Yuva Bharati
Presents
Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi Recital
by
Ganesh Vasudeva,
Tejaswi Kondapalli and Sweta Ravishankar
February 2nd, 2013, 4:00 pm
at Cubberley Theater, Palo Alto
Program
Mallari & Aadi Kondar by Sweta
Ragam: Gambira Naatai and Mayamalava Gowla
Talam: Khanta Ekam and Aadi
Composer:Aadi Kondar Choreographer: Smt.Padmini Radhakrishnan
Mallari is a traditional song sung in the temples before the procession of of the Lord. This will be followed by Aadi kondar which describes the dance of lord Shiva in the golden temple of Chidambaram with goddess Kaali.
GaneshaKautvam by Tejaswi
Ragam: Arabhi Talam: Adi
Choreographer: VempatiChinna Satyam
This item is an invocation in praise of Lord Ganesha; the Lord with a pillar like body, elephant face, broad stomach and wounded tusk. The dancer executes a series of elegant movements that are inspired by the gait of an elephant. The dance ends with a salutation to the Lord who removes obstacles and fulfills his devotees’ desires.
Thaka Thaka by Sweta
Ragam: Shivashakthi Talam: Adhi
Composer: Subramanya Bharathi
Choreographer: Padmini Radhakrishnan
A Tamil song by Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiar in praise of Goddess Shakthi. As per Bharati, Shakthi is the state where there is nothing called sorrow. Shakthi is the embodiment of power; the power to understand, the power to cross over hurdles, the power to drive out darkness. Such a state of mind and life is what anyone wishes. Thus Shakthi is the most wanted, in everyone’s life.
Aadidano Ranga by Ganesh
Ragam: ArabhiTalam: Adi
Composer: Purandara DasarChoreographer: Ganesh Vasudeva
In this keerthana, Purandara Dasar describes the dance of Krishna on the head of giant serpent Kaliya. Kaliya, the evil snake, inhabited river Yamuna near Vrindavana and troubled all inhabitants of Vrindavana. Young Krishna seeks out the serpent and subdues it. He dances on its head and banishes it from the waters of Yamuna.
Sankara Sri Giri
Ragam: HamsanandiTalam: Adi
Composer: Swati Tirunal
Choreographer: VempatiChinna Satyam, and RevathiKomaduri
The item begins with slokams that describe Lord Siva as the one with a third eye and four hands, the one who wears a moon, crocodile and snake as ornaments and the one who has ashes smeared all over his body. This is followed by Sankara Sri Giri, which describes Siva’s vigorous dance that is performed in the ChitraSabha. The celestial beings watch as Indra plays the flute, Vishnu the drums, Lakshmi sings, Bramha plays the cymbals, Saraswati the Veena and Lord Siva dances.
Varnam (Poorvanga) Maaye Manam Kanindarul by Ganesh
Ragam: Simhendra MadhyamamTalam: Adi
Composer: Madurai Muralidharan Choreographer: Ganesh Vasudeva
In this Varnam poet describes Madurai Meenakshi as the compassionate one. She is the one who dances beautifully and makes Shiva happy. She is the daughter of King of the Mountains. She is the one who killed the daemon King Mahishasura. In this choreography, thisra nadai is used to bring out the Lasya, or extreme feminity, of Parvathi’s dance. The item also depicts Mahishasura mardhana.
BalaGopalaTarangam by Tejaswi
Ragam: MohanaTalam: MisraChapu&Adi
Composer: NarayanaTeertha
Choregrapher: Dr. Uma Rama Rao
In this song the dancer narrates the divine deeds of Krishna. First, is the story of Putana, the demon who disguises herself as Yashoda and attempts to gives poisonous milk to baby Krishna. The baby is not poisoned but Putana ends up being killed. The second narration shows an older Krishna waking up and getting ready to tend to the cows. As the cows graze the fields, a demon disguises himself as a snake and lures the cows and cowherds into his mouth. When the cowherds cry out for Krishna, he jumps into the snake’s mouth and expands his body till the snake bursts open. The dance item climaxes with the dancer dancing on the rims of a brass plate, while balancing a pot of water on her head.
Netrandhi Nerathilae
Ragam: HuseniTalam: Rupakam
Composer: Vaideeswaran Koil Subbaramiyer
Choreographer: Smt.Saroja Vaidyanathan
Sweta potrays the lamenting voice of the Nayika on how He has gone for the other girl. “Only the day before yesterday when we met you had promised me so many things. Alas,yesterday you were totally lost to the other girl.I was a mute spectator to the whole episode.Oh Lord, behold and come back to me.”
Javali Marulu Konnane
Ragam: SenjurtiTalam: Misra Chapu
Composer: M. Bala Murali Krishna
Choreographer: Ganesh Vasudeva
In this male oriented Javali, hero tells his beloved to not leave him saying she will come back tomorrow. He says you have bewitched me. At a time when moon is shining bright and flowers are blooming how can you leave me? Stay and let me fill my eyes with your beauty. When I am with you my heart soars high in the sky with happiness. Oh my friend, please stay.
Abhang
Ragam: Dharbari KanadaTalam: Adhi
Choreographer: Smt.Padmini Radhakrishnan
Next item is a Marati Abhang. Ease of language and richness of culture are symbolic of any Marati Abhang. Sweta’s choice of today’s Abhang is in praise of Natya Ganapathy.
Thillana
Ragam: RevathiTalam: Adi
Composer: Madurai N Krishnan
Choreographer: Sweta, Teja, Ganesh
Orchestra
Vocal : Snigdha Venkatramani
Nattuvangam : jayanthi Sridharan
Mridangam : Suriya Subramanian
Violin : Susheela Narasimhan
Flute : Ashwin Krishnakumar
*****
This concert is supported in part by Arts Council Silicon Valley and Alliance for California Traditional Arts