Expressing Eternal Truths Through Dance
To me, dance, apart from its 494 essential beauty, has to be awareness and a relevant force in temporary life. Can an artist truly set without self-expression? It was not neet the current desires of the audients i began to create new works, but an ate need to express my involvement h the world around me, the world i end in, breathed in, the world of stant dualities, joy-sorrow, life-death, -hate, construction-destruction, acting insights towards awareness. Behind each movement was an inner ergy the result of years of training. It k hundreds of performances and entless work to establish a reputation Classicism. Only then did i present own perspectives. Choreography (a word ilearntmuch er) is a comprehensive wholeness of a ark. In dance the body speaks with the power of the mind behind it. In our country, words and music are important in the great oral tradition, but often silence seemed to me more meaningful, a totality of universal sound. But each new dance composition springs from the result of years of practice. Practice is the 'puja ‘of a dançer, constant daily 'puja'. Dance education is more than the technique of the Natya Shastra or any other sacred text. It should envelop other perceptions if it is to become meaningful. Our puranas tell us of the valuable beauty of nature. To watch a falling leaf, the movement of water, a flight of birds, the shape of the clouds, all these are meditations that are revelatory Sarvam Shrestha pranayam (all creation is limitless),is a basic tenet of Indian philosophy. A dancer has to be an observer of all movement(s) as does a scientist. Vikram's remark that "it is necessary in creative work to be able to see the squirrels and the birds" isa profound statement. It means to awaken the relationship with nature, the spirit of our Vedic heritage which tells us that we are each a particle of the universe and share in its wholeness. These thoughts of a universal oneness lead us to realise the values of our traditions when India was a land of tolerance, welcoming and protecting everyone. New ideas flowed in and were absorbed in all the arts. But underlying every art are the eternal truths as told to us by Devi, Shiva, Krishna and the great seers. In this century of material progress, it is imperative that tree universal oneness is taught from the earliest age. The child has to learn to look inwards as well as outwards, the inner and the outer sky, to be observant of the environment in its beauty and also gliness, a conscious caring citizen of world. Often a simple story in danceordrama can inspire people. Many were dance pieces on subjects that disturbance and often in the villages we used thpopular Bhavai. As for instance when we spoke of environment we used the story of Radha and Krishna. The ending however was the message.Radha goes to m Krishna at night on the banks of the river but instead of flowing water, fina stagnant pool, and where the trees grew, is a concrete jungle. The messagwas understood by the villagers and often planting of trees, teaching of Sanskrit and Gujarati verses on natufollowed. The young villagers enthusby the drama andthe discussions oftecontinue the project on their own, so only trees but ideas are planted... (Abridged from a blog posted on July2011, by Darpana Academy.)
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Mrinalini Sarabhai views and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Mrinalini Sarabhai and Speaking Tree and Times of India
Expressing Eternal Truths Through Dance
To me, dance, apart from its 494 essential beauty, has to be awareness and a relevant force in temporary life. Can an artist truly set without self-expression? It was not neet the current desires of the audients i began to create new works, but an ate need to express my involvement h the world around me, the world i end in, breathed in, the world of stant dualities, joy-sorrow, life-death, -hate, construction-destruction, acting insights towards awareness. Behind each movement was an inner ergy the result of years of training. It k hundreds of performances and entless work to establish a reputation Classicism. Only then did i present own perspectives. Choreography (a word ilearntmuch er) is a comprehensive wholeness of a ark. In dance the body speaks with the power of the mind behind it. In our country, words and music are important in the great oral tradition, but often silence seemed to me more meaningful, a totality of universal sound. But each new dance composition springs from the result of years of practice. Practice is the 'puja ‘of a dançer, constant daily 'puja'. Dance education is more than the technique of the Natya Shastra or any other sacred text. It should envelop other perceptions if it is to become meaningful. Our puranas tell us of the valuable beauty of nature. To watch a falling leaf, the movement of water, a flight of birds, the shape of the clouds, all these are meditations that are revelatory Sarvam Shrestha pranayam (all creation is limitless),is a basic tenet of Indian philosophy. A dancer has to be an observer of all movement(s) as does a scientist. Vikram's remark that "it is necessary in creative work to be able to see the squirrels and the birds" isa profound statement. It means to awaken the relationship with nature, the spirit of our Vedic heritage which tells us that we are each a particle of the universe and share in its wholeness. These thoughts of a universal oneness lead us to realise the values of our traditions when India was a land of tolerance, welcoming and protecting everyone. New ideas flowed in and were absorbed in all the arts. But underlying every art are the eternal truths as told to us by Devi, Shiva, Krishna and the great seers. In this century of material progress, it is imperative that tree universal oneness is taught from the earliest age. The child has to learn to look inwards as well as outwards, the inner and the outer sky, to be observant of the environment in its beauty and also gliness, a conscious caring citizen of world. Often a simple story in danceordrama can inspire people. Many were dance pieces on subjects that disturbance and often in the villages we used thpopular Bhavai. As for instance when we spoke of environment we used the story of Radha and Krishna. The ending however was the message.Radha goes to m Krishna at night on the banks of the river but instead of flowing water, fina stagnant pool, and where the trees grew, is a concrete jungle. The messagwas understood by the villagers and often planting of trees, teaching of Sanskrit and Gujarati verses on natufollowed. The young villagers enthusby the drama andthe discussions oftecontinue the project on their own, so only trees but ideas are planted... (Abridged from a blog posted on July2011, by Darpana Academy.)
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Mrinalini Sarabhai views and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Mrinalini Sarabhai and Speaking Tree and Times of India