‘Glide’ is a word often used in the context of swans. The dance production ‘Hansika,’ created by Bangalore based Odissi exponent Sharmila Mukerjee, highlighted why. A remake of the timeless dance ballet ‘Swan Lake,’ in the Indian context, ‘Hansika’ was marked by slow, graceful movements – and the beauty – associated with swans.
Originally choreographed by Julius Reisinger, with unforgettable music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (released way back in 1877), ‘Swan’ Lake has withstood the test of time, igniting curiosity in dancers, storytellers and performers, over the centuries. Watching ‘Hansika’, it was easy to understand why it is so. The tragic tale of two lovers separated by a curse will never become outmoded, packed as it is with a range of emotions from love and jealousy to anger and vengeance, not to mention the age-old tussle between good and evil. These emotional elements and the skill of the performance creators allowed for a smooth transfer of the Eastern European tale to the Indian classical dance context. It is indeed creditable that the collaborators had made everything in the production from the music to lighting and costumes blend harmoniously.
From ‘Hansika’, Odissi exponent Sharmila Mukherjee’s choreographic work. | Photo Credit: Anil Babu
Opening with a spectacular swan dance sequence, the aesthetic motifs and metaphors were established early in the performance. The group of dancers moved as one, their poise and unity conjuring the behaviour of a flock of birds as the evening light painted the lake and forest in its colours. The contrasting music that followed in the next scene clearly marked the shift to masculine energy as two hunters enter the space, looking for game. One of the hunters is Prince Siegfried who has been ordered by his mother to choose himself a bride at the earliest, we might know, if we are familiar with the plot of Swan Lake. Here, we see the young Prince separated from his friend, wandering by the lake, searching for the elusive swans that mesmerised them just a few minutes ago. He meets Odette, who, transforms by night from swan to woman, living the curse of an enchantress, who, in this version of the Russian folktale, happens to be her jealous sister. The lovers’ meeting and courtship depicted the innocence of first love as we witness Odette’s sharing how she came upon this dual existence. The classical Odissi sequence that followed showcased the competition between the sisters (both talented dancers even in the tale) that takes a nasty turn when one sister gives in to an evil streak and curses the other.
In the scenes that followed, the ones that stood out for me were the preparations for the almost marriage and the staging of an act of deceit that seals the lovers’ fate forever. The never-say-die Enchantress, as she gloats over their plight, leaves the audience with a question on how long even the swans might last since the lakes are drying up on a dying planet. This was the only point in the performance that was ambiguous as it did not resonate with the character of the Enchantress or come through clearly as the story played out at that point.
Sharmila graciously acknowledged this when we spoke about the performance the next day. The performance evolves every time it is viewed, she says, highlighting that it was a “pleasure” to create this work based on a folktale that has held her in thrall since childhood. “It took us a year. Music was the first layer of the work,” she says, describing how “fascinating” it was to watch Praveen D. Rao design the music for it. “He often composed and recorded in quick succession, even while working with the musicians,” she says, adding that his process of work inspired her to choreograph and envision the performance well before she got the dancers together on the floor. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the music in the production was pitch perfect and almost a character in itself. The use of the pakhawaj, flute, sitar, violin and vocals – all held the story and the movements in a warm embrace, while retaining the twang of the original classical ballet music created by Tchaikovsky years ago. This, coupled with the elegant dancing by the artistes of Sanjali Ensemble, made ‘Hansika’ a rich experience of viewing a dance rooted in more than one form.
