
And then if one is working in an office and pursuing dance-- phew! we need to look at so many things! So it is both a micro and macro existence. So Bharata's 10 requisites of a dancer is basic ( I refer to the verse athi sthulaapi.... dashaitha natya varjitha).
Amazing Sakhi! And we are self-absorbed?!! Let us be so.
As you know I love dance, natya-- the Indian classical styles to folk theatre-- love it that I learnt Therukoothu, poi-k-kaal kudhire, karagam-- loved the Bhutto dance workshop, loved my hip-hop routines, zumba, kuthu... But I absolutely love Bharatanatyam. In it, I love the traditional margam, the adavu-s packed style, the subtle abhinaya, the thematic forays of our Parashah group. The neo- natyam experiments that I sometimes get to perform and watch.
For me dance is vibrant. Many of us are constantly re-discovering ourselves. Many of us are socially conscious. Many belong to this world. We have to know Indian Philosphy , Western Philosophies. World Cultures Religions, Mythologies..... We are within and without.
A dancer is an artiste and definitely should make that difference to society. Art in Science, Art in education, Art as therapy... in all those fields, dance is integral. Dance is inspired from life, Dance IS Life.....
So let it be about the `self'-- ourselves.
Let us Celebrate Dance, Natya, the Dancers...
`Tha tha dhim tha dhim....'
