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Dance Buzz 2015
'Leela Taranga Margam ': dance experiment by Sheela Unnikrishnan
- 25 December 2015
Bharatanatyam guru Sheela Unnikrishnan, who follows the Melattur style and excels in curating group dance productions with young dancers of her academy is showcasing 'Leela Taranga Margam' this season.
Sheela says this is an interesting compilation of songs and verses from Sri Krishna Leela Tarangini.
She says she had tapped into the poems of Sri Krishna Leela Tarangini since they are rich in poetic quality, containing chaste Sanskrit and clear diction, famous for its lyrical beauty and exquisite rhythm that evoke 'Navarasam'.
Sheela says this work is
a maiden effort on an experimental basis because Tarangams are all individual keerthanams which are mainly used in the Kuchipudi recitals.
Different verses from Tarangams are chosen to suit the regular Bharatanatyam margam format.
The production 'Leela Taranga Margam' stages 7 dance numbers viz., 1. Iswara Praarthanam (Hamsadhwani -Rupakam) praises Krishna as the embodiment of cosmos, 2. Krishna Kouthvam (Shanmukhapriya -Misra chapu) projects all the incarnations of Vishnu, who is Krishna, the personification of transcendental Truth 3. Punya-nama Swarajathi (Bilahari -Adhi) describes the benefit of chanting the sacred names of the Saviour 4. Varnam (Thodi-adhi), the central piece, brings out the beauty of child Krishna and his leelas 5. Radha-Madhava Samvadha Tarangam (Behag -Adhi) portrays the secret conversation between the Radha and Krishna, that churns out Sringara rasa 6. Thillana (Nagaswaravali -Adhi) exhibits nritha and concludes with a verse on Rukmini and Sri Krishna and the finale 7. Mangalam (Sourashtra -Adhi) hails Krishna, the pure minded and the protector of all.
Sheela says that Tarangam means waves and Leela Taranga Margam brings out interesting episodes from Sri Krishna Leela Tarangini, one after another. Like waves!
The production is on at Bharat Kalachar on Dec.25, 7 p.m. and has six more shows spread across December and early January 2016.
