Mysuru: Articulate Festival in its 16th series on Sept. 17, 2017, presented two Bharatanatyam and two Kathak dance segments that enthralled the audience who had braved the insistent rains and came with passion to share the dance artistry with the dancers.

Radhika Ramanujan of Bengaluru commenced her concert with a Muthuswamy Dikshithar’s composition in Kamalamanohari raga and Adi Tala in praise of Kamakshi. Comparing her to nature and its beauty and she being beautiful several folds blesses her devotees as the consort of Ekambareshwar. Before she concluded with a very lively Javali of Dharmapurisubbarayar, depicting a nayaki commanding her beloved not to be influenced by other women, she presented Gopala Krishna Bharathi’s composition on the cosmic dancer Nataraja. The episode of Markandeya and Nandanar was very subtly retold through grace and restrain.

Trained in Khairagarh in the art of Kathak, Mijink Rani Brahma from Assam struck a beautiful stance in her obeisance to Lord Kailashnath. The elegant nrutta that was weaved into it complimented the subject matter. In the second, she effortlessly flowed through the traditional rendition of Teen Taal, complete with That, Aamad, Peremelu, Padakriya, Parans, Tihais and the gath nikas starting in the vilambith laya and graduating to Madhyam and druth. She concluded with a Bhajan on Krishna written by Pt. Birju Maharaj.

Reshma Shreenath and Shruthi took to stage in duet format in displaying the art of Bharatanatyam. With crisp Jathi and movements to swaras they presented two kritis — one in Tamil and the other in Kannada. Isaimamani’s Composition on Lord Subramanya and Sri Padmacharan’s famous poetry on Shringapuri’s Sharada. Both the kritis was a beautiful blend of technical and emotive.

Five Kathak dancers in pristine white and set off with coordinated coloured dupattas presented three Kathak items. Starting with Sri Adishankaracharya’s Krishnashtakam, then a drupad composition on Shiva concluded with Geeth-Triwat. The freezes in the Krishnashtakam gave fleeting glimpses of Krishnas leela. The choreography brought out the bhakthi element in the art form. The parans that was strung along with names of Shiva and the accompanying footwork was beautifully performed. The translation of Musical notes and the syllables of the percussion into dance movement across the stage was mesmerising. The concluding part of Geeth-Triwat was the dexterously manipulated ankle bells sound enlivened the evening.

The five artistes were, Akshatha Shetty, Pallavi Athreya, Yashaswini, Ojaswini and Raksha Kashyap, all from Bengaluru.

The audience felt, an evening well spent both relaxing and spiritually elevating. Mysore B. Nagaraj curated the show.