“Lavanya Margam” presented by Ramya Ramnarayan evoked that sense of completeness which can only be described by one comprehensive word - Rasa. The level of dancing was one where the flow of emotions fitted perfectly with the kinetics of pure dance without resorting to flashiness. Although not entirely without its moments of low impact, the combination of dedication and equipoise made an impact on the audience at the Narada Gana Sabha.
Violin maestro Lalgudi Jayaraman’s compositions strike a chord in the art lover- of both music and dance - but the ones selected for this performance had an extra dimension thus lending themselves to the distinctive conceptualisation for dancing. In particular the popular ragamaalika varnam “Angayarkanni” came across as a powerful and thought provoking eulogy of the Mother Goddess.
The back and forth narrative technique employed by the composer put emphasis on different moods even while blending esoteric ideas with well known stories of Devi’s feats. Honeyed ragas such as Bilahari, Atana, Sucharita and Sahana rendered by Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi invested the varnam with an effervescence that was developed by the dancer in full.
The choreography revealed itself through the total internalisation of its logic by the dancer where her handling of energy and the fresh slant to the traditional Vazhuvur style were carried through by streamlined adavus and the devolvement of moves, all the while retaining a sensitive approach.
Theermanams that were not only set in challenging rhythmical permutations but also delivered with incisive pace heightened the vibrancy of the dance. Swamimalai Suresh lent authenticity with his sober nattuvangam and maintenance of a firm grip on the orchestral efforts all through.
The simplest move that snagged attention was the twist given to the measured walk where Ramya gave it the shades of stateliness and power that one imagines of a Supreme Goddess.
The elegant ‘pinnal nadai’ where the dancer walks backwards as though weaving curves became enhanced by the eye movement that communicated control and feminine grace. The dancer’s tight grip on the sthayi bhava brought back the spotlight of devotion through the continuum of anger, disgust, love, fear and other emotions included in the varnam.
Verses from “Panchali Sabadam” that were tuned for this recital by the violin vidwan offered dramatic relief. This had been culled from the larger work by veteran abhinaya exponent Kalanidhi Narayanan. The dancer showed despair, sorrow and agony as Draupadi declared her vow.
Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi’s bowing conjured up some magical moments for “Theerada Vilayattu Pillai” where melody and dance fused as one.
A rough patch was the Thillana, where the music and dancing though moving together did not create a lasting impression. The three ragas moved fluidly and the dancer put in some spirited effort yet the sense of harmony remained elusive.
The tail-end piece, another Subhramania Bharati composition, however, restored serenity.
