Mashantha Viswanathan's Bharatanatyam recital on a rainy Sunday evening was a happy one, unlike the weather. She is a bright, energetic and expressive dancer with a good sense of timing and a proper understanding of the style and presentation. Mashantha's guru Rajeswari Sainath has taught her well.
Mashantha is well-versed in both the pure dance and emotive techniques. It is up to her to carry forward the refinement process. For one, the one-legged dhi dhi thais are unacceptable and for another, a stronger grounded-ness or azhutham is necessary.
The recital was devoid of the usual mathematical challenges in Guru Rajeswari's choreographies. The rhythm was catchy not complicated, and on the whole, enjoyable. The liberal use of the offbeat or the usi in the nritta sequences and in the thattu-mettu sequences added to its beauty. With the able support of Nagai Narayanan (mridangam), Rajeswari (nattuvangam) guided the Hyderabad-based dancer well, prefacing the korvais with interestingly different sollus. The Suddha Dhanyasi varnam (‘Aadum Mayyil Mel Varuvaan,' tisra jathi Adi, Madurai T. Sethuraman) was concise and to the point with literal meanings and crisp adavu korvais. Mashantha's eyes danced along with her graceful arms as she navigated the varnam with ease. The Thodi padam (‘Thaye Yashoda,' Oothukadu Venkatasubbier) with the first and the last charanams that had been chosen, brought out the pranks of Krishna and the gopis complaints in vivid detail, while the Husseini padam (‘Netrandi Nerattile') dealt with a delicate situation in which the nayika gently confronts an erring lover. Mashantha handled the range of emotions with confidence and energy.
B. Muthukumar (flute) provided an inspiring musical spell that evening. Kalaiarasan (violin) was also melody personified. Gomathi Nayagan (vocal) was not at his best, though the padams fared better than others.
