Rangoli 2003
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ARPAN is presenting an hour's show at the Seattle Art Museum on August 23rd (2-5 pm) the benefits of which will go to Asha. We will perform Kaikottikali, Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Dandia, Garbha, Rajasthani dance and other items from different parts of India.
This is not a paid event and no participants will be paid by SAM, Asha or ARPAN. ARPAN is also not responsible for providing costumes, lighting, makeup, props etc. This is a charitable event and we expect participants and viewers to take initiative for a worthy cause.
INTERMISSION
Item Description
BHARATANATYAM
Item - Natyanjali Ragam - Ragamalika Talam - Thalamalika
Natyanjali is a salutation to the different Hindu gods: Ganesha (the one-tusked elephant headed god and the remover of obstacles), Brahma (the Creator), Saraswathi (the goddess of Knowledge), Vishnu (the Protector), Siva (the Destroyer) and Guru (the teacher). It is a compilation of traditional shlokas or chants that has been set to dance choreographed by the acclaimed Bharatanatyam exponents Shantha and V.P. Dhananjayan of Chennai, India.
Artist - Supriya Unnikrishnan
LADLI LOOMA
Rajasthan is treasured as one of the richest states in folk musical and dancing traditions in India. There is a song and a dance for every season here. Be it to welcome the spring, the rains or just to make fun of daily mundane chores. From weddings to funerals and from childbirths to bidding adieu, there are songs that describe even the loving quarrels between a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law.
Song - Ladli looma
In this song, the heroin is fussing over her ornament (an armlet). She explains how this little ornament is teasing her and how when she was out grazing the cattle it fell off. She also goes on to say that her older and younger sisters-in-law sweated so much over making it and still it behaves like this.
Artists - Udita Sharma and Joyce K. Paul
Choreography - Rekha Choudhry
ODISSI
Odissi is native to the state of Orissa in India. Originally performed in temples, over the years, the dance has evolved to a pure classical form with a well-defined repertoire. Odissi is characterized by soft, liquid upper body movements, strong footwork, and sculpturesque poses evocative of the carvings on Orissan temples. Through its amalgamation of masculine and feminine aspects of human expression, Odissi celebrates the union of opposites, god and goddess, yin and yang.
Item - Pallavi Ragam- Shankarabharanam Talam- Adi Composer - Bhuvanesvar Misra Choreography- Guru Kelucharan Mahopatra
Pallavi means 'to blossom forth'. Pallavi is a nritta or pure dance item in the Odissi repertoire. Characterized by strong footwork and body movements, Pallavi is an exposition of the dance as well as the music. Set to the tune of a specific raga, a Pallavi traces through the musical swaras and the dancer elaborates with a weave of lyrical movements that bring out the beauty and charm of Odissi nritta. The item is an expression of Sringara or beauty in nature.
Artiste - Mala Nugehally
DANDIYA
Dandiya Ras, one of India’s most popular folk dances is saturated with energy, exuberance and excitement. Originally from the Limbdi region of Gujarat (a state in Western India), over a period of time, the dandiya ras has imbibed an all India expression. Like most folk dances of India, the ras too is one of collective impulse and enthusiasm. It’s always performed in a group and never by an individual. In the ancient times, this folk dance was essentially performed by men. Today it is equally enjoyed and danced by both men and women.
Community dancing forms a big part of life in Gujarat. During the Navratris, a festival that is celebrated over a period of nine nights and days, girls and boys get together and dance the dandiya into the wee hours of the morning.
Bright colorful skirts swirl, decorated lacquered sticks strike rhythmically and spirits soar. The sprightly circular movements to the scintillating beats of the dhol (the percussion) are mesmerizing and transport one to a totally different world of rhythm and joy. In today’s stressful world, it is in fact a pleasure to be able to enjoy some of the oldest folk dances of the Indian subcontinent.
Song - Nagar Nandji Na Lal
The song for today’s dandiya presentation revolves around Krishna and his beloved Radha. Radha has lost her nose ornament while dancing the dandiya and is searching everywhere for it, only to find out that the mischievous Krishna had it with him all this time. Starting with a slower rhythm, the tempo increases midway as the dance progresses towards the final crescendo.
Artists - Jigar Thakkar, Pulin Thakkar, Priyank Patel, Saurabh Singhal, Amruta Moktali, Chandrika Shankar, Udita Sharma and Joyce K. Paul
Choreography - Udita Sharma. Assisted by - Jigar Thakkar
KARADI TALES
Karadi or Bear tales are taken from the Panchatantra. These stories have animals
as main characters and always carry a moral lesson at the end.
Today’s presentation is titled "Kala and Karupi". This story is in English and
this version of the play has funny twists to the original story.
Artists - Jayashree Krishnan and Group (Names of kids required here)
GARBA
Gujarat, a state in western India, is synonymous with Garba and Dandiya, the two most popular folk dances of the region. Traditionally, only men danced the Dandiya and women danced the Garba. In recent years, women have started dancing the Dandiya, however, Garba still remains more or less a women’s domain.
While Dandiya is a dance of high energy, Garba has more fluid movements with hands clapping in unison, bodies gracefully bending sideways in every step and arms coming together in beautiful sweeping gestures in different directions. Almost always, a movement ends in a clap. Garba is danced differently in different regions of Gujarat and different communities have evolved their own style and steps.
Garba is dedicated to the Mother-Goddess. Girls bearing pots (garbis) on their heads dance in circles around the deity of the goddess. The tradition of Garba has been handed down through generations and despite the influence of modern day films and television, they seem to stand strong today.
Song - Chapti bhari chokha
In this song, a young girl describes how she is preparing to go to the temple to worship the goddess. She has prepared her offering on a plate, complete with vermilion and little clay lamps. She has also asked the gardener to get her flowers for her hair, the jeweler to get bangles for her hands and the cloth merchant for a colorful scarf (chuni) so that she can dress up and go to the temple.
Artists - Mala Nugehally, Ruchi Sacheti, Amruta Moktali, Chandrika Shankar, Udita Sharma and Joyce K. Paul
Choreography - Udita Sharma. Assisted by - Amruta Moktali
FOLK MUSIC OF MAHARASHTRA
Maharashtra is a state located on the Western coast of India. Marathi folk music symbolizes the simplicity, honesty, passion and hard-working nature of the people in Maharashtra.
Tonight’s presentation includes four songs hand picked to show the diverse nature of the music from Maharashtra ranging from devotional to dance!
Artists: Amol Kelkar and band
BENGALI FOLK DANCES
Bengal is a state in Eastern India. The theme of the presentation tonight is life & the joy of living. During today's troubling times we realize the value of life more deeply. Come enjoy the splendor of life through folk dances by children, who remains untouched by the dark shades of life. Let us come together to celebrate life.
Artists: Children from the Bengali community in Seattle
KAIKOTTIKALI
Thiruvathirakkali or Kaikottikkali is a popular dance form of the women folk of Kerala. In this, eight to ten girls perform in a circle around a pookalam of flowers. They sing and dance to the rhythm of clapping hands. Well-versed padams of Kathakali and Mohiniyatttam come alive in Thiruvathirakkali with a folk accent. The music and movements of Thiruvathirakkali has a native simplicity and lyrical grace. This graceful systematic group dance is performed on festivals like Onam and Thiruvathira.
Artists: Anjulie Ganti, Mala Nugehally, Supriya Unnikrishnan, Subhashini Santhanam, Udita Sharma, Sangeeta Nair, Anupama Vasanth and Joyce K. Paul
Choreography - Joyce K. Paul.
BHANGRA
Bhangra, the folk dance of India, was born in Punjab in Northern India. Since the 15th century Bhangra has been danced to celebrate the harvest season.
This dance is performed by men and is a vigorous, robust and energetic dance form that beckons the spectators to get up and dance. Some difficult steps have a certain level of acrobatics in them and are a delight to watch.
The music centers on the heavy beat of the double-barreled drum called the dhol. The lilting and fast-tempo beats of the dhol, entwined with the singing of traditional folk songs are the characteristic features of Bhangra.
Artists: Raj Ramachandran, Karthik Anbalagan, Pankaj Kakkar, Samuel Devasahayam and Nikhil Chandhok
Choreography - Raj Ramachandran and Karthik Anbalagan
Volunteer Support
Sound - Pankaj Jindal and Anirudh
Lighting - Pankaj Jindal and Anirudh
Stage Management - Hakim Ronaque
Camera - Deon Brewis
Music consolidation and conversion - Joyce K. Paul
Administrative - Swati Sarkar and Jayashree Janardhan
ARPAN
would like to offer its heartfelt gratitude to all the dancers who have spent
their time and energy to make this program
a success. Without them this afternoon would not have been possible. Each one of
them is a dancer with unique beauty and
talent.
APRAN also is indebted to all the support people. Pankaj Jindal and Anirudh as
audio visual engineers, Hakim Ronaque as Stage
Manager and Deon Brewis as videographer.
ARPAN thanks Asha for giving us an opportunity to present a major section of
Rangoli.
Our gratitude to the Seattle Art Museum for providing more then expected support
to our venture.
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