They invest talent, time, energy and money to learn an art form. Soon their enthusiasm is watered down with negative responses from art institutions. Recommendations, contacts or cash are needed for finding a stage to showcase their skills. Many artistes particularly dancers are disillusioned and opt out of a career in art or settle down to teaching, group events or buy their slots in sabhas and art venues. It is common knowledge that even established sabhas ask for sponsorship or cash donations.
A like-minded group of senior artistes in various dance genres have taken up the initiative to rally against the practice of pay and perform.
“It is a huge impediment to the economic progress of young practitioners of Indian classical dance and music. This trend will demotivate young aspirants and in the wind of purchasing performances, real talent gets blown away,” says senior Kathak dancer Uma Dogra.
Veterans speak
“Ashoke Jain initiated this movement against payment for performance and many senior dancers have come forward to support. Through this Navapallava series, senior artistes such as Sharmila Biswas, Aruna Mohanty, Anita Sharma, Gayatri Subramaniam, Vaibhav Arekar and a few others have come together to raise a unified voice against such exploitation,” adds Dogra.
“In this rat race of paying for opportunities, the quality of performances are sometimes mediocre or below par. It is therefore important to promote ventures like Navapallava to propagate good art,” says Vaibhav Arekar.
“I have been hosting Utsav series for young dancers since last four years and paying them decent remuneration. It is my humble effort to repay what I received from art field. I will be starting Navapallava from June this year. More such opportunities will open more doors for young artistes,” says Gayatri Subramaniam.
Nikita Banawalikar
“Since last 29 years in my events like Raindrops, I am promoting young dancers and hosting them with due respect and paying them for their travel and performances. Seeing the corrupted atmosphere in the art scene, I have joined this nationwide series to promote young talent,” informs Dogra.
Sandeep Mishra
Sam Ved Society for performing arts, spearheaded by Dogra, with the help of Sangit Mahabharti, Juhu is inaugurating the first Navapallava series on May 12, at 6.30 p.m., at the Baithak Hall. The artistes are Nikita Banawalikar (Kathak), Biswajit Das (Odissi) and Sandeep Mishra (Sarangi), accompanied by Vivek Mishra on the tabla.
