As a dancer, she infuses contemporary elements into her choreography that are novel, yet Indian in spirit. Anita Ratnam’s style is refreshingly creative. She was in Mumbai recently, along with her troupe, to present Padme, Prism and Vortext, at the contemporary dance festival series hosted by NCPA.
“I have worked with several choreographers such as Harikrishnan of Toronto in ‘Prism’, while ‘Padme’ is centered on Netherlands-based Kalpana Raghuraman’s choreography,” says Anita. “Keep an open mind and enjoy. Do not worry that you don’t understand,” said Anita at the beginning of the performance.
PADME the lotus: Seven dancers in lowers and black printed tops, are on stage; they come up with diverse interpretation of the concept. The lotus is calm outside but has disturbing sludge underneath. Padme is a metaphor for the ever-evolving human process. The music is slow and soft giving a feeling of gentle blooming. Every dancer freely moves with the beats, sits cross-legged, lies down and rolls, all a process of experiencing the body. The audience is engrossed in the movements, a mix of Bharatnatyam adavus.
Trained in classical dance
The artistes from different art backgrounds are trained in classical dance and learn to work as an ensemble. “My golden girls,” Anita calls them. She believes in interdisciplinary mentoring... in training curious mentees, and helping them to explore.
“Our body has muscle memory which these dancers put to good use,” says Anita. “The purpose of innovation is not to unlearn what is learnt but put learning to use,” she adds. “Contemporary does not mean tearing away from traditional roots.”
Anita Ratnam & Troup performing during Contemporary Dance Season 2017 at Experimental Theatre, NCPA on 09/11/2017.Photo By : NARENDRA DANGIYA
From Sri Chakra format, serene silences and geometrical moves covering the stage, to drawing a mandala on stage, Vortext is a power-packed presentation. Backed by the energetic Kerala rhythm, it ends with the Beej mantra of Devi.
“It is an exposure and experience,” says Keertana Ravi, dancer from Mumbai, who has been a part of the troupe. “We often bind ourselves down to dogmatic approach and movements. This helped me delve into my notions of what dance ought to be and gave me a fresh perspective.”
In this process of discovering a new idiom, dancers realise that contemporary does not corrupt but provides refreshing insights. They have the freedom to improvise on stage. Traditional training as the springboard for innovation and fluidity is what Anita believes in.
In the stillness and darkness of the stage appears a spot, a woman’s body twisting and turning to the sound of the flute. Prism, the meditative solo by Anita is like a personal diary. Partly autobiographical, but universal in portraying the challenges faced by a woman.
She is supple, depicts some martial movements, some Bharatanatyam moves, sits and bends her knee backwards; she is the hypnotist, slithering, swaying and controlling, all the time aware of her body. It is a yearning of joy, a woman challenging her body, unapologetic about who and what she is, a bhakta seeking a horizon. The quiet slowing down of music and movement gives the audience a feel of permeating the inner spirit of the woman.
L. Subashri on sound and Deepa Dharmadhikari on lights were the technical support.
