#nrityagram

[digiknow]

[fairytale-endinganyone]

she was definitely a classy woman 😍🌸 • #protimabedi #nrityagram #dancer #dancing #india #inspiration #bangalore #classy https://www.instagram.com/p/BqW_RxVAmHR/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1p289z36ghyft

[rawjeev]

Kali @ Nrityagram

[bahamabhava]

Entranced 

[bahamabhava]

Every dance item I’ve seen from Nrityagram has always been electrifying. This piece, Ardhanarishwara, reels you in from the get go. In the very beginning the various poses and music just seem to radiate this energy that I can’t describe. The part at 1:00 when they move across the stage along with the rhythm of the music... *sigh* amazing. Lol, I really do like how innovative and creative they are with their choreographies. Also, at 14:20 when they move diagonally across the stage, I’ve seen a different camera angle of that moment where Surupa Sen stares directly into the camera. It’s like she was looking in my soul honestly, she has such piercing eyes. 

[bahamabhava]

Nrityagram

[bahamabhava]

The younger dancers of Nrityagram along with Pavithra Reddy perform what seems to a pallavi based on Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra’s Gati Bheda pallavi. Forever impressed with Nrityagram. I think what makes their group choreographies so beautiful is the ornamentation on top of basic movements. What I mean is that, while the group is doing the exact same movements, a single dancer might be doing something slightly different, something eye catching. I’ve noticed this with all of their choreographies; really amazing. I think it gives a feeling of improvisation and spontaneity that is somewhat hard to bring about in group performances. 

[treadingart]

India in Focus: Nrityagram Dance Ensemble

On Saturday the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust welcomed Nrityagram Dance Ensemble from Bangalore, India to perform Samyoga: An Ode to Love. Since the announcement of India in Focus this performance has been at the top of my list and despite the buildup I still sat mesmerized in my chair while watching the show.

I had the privilege of arriving a few hours before the performance to spend time photographing the dancers and musicians during pre-show preparations. Their backstage disposition was quiet, focused and controlled – they created an overwhelming sense of calm. This contagious energy made my transition from behind the curtain to house spectator an incredibly enlightening one.

The stage was not embellished. Instead, four musicians sat barefoot on the floor and they immediately dwarfed the stage by captivating the crowd with enchanting sounds almost too natural to emerge from humans. Then a soothing voice emanated from the stage’s wings setting the tone for the performance and telling the story of their practice.

The voice silenced when Surupa and Bijayini rhythmically paraded on stage with their bodies facing the crowd, feet shoulder width apart and knees bent at an almost ninety degree angle. With heavy feet they side-stomped one foot at a time, in unison with each other, until reaching center stage and embarking on their first vibrant piece of the evening. As you can imagine, the audience was immediately lured into a meditative state by way of dance.

Odissi is the devotion at Nrityagram, a dance village that was founded in 1990 by Protima Gauri with a mission to preserve and universalize the classical dance traditions of India. Derived from its region of creation in Orissa, Odissi originated in the 2nd century BC. Then it was a sacred ritual dedicated to the gods but today Odissi is a, “synthesis of the ancient and exotic and modern and intellectual.”

The two doyens at Nrityagram are the same that were on stage this Saturday, Surupa Sen and Bijayini Satpathy. Surupa, the choreographer of the two, studied under the found of Nrityagram and was the first student to graduate from there. Bijayini, who designed a scientific body training program for the school, trained in Odissi for almost 15 years before joining Nrityagram.

When they first joined the stage together Surupa and Bijayini were told that it seemed like they had always danced with each other. In reality their training together does not require that much discussion and it shows in their graceful synchronicity. However their countless hours of practice are evident – there are no hiccups, no awkwardness, no struggle – it is amazing.

Part of their practice is “the belief of the depth and power of our traditions. To us, practice of art is practice of life itself.” Even the accessories of their dance like their costumes, hair pieces and makeup are steeped in historic tradition. The sinuous forms their bodies take are also historical in influence. The shapes of their movements are reminiscent of sculptures found on temples throughout India.

“Therefore, Odissi creates an illusion of sculpture coming to life.” To see Surupa Sen and Bijayini Satpathy dance is an otherworldly experience between myth and legend. ~Christine

Treading Art is a visual arts media partner for 2015 exhibitions being presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

Join Treading Art over the next few weeks as we unveil an insider’s view into the festival through exclusive interviews, photographs and video.