A leading light

In Hyderabad as a chief guest to attend a dance event, Chitra Visweswaran says she’s happy to sit back and guide her students.

September 18, 2014 07:00 pm | Updated 07:00 pm IST - Hyderabad

HOLISTIC APPROACH Chitra Visweswaran looks to contribute to Bharatanatyam in more ways than one.

HOLISTIC APPROACH Chitra Visweswaran looks to contribute to Bharatanatyam in more ways than one.

“I have stepped back from the stage in the past decade and prefer to direct my students’ and young professional dancers’/teachers’ performances,” says renowned Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher and choreographer, Chitra Visweswaran. She has also taken over as president, Association of Bharatanatyam artists of India, ABHAI, “in order to serve the field of Bharatanatyam in more ways than just performance.”

After a long, and highly successful career marked by critical appreciation, Padma Shri and Kalaimamani awards and a host of other recognitions, Chitra now has the added responsibility of fostering Tamil Nadu’s art and culture through her appointment as Member-Secretary, Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Nataka Mandram.

Today, the challenges of teaching and learning are different, she says. “Students have countless distractions — smart phones, Facebook, What’sapp, Twitter, Internet, recorded music, YouTube…. However, these modern-tech products can also be useful as they make available a vast amount of information — theoretical and practical. The vital thing, however, is to distil that information into knowledge.”

It is important for dance education to be holistic, Chitra says. “In our days, we soaked ourselves in aesthetics. I advise students to read a lot not only about dance-theory but also great literature and philosophy, awaken themselves to the beauty of poetry, great crafts and painting. For instance, Henry Moore’s contemporary art awakened me to the strength of the body.” For the same reason, students also should watch good dance of other forms, as it enriches them, she says. Chitra herself, besides a rigorous training in Bharatanatyam, learnt classical ballet in London, besides Manipuri and Kathak in Kolkata. An Indian classical-dance student should watch the best of other Indian classical styles and also, the finest dances from around the world –– Irish tap-dancing, flamenco, ballet… “This was not much encouraged in our days as gurus felt it would dilute the impact of their teaching –– after all, dance is so much of an imitative art. However times are changing.”

Chitra says deep knowledge of music is essential. Then every gamaka and bhriga in the music will reflect in the dancer’s movements and abhinaya. Moreover, one should have thorough knowledge of the layers of meaning of the composition being danced to. “The nuance attached to a word is very native to it and must be understood.” This will open up a range of interpretations and reflect in the richness of abhinaya.

Chitra adds: “Unless there is an intimate artistic bonding of the dancer and musicians, it is difficult to elevate dance into the music of the body and music into the dance of melody.

In my days, the dance-musicians would come home and practise with us all day –– for days. Today, there is such a paucity of these artistes –– getting them for a mere two rehearsals before the programme is tough!”

All this may sound very demanding, but one must make time for such education as this empowers one as a dancer.

“Then you will become a true artiste who views the stage as your canvas rather than a pure physical platform.”

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