The stage is not quite suitable for dance recitals while the seating makes it difficult to get a clear view of the dancer’s expressions, especially with the videographers standing right in the middle. That said, the Narada Gana Sabha Mini Hall is still a popular venue when it comes to hosting dance programmes.
But if the dancer in question is talented, beautiful and expressive, you do all you can to crane your neck and watch . That’s how one viewed Krithika Shurajit’s performance for Kartik Fine Arts recently.
Her entire performance hinged on her abhinaya prowess. While there was focus on brisk and clean footwork, her facial expressions conveyed more.
She began her recital with a brief Mallari in Roopakam, a Nellai B Kannan composition, that was marked by some graceful steps and the spirit of bhakti.
Lyrical quality
This was followed by an unusual Varnam by Ku.Ma. Balasubramaniam on Lord Muruga in Vachaspati and talam Adi, which had a lyrical quality to it. Krithika portrayed with involvement the many facets of Muruga. It was racy in terms of nritta, but she rarely forgot to give the right expressions through the melodic parts.
A Telugu padam depicting the Khandita Nayika and the eternal favourite, ‘Jagadodharana’, the Purandaradasa kriti, again showcased her abhinaya. Krithika concluded the recital with a Lalgudi tillana in Madhuvanti, reflecting good training in the Dhananjayan style. Her mother, Radhika Shurajit did the nattuvangam for this performance.
The recital was enhanced by the excellent singing of Radha Badri. She was ably accompanied on the violin by T. K. Padmanabhan and on the mridangam by Nellai D Kannan.
