Indian Newslink October 15 2016 Digital Edition

36
Diwali 2016 Special
Our Achievers- Ratna Venkat
Spirituality lifts classical excellence
IWK Bureau
in a Full Circle’
was the title and
theme of the
‘Life
Kuchipudi dance
concert conceived and presented
by Ratna Venkat at Dorothy
Winstone Centre, Auckland Girls
Grammar School on Saturday,
April 9, 2016.
New Zealanders have witnessed
Ratna’s versatile dance
performances on numerous occasions
at several corporate and
community events and hence
expectations were running high
around ‘Life in a Full Circle.’
Ratna was not only the Master
of the Evening but also the
Master of Ceremonies, welcoming
the audience and thanking
sponsors.
Eloquent and Perfect
She eloquently explained each
item before they were executed
to perfection.
The accompanying musicians,
experts in their chosen art form,
ably supported Ratna.
The bringing together of
classical and fusion orchestra
under one roof was another
first in this concert which by the
use of quotes, expressions and
spiritual connectedness always
revolved under the central
theme of life expressed as a full
circle.
An important feature of this
unique show was the intro-
Ratna Venkat invokes the Blessings of
Mother Earth
duction and display of ethnic
jewellery from the Indian village
where Kuchipudi originated.
Ratna adorned several pieces
of this jewellery which were
fashioned from light weight
wood and especially hand-crafted
for her. During her costume
change intervals, we were
also shown short videos of the
artisans involved in the creation
of these pieces, traditional origin
of the dance centring around
female impersonation, and the
lifestyle of the people living in
the villages where this dance
form evolved.
Dance and Dialogue
Beginning the classical segment
of the concert with a short
invocation to Lord Ganesha and
Mother Goddess, Ratna showed
her mastery of Kuchipudi art
form in the popular ‘Bhama
Kalapam’ and the standard
‘Mandooka Shabdam’ items.
Both were characterised by
crisp dialogue delivery in Telugu
which incidentally is not Ratna’s
mother tongue.
In the first item, the personification
of Satyabhama who was
a strong, independent-minded
queen with a dominating nature
contrasted well with the portrayal
of Gajendra, the elephant
who was meek and helpless
caught by the crocodile’s jaws in
Mandooka Shabdam.
Endurance test
The highlight of the first
half of the programme was
‘Tarangam,’ a 30-minute dance
number which Ratna performed
on a brass plate balancing with
a pot of water on her head,
holding the audience at the edge
of their seats.
The other items of the classical
element were ‘Dasavataram,’
incorporating the ten Avatars of
Lord Vishnu and a ‘Padam,’ depicting
the longing of a lovesick
woman.
The concept that Kuchipudi
can truly adapt to emerging
and contemporary situations
without losing its unique
identity was well explored in the
ensuing dances after the short
intermission.
Thus, the fusion segment
included dancing for a song
dedicated to Lord Jesus sung by
Jeffrey Nathan, a Shirdi Sai Baba
Bhajan rendered by Vidya Teke,
an Amrapali number sung by
Vishnu Priya Mallela and a multi-media
presentation involving
foot percussion.
Ratna aptly demonstrated
that everything goes back to its
origins when
she resorted to
classical items
in the final stages
of her concert.
‘Simhanandini,’ in
which the dancer draws
a figure in colour powder with
her toes involved Ratna tracing a
lion as part of her dance routine.
She drew a standing ovation.
The concert ended with a
question mark ‘What Next?’
with a dance for a song by Poet
Annamacharya.
With exquisite footwork,
OCTOBER 15, 2016
deep emotions and extensive
research behind the selection
of items and their presentation,
Ratna transported us to a higher
realm.
The above is an edited version
of an article that
appeared in Indian
Weekender
issue
dated
April
15, 2016.
Tarangam, 30
minutes of
non-stop,
intricate dancing
Peace, prosperity, good fortune may
they all be with you in the coming years.
Happy Diwali
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