Choreographer blends Indian, local dances<\/p>\n
Cameron Bates, Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The nationwide Festival of India continues on Wednesday night
\nwith Sangam, an original dance piece featuring a collaboration of
\nthe linked Indian, Sundanese and Balinese classical dancing
\nstyles.<\/p>\n
Indian Embassy cultural attache Nandini Sinha, a
\nchoreographer, dancer and teacher, said the piece would visualize
\nthe story of Mahabrarata, a famous Hindu epic known to both
\nIndonesians and Indians.<\/p>\n
The performance, featuring 25 dancers and five musicians,
\nfollows the well-received Indian Embassy organized Hanuman Duta
\nearlier this year, which incorporated Wayang puppetry, kathak
\ndancers from India and kecak dancers from Bali.<\/p>\n
Sinha said her latest choreography built on the earlier
\ncollaboration, which centered on the epic tale of Ramayana.<\/p>\n
"Mahabrarata shows the realistic part of the Indian psyche. It
\nis more realistic because it gives you a mirror or reflection of
\nthe overall society."<\/p>\n
She said the story focused on Drupadi, who had five husbands,
\nand two clans, the Pandawa (good) and the Kurawa (evil), who
\nrepresented both sides of the human character.<\/p>\n
"The five husbands actually epitomize the five qualities which
\nshe wanted. But it is Shiva, the creator, he has said you cannot
\nfind these five qualities in one husband so you have to take
\nfive."<\/p>\n
She would not say what the five qualities were. "For that you
\nhave to come to the show."<\/p>\n
Sinha said India and Indonesia had long-standing historical
\nand cultural links which were reflected in deep cultural and
\nartistic affinities between the people of the two countries.<\/p>\n
"This project is to bind together, to identify our cultures,
\nto bring the effectiveness of this whole system, once more
\nrevitalizing ourselves, reorientating ourselves through culture."<\/p>\n
She said the show had three central dancers, including herself
\nas Drupadi and one each from Java and Bali, with each dancer
\nusing their indigenous styles to play their parts.<\/p>\n
The Kathak (storytelling) dance originated in temples from the
\nIndo-Gangetic plains of India before it found its way to the
\ncourtrooms of the nobles.<\/p>\n
Kathak, which has been enriched in recent times and includes
\ninfluences by Hindu and Islamic traditions, is the most popular
\nIndian classical dance style, which also has considerable scope
\nfor improvisation.<\/p>\n
A typical kathak dance, whose themes in general are both
\ndevotional as well as secular, comprises nritt (pure dance),
\nnritya (representational items) and matya (drama).<\/p>\n
Sinha said the Indian system of hand gestures used in the
\ndance had a greater spectrum compared to the more limited
\nIndonesian dances using hand gestures.<\/p>\n
"We have many varied hand gestures, we have 108 hand gestures
\nand 204 karnas (total movement)."<\/p>\n
She said the performance was important for the festival themed
\n"friendship through culture".<\/p>\n
"I think that with more of this kind of collaboration, the
\nmore we interact with the different cultures, I think friendship
\nthrough culture will strengthen and become more effective."<\/p>\n
Sangam plays just once in Jakarta at the TIM theater at 7:30
\np.m., Oct. 23. The show then travels to Denpasar, Bali on Oct. 25
\nand Yogyakarta on Oct. 27. For further information on Sangam and
\nother details of the Festival of India go to
\nwww.festival.indoindians.com.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/choreographer-blends-indian-local-dances-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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