A short spell of afternoon showers followed by looming clouds were threatening to play spoilsport.
However, as the evening progressed, the stage was set for Rang Rasiya – an evening of dance along with live painting. Organised by Echo India at La Makaan, the event promised a jugalbandi between dancers and painters.
As cool breeze filled the balmy evening, the venue was buzzing with activity. As the audience lounged around eager to be entertained, the stage was set, canvas mounted on the easels and the painters all ready with their colours, palettes and brushes. Then the dancers entered.
Symbolic representation
Centred around the theme of the eclecticism of the navarasas , the show began with a dance that projected the symbolic representation of white to the accompaniment of A. R Rehman's quaint khwaja mere khwaja .
Most of the dances that followed were also inspired by other popular Bollywood numbers , each symbolising a colour. Dances to chartbusters from movies like Anjana Anjani , Ajab Pyar ki Ghazab Kahani , Wake up Sid elicited hoots and applause from the enthusiastic and easy-to-please audience.
The dance moves had a bit of hip-hop, salsa and a lot of Bollywood. Interesting use of props added the zest in their performances.
The use of hoop in one of the dances was quite admirable.
Meanwhile, the artists on the four corners facing the stage took inspiration from the dances and ambience and started adding colours and brush strokes to their blank canvas.
As the attention of the audience flitted between the canvas and the stage, the artists remained oblivious to their surroundings as they went about their work.
While Sri Murugan's work focussed on two dancing figures with a soothing and playful amalgamation of pastel shades in the background, Valeria opted for a heady mix of dark colours to present the ambience that created a riot on canvas.
Sujith who began his work after much contemplation had dark silhouettes of the dancers against a flaming backdrop.
Niveditha S' painting captured the stage, the artistes and the mood with a generous dose of colours.
The evening ended on a vibrant note with a dancers showering gulaal on each other, much to the surprise of the audience seated on the front rows, and four colourful canvases each narrating a story.
The proceeds of the evening went to city-based Aalambana a non-profit organisation working for underprivileged children, women and senior citizens.
