The Articulate festival’s series 43 saw an alliance of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, The Artistes and Articulate Trust for Arts with a mission to support classical dance arts and showcase the artistes’ artistry. Mysore B. Nagaraj, Managing Trustee of Articulate Trust for Arts, curates the show. The line-up was one Kathak and three Bharathanatyam artistes sharing their concerts to a packed Prof. Y. T. Thathachari Auditorium in Vijayanagar, on the 3rd of November 2019.

Karthik B. Shetty, Bengaluru, disciple of Guru Mysore B Nagaraj, performed Kathak through three compositions dominated by Nrutta aspect of the dance form. He began with a Shiva Stuti followed by series nrutta composition emoting the joy that Shiva in his Ananda Tandava. After this Hindu repertoire, Karthik presented a Triwat in Raga Madhuvanti and a Tarana in Raga Darbari reflecting the Islamic touch to art. All three compositions were set in Teen Taal.

Karthik very well executed the identity of Kathak in the skilful renditions of his Chakkars and Tathkars apart from unleashing high energy in fast tempo, the chosen Tukdas – Parans and suddenly freeze to a still posture, showcasing his skill in rendering the North Indian Dance form. The virile vibrancy shown in the first item on Shiva was a total contrast to the sublime and leisurely presentation of the Tarana and that was justice done to the different Gharanas where the art flourished in the Hindu and Muslim Courts.

S.D. Sneha, Bharathanatyam artiste, disciple of Guru Varija Nalige, Mysuru, combined in her first segment a Madhurai R. Muralidharan’s Pushpanjali and a Madhurai T.S. Mani’s Kruthi “Gambhira Gana Nayakam”. Her second that was her concluding act was a Keerthane written by Sri Uttukadu Venkata Subba Iyer describing the dance of Shiva. 

Sneha’s choice was a good combination that revealed her acumen both in Nrutta-Nrutya and Abhinaya. The ease with which she sailed during her performance is truly appreciable. Her performance was one of those where a rasika could “sit back-relax-eee-enjoy” without throwing challenges to the audience to their dance knowledge and sensibility.

R. Aparna Kodankiri, disciple of Guru Mithra Naveen, Mysuru, presented three compositions.  One a pushpanjali in raga tillang tala aadi, second a Devaranama “Jaya jaya jayadeva shankara,” the third,  Haridasa Sri Purandaradasa’s “yamanellu kananendu helabeda.”

Aparna’s pushpanjali displayed her crispness and the geometry she maintained in the Nrutta parts of the composition very pleasingly. The two abhinaya based rendition also showcased her emotive ability in tune with the sahithya.

Suraksha Dixit, disciple of Guru Kripa Phadke, Mysuru, performed a string of items that saw a Ootukkaddu Venkatasubbayyar’s Sanskrit Ganesha stuti “Aananda nartana ganapatim bhavaye” in Raga Naatai Taala Adi, a  Sanskrit Eka shloki Bhagavata “Aadov  devaki  deveem” in Ragamalike, Sri Jayadeva’s  Ashtapadi “Radhika Krishna tava virahe” rendered in Raga  Vasantha and Taala  Adi and concluded with a kannada composition of contemporary poet  D. V. Gundappa from his collection of Antahpurageete in Raga Brindavanisarang set Tishra gati adi. The song chosen was “ atanavaadidal  taruni  natanavaadidal.”

Suraksha’s four numbers revealed her inexhaustible energy, passion to dance and the hard work she has put in her training and imbibing the dance form. Encapsulating the life and important times of Sri Krishna’s avatar, the description of Radha’s state of emotion as told to Krishna by the sakhi, the joy of being in love with Chennakeshava as seen through the eyes of a poet in his search of the Sculptures soul was displayed with flair after her bhakthi number to Lord Ganesha who is also a patron deity for Dance.

The evening sailed through in preplanned sequence executed smoothly, narrated interestingly and  the packed audience left the charged space with feeling of awe and aggrandised.