Abhyasa Academy of Classical Dance conferred the title ‘Abhyasa Nritya Vardhini’ on eminent Bharatanatyam dancer Uma Nambudripad Sathya Narayanan at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Coimbatore.
The dance school, with Lavanya Sankar as its director, has been conferring this title on young, talented dancers who have made significant contribution to this art form. Nandini, a Bharatanatyam exponent, teacher, art commentator and scholar, threw light on the challenges in the field and was highly appreciative of the young dancers who have imbibed the good aspects of various banis and evolved one of their own.
Lavanya’s students presented ‘Triloka Janani,’ an offering of dance to the mother of the three worlds. The song selection showed the guru’s courage to walk on the untrodden path. The dancers began with ‘Saraswathi Namosthuthae’ (GNB), a sweet composition extolling the beauty and greatness of the goddess of learning. Syama Sastri’s magnificent swarajati, ‘Kaamaakshi Ambaa’ (Bhairavi) was presented next.
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That Lavanya had made an effort to learn the meaning of each word from musicologist S. Vaidyanatha Krishnan, before choreographing this composition, was evident in her presentation. M. Parthasarathy had added korvais to make it livelier. The aesthetic choreography laid equal stress on abhinaya and footwork. While bringing out the element of total surrender to the goddess, the dancers succeeded in making it visually appealing with their lovely postures.
‘Ranjani Mridu Pankaja Lochani’ (Thanjavur Shankara Iyer) was tailor-made for the dance with its exquisite swaras and jatis and the dancers breezed through it. The thillana in Bindumalini by Lalgudi Jayaraman had complex rhythmic patterns and picturesque postures. ‘Sri Jagadeeswari Durga’, the bhajan in Ahir Bhairav concluded with an impressive formation.
Pozhakkudi G.R. Praveen’s soulful vocal support, Lavanya ’s majestic nattuvangam, Parthasarathy’s sprightly mridangam and G.R.S. Murthy’s mellifluous veena formed an impressive orchestra. The theme was sober and Lavanya did not make any compromise. She presented it with dedication and dignity, assisted by an efficient and committed team.
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At the end of the awards function, a student of the Government School of Music and Dance received the Sundari Sankar Memorial Scholarship, instituted in memory of Lavanya’s mother and given to a talented Baratanatyam student from the underprivileged section of society.