Dance Festival by Anasuya Arts Academy: Events in Hyderabad

REVIEW FOR DANCE FESTIVAL BY ANASUYA...

Romantic fables, music and dance - young choreographer Kiranmai is exploring
all popular mythical themes in formulaic dance ballets. Enacting lead roles
like those of Menaka, Sita and Vasavikanyaka in each of her productions, Kiranmai
and her group of supporting dancers are indefatiguably performing in the week-long
programmes. This event is the first of its kind in the state and never before
have even renowned choreographers presented their productions in a line-up!
Kiranmai and her encouraging dancer mother Padma Kalyani are, based on a 'Nritya
Natika' chestnut box, almost effortlessly churning out ballets.

Rukmini Kalyanamu, Oct 14

"Rukmini Kalyanamu", the play scripted by Jeediguntla (taking excerpts from
the fable of Bamera Potanamatyula Maha Bhagavatam) and with music composed by
Srivalli Sarma, provided the narrative framework for Kiranmai to work on the
theme where Krishna elopes with his beloved Rukmini to tie the knot.

There are other melodramatic scenes provided my other characters like Sisupala
and Rukmi. Kiranmai herself enacted the role of the heroine Rukmini, while Jyothi
donned the role of Krishna, Bhikshapati of Rukmi, and Sai of Sisupala. Cine
actor Murali Mohan was the chief guest for the evening.

Live and Let Live, Oct 15

Dancers clad in satin robes, some with their heads mounted with beaks and feathers
and some wearing masks to depict jungle animals and birds, moved across the
stage heavily hither and thither. In a manner of a Nursery school production,
these portrayals by rather big dancers in silken robes were at once ridiculous!

Titled "Live and Let live", the 'dance ballet' choreographed by Kiranmai, who
was herself donned as a pigeon, aimed to enlighten the public of the importance
of jungles and co-existences. Based on the script of Jaladanki Sudhakar, the
play further showed how man disturbed the ecological balance by indulging in
quarrels based on religion, caste, language, etc., while animal life is in peace
within its fold.

With a voice over in Telugu (explaining the comparative life of animals and
human beings) by Padma Kalyani and Kalyan Kumar, and with music composed by
Srivalli Sarma, the play was absolutely amateur and an obtuse attempt!

Menaka Vishvamitra, Oct 16

This one commences with a populistic dance of the celestial damsels Rambha,
Urvashi and Menaka at heaven. On earth, the sage Vishvamitra is on penance on
a powerful mission. Menaka, ordered by the Lord of the Devas, descends with
another mission - to disturb the meditation of the sage with her feminine wises.
Then follow a series of dramatic scenes when Vishvamitra (donned by D V N Sai)
falls in love with Menaka, leading to his fathering her daughter.

Kiranmai as Menaka was on stage almost from the beginning to the end of the
play. Authored by Bnim, the play had its music composed by Srivalli Sarma. The
other supporting artists were Bikshapati and Sushma.

Sita Swayamvaram, Oct 17

As the title suggests, this dance ballet is based on the 'love at first
sight' of the celebrated divine couple Sita and Rama. The play takes off with
the four young brothers Rama, Lakshmana, Bharatha and Shatrugna playing and
growing up in the kingdom, to their formal training in martial arts. Further,
there were elaborate heroic scenes like that of Rama and Laxmana killing the
demons at Vishvamitra Yagna - 'Vishvamitra Yagna Samrakshana' - apart from the
main melodrama at the 'Sita Swayamvaram' where many an aspiring man, including
Ravana, fail to lift the mystique bow of Siva - 'Siva Dhanush' - which Rama
effortlessly manages to break. The play ends with the wedding scene of Rama
and Sita. Kiranmai as Sita, Divya as Rama and supporting artists Ramya, D V
S Sai and Bikshapati performed this much animated play scripted by Pingali Raghupathi.

Vasavikanyaka Parinayam, Oct 17

This is a less known play where a king called Vishnuvardhan falls in love with
a young girl Vasavika who spurns his proposal for love. The king, bewitched
by her beauty, attempts to assault her modesty, leading to the heroine immolating
herself. She becomes a role model and also a goddess for the women to protect
and regard their modesty. Kiranmai again acts as this goddess of purity, while
Anjani Raj dons the role of the king repenting his awful actions. Scripted by
Nandini Ramakrishnamacharya, this play has its music score done by Srivalli
Sarma.

Mohana Vamsee, Oct 18

Scripted by T K G K Vittal, this play has an abstract character called 'Vamsee',
i.e. the flute of Krishna, which is depicted with emotions and love as though
it is one of Krishna's favorite lovers! For this musical presentation, the Kolagal
Brothers Sai Kumar and Anil Kumar composed music in varied romantic classical
tunes.

Jyoti Shekhar enacted the role of the flute Vamsee, while Kiranmai took on the
role of Radha who at times is jealous of the wind-blown instrument, for Krishna
always seems to embrace it! Susruti took the lead role of Krishna caught between
the love for the milkmaids and his passion for the flute. However the flute and
its music illustrate an attitude, which enchants both animal and plant life apart
from the Gopikas.

Srivalli Sarma and Padma Kalyan provided vocal and nattuvangam support.

Chenchita Parinayam, Oct 19

This concluding presentation was yet another in the series of formulaic ballets,
with an introductory dance, music, scene after scene and a culminating happy drama.
This script authored by BNIM is a sequel to the anthropomorphic form Narasimha
and the animated fable. Here Narasimha is seen wandering in the forests in an
attempt to cool off his anger after slaying Hiranyakasipa which does not reduce
despite being pacified by Prahlada and also the celestial community.

So Lakshmi comes into the picture and takes birth as a tribal princess called
Chenchita only to meet Narasimha, fall in love and tie the wedlock with the consent
of the tribal king. Thus, even today Lord Narasimha is worshiped as Narahari by
the Chenchu tribes of Andhra who boastfully narrate the story that Vishnu and
Lakshmi were a part of them. Kiranmai and Jyothi enacted the lead roles of Lakshmi
and Narasimha. A host of ten other dancers who participated in the grand finale.

Dr C Narayana Reddy was the chief guest who, in a subtle manner, pointed out the
flaws in the music rendering and also in the choreography to encourage the artist.