“Bharatanatyam Energizes Me” Padmashri Geeta Chandran On Completing 50 Years As A Classical Dancer

Celebrating 5 Decades Of Bharatanatyam Exponent Padmashri Geeta Chandran with her latest performance Pravahati, a fresh perspective on this ancient art form.

Celebrated Bharatnatyam exponent, Padmashri Geeta Chandran completes 50 years of her journey as a classical dancer. The founder of Natya Vriksha, a cultural organization established in 1991, Chandran has spent decades exploring the depths of Bharatnatyam as a classical dancer, both as a dancer and a teacher. To mark this significant achievement, the veteran classical dancer will be performing at Mumbai's NCPA theatre with her much-celebrated performance titled Pravahati. The performance, she says, is a “fresh perspective on this ancient art form.”

Exploring the dynamic flow of Bharatnatyam through her performances, Chandran says her latest creating delves in time and space both as non-stagnant, “but which are forward propelling of both imagination and execution,” she says.

Reflecting on her 50-year journey, Chandran shares, “As I approach the personal milestone of completing five decades of dancing since my arangetram in October 1974, I can only pay the richest tribute to my stalwart Gurus who so freely shared this invaluable art with me, but also gave me the freedom to question the tradition constantly, and reinterpret it for myself.” She adds, “Every day of my life, Bharatanatyam energizes me. It pushes me to explore its vast potential through performing, teaching, conducting, and collaborating.”

For Chandran, dance is not just an art form but “a medium through which she engages with society, expresses abstract notions, and motivates the youth.”

Bharatanatyam Exponent Padmashri Geeta Chandran (ETV Bharat)

As a guru, Chandran believes Indian Classical Dance is thriving globally, with thousands of teachers and students learning this classical dance form. However, she emphasizes the need for clearer standards to distinguish between hobby-learners and lifelong practitioners for the dance form to shine brighter.

“Thousands of Gurus and Acharyas are teaching Indian classical dance around the world with tons of students learning. So, popularity is not the problem. What we need is stricter standards in the classical dance domain; clear distinctions between dance learned as a hobby and as a lifetime passion,” she explains. Furthermore, she also challenges the reliance on Government support. “Greater corporate and societal involvement is important to ensure the art form's vibrant future,” she says matter-of-factly.

Talking about how the classical dance form has evolved over the years, the ace danseuse emphasizes that “dance, much like life, should not remain confined to tradition but must evolve and reinterpret itself through the temperament of the artist.”

Over the years, her ability to craft contemporary expressions through classical techniques has been revered by the fraternity leading her to receive the highest civilian honour Padma Shri in 2007.

With four evocative pieces – Mallari, atribute to the lord Shiva, Kalidas'Varsha Ritufrom Ritusamhara,Vahati, showcasing various emotions of individuals, and Tillana, a rhythmic piece of music – Chandran will bring her life into full circle with her latest offering on stage.

Pravahati performance by Natya Vriksha (ETV Bharat)

Explaining the four-part performance, Chandran briefs that Pravahati opens with Mallari, a rhythmic and complex tribute to Lord Shiva. Rooted in temple traditions of Southern India, Mallari is dedicated to Nataraja, the cosmic dancer of Chidambaram. With heightened music and dynamic Bharatnatyam adavus paired with splendid visuals, the performance is a treat to watch. The next fold of performance shifts toNature with Kalidas’ Varsha RitufromRitusamhara.

“This piece captures the monsoon season in all its beauty and fury—from gentle drizzles greeted by dancing peacocks to torrential downpours that devastate the land,” she explains and adds that the performance combines four stanzas of poetry to explore the emotional turmoil of lovers, “adding layers of human experience to the natural cycle.” The third piece, Vahati, on the other hand, exemplifies Chandran’s deep connection with the dance tradition, which she conveys through her interpretation.

Drawing inspiration from the classic Krishna Nee Begane Baaro, Chandran reimagines the call to Krishna through three distinct emotional lenses – a plea of a mother (Yashoda), the playful desire of a gopi, and the pure devotion of a devotee. “It is in this piece that my philosophy that Bharatanatyam is an evolving tradition comes to light,” she states.

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