‘Mandala’ discovered poetry through movement

Mandala had music by Chandana Bala Kalyan and dance by Amrita Lahiri in equal measure. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

song and dance were inseparable BoardIn which the journey from searching outside to searching within is depicted. Directed and choreographed by Leela Samson, and based on poems by Kabir, Annamacharya, Meera Bai, Kshetrayya, Soyrabai and Kanakdas, among others, Chandana Bala Kalyan’s music was an equal partner to Amrita Lahiri’s dance. The absence of rhythm and the essence of minimalism, evidenced by the use of very little jewelery by the dancer and very few instruments by the musician, allowed emotions and poetic moments to be seen and felt more intensely.

each piece presented Board The audience was drawn into the circle of the search for love, sometimes peace, sometimes comfort. Early pieces were rooted in an outward vision that eventually turned inward. This movement through concentric circles was facilitated by both dancer and singer stepping gently into each other’s space and breaking down traditional stage divisions. Commissioned for the Serendipity Arts Festival last year, Board Was made through negotiations in Mumbai and Chennai.

Amrita Lahiri, disciple of senior Bharatanatyam dancer Leela Samson.

,Board “It was different from everything I had worked on before,” says Amrita. When the work was commissioned by curator Mayuri Upadhyaya last July, the subject suggested to Amrita and Chandana was the stories of saint poets. It was the work of. “Chandana has been working on some of these poems as a singer for many years, and so she can share some ideas. I also asked my guru Leela Akka to help. She was involved in selecting the poems – which took a very long time, because you need the right flow and theme,” adds Amrita. After selecting the poems, he pondered over them for a long time before starting the choreography.

Maya, main topic

Maya Or illusion emerged as a major theme in the poem, but found it inappropriate, as it was too heavy for a full evening show, so they tried to approach it from the outside and move inward. And, thus he traveled from “Shringara and Virah to Maya and Aikya (the state of unity with God) – which many poets and philosophers have seen as the solution to this illusory world.

Speaking about the poetry selection process, Leela Samson says the focus was on finding compositions that would be “appropriate, beautiful and challenging” for each of them. “The decision not to include musical instruments was deliberate,” she adds. Due to her love for all dance styles, she did not find working with Kuchipudi particularly difficult. “It’s the method of using only hand and body movements that differentiates the forms,” she says.

Chandana’s music played an important role in this Board Was received. It seemed as if Chandana’s musical practice merged seamlessly with the production. Board“The ragas were chosen keeping in mind the emotion and intensity within each piece,” says Chandana. The light-hearted Shringara pieces saw the use of ragas like Yaman and Shyam Kalyan, while cases like Viraha In, ragas like Varali and Chenjuruti were explored. The mystery of Maya found embodiment in Chandana’s composition of Kanakadasa’s poem on this subject through the use of a rare raga – Gopariya.

Commenting on what she found exciting in the creative process, Chandana says, “The biggest win for me was being able to sustain it without any assistant support. From a musician’s point of view, singing for a dance is considered too repetitive. The dancer is performing various movements, communicating and telling stories; Different characters are coming and going but for the singer, it is the same line sung multiple times. So it was very important for me not to bring monotony into my singing.”

To this end, she chooses to improvise every time she is on stage – arranging or using her voice creatively. She adds, “It was very exciting to create dynamics sonically as well – singing softly, humming and then using full volume – it all helps me expand the emotions in the dance.”

Board Not only did it feature two artists singing and dancing in unison, but it also constantly included the audience in its explorations and celebrations.