Malavika Sarukkai's MA performance - review
Ranjani Saigal
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Srinkala - Living links
Malavika presents Srinkala as an exploration of the many links between
inner and outer spaces, between the human and the environment.
Musicians
Anikode S. Murali nattuvangam
Nagarajan Bhagyalkshmi Vocalist, Palghat K. Ranganathan - Mridangam
Natarajan Sigamani - violin
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Items
Mallari - Gambhira Nattai, Adi (pure dance)
Sooryashtakam - Sooryakanta Ragam Adi talam
Kamakrida - From Kalidasa's Ritu Samhara
Ragamalika Talam Adi - Kanda and Chatusra nadai
Sakhi Prana - Senjururtti , Adi
Krishna Rtu Krida _ Based on verses from Srimad Bhagavtam
Ragamalika Adi
Tillana - Poornachandrika, Adi (Poochi Srinivasa Iyyengar composition)
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Malavika Sarukkai's concert @ Jacob's Pillow - Lee, Ma August 9,1996
NOTE:
I know this is late , this was a great concert and dance concerts of
this calibre are rare to find. Hence I had to post a review. Malavika
Sarukkai seems to have dedicated herself to the art of dance , not an
easy thing do for women . She seems a rare combination of a choreographer
and dancer who seems to take dance as it is meant to be, an expression of
one's inner soul. The whole program was refreshingly new.
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Malavika entered after a two minute welcome address by the
people at Jacob's pillows.(Organizers take note:-). I believe this is where
Balasaraswathi began her tour in 1961...
Her mom was the MC and boy what a good job she did. Malavika was never
seperate from her dance. There was no moment on stage when "the ball was
not active". She started with the Mallari. She did a great job covering
the stage with her movements. It was interesting to see how she took
adavus and modified them. Her very touch beautified them. Her costume was
extremely simple and validated the statement "Narasya Abharanam Rupam".
I loved the fact that she modified the adavus in fast speed to be more
standing adavus so it does not look messsy and the slower speed ones in
beautiful picture perfect Aramandi. Better Adavu presentations have
rarely been seen. Her hastas were also picture perfect.
The Soryashtakam was beautiful. She did introduce the item to the
mainly American audience but the introduction was itself done almost as a
dance and led beautifully into the main piece. It explained the piece and
yet almost added to the choreography than just repeating it..She has
learnt from Padma Subramanium the art of studying temple idols and copy
the poses to perfection. The depiction of Soorya was perfect from the
Navagraha vigrahams in the temple. I liked her depiction of the cycle of
light and dark where she used a variation of the lamp depiction.
Then came Kamakrida... ooo what a piece!!! I quote from her brochure
"Heralding spring Manmatha the God of Love arrives and releases his
arrows of flowers, desire in all living things. As his arrows sing
through the air each musical note becomes a summons and a response. All
life pulsates with desire.... Interspersed with the Abhinaya are passages
of abstract dance to convey a progression as it builds up from a slow
lngorous sensuality to a crescendo of passion..."
The interesting thing is that she lived the words of this brochure...I am
always wary when I see people deal with the theme of kama. Her depiction of
lovers
kissing was just amazing. It brought out the sensuality in an extremely
non-vulgar way and proved that love and sex like any activity belongs in
the realm of the divine as well. Kalidasas words (cannot remember
the
original but ) "the parrot drunk on the nectar of the mango juice kisses
its mate" " The bee drunk on the homey from the flowers hums to its mate "
ofcourse make this special and she carried it of to perfection.
She excudes such strength during her performance and her body
respnds to her every mood.
She did some dancing to tanam and swarams. The match was perfect . I
almost felt the dancers and orchestra were in sync.
Sakhi prana was more traditional but I loved the end where compared
herself to the earth that the desecrated or the tree stripped of flowers!
Talk about new approaches to describe the suffering damsel in a
Virahokanta mood.
The last item was Kalinga mardanam. Again every movement every pose was
picture perfect.. Tillana was exciting.
She had a beautiful ending to her porgram . She finished with the
depiction of the solar system and was very effective in showing the
rotation of the earth about its own axis and revelution about the sun
in a mode of prayer...
I think she is one who deserves to be compared to the great Padma
Subramanium.
She is very well read and seems to have spend a long time to think
and come up with the items. She gives the image of never being seperate
from her dance. Her jatis are perfect .
BUT.... the thing I did not like about her is her totally exclusion of
the facial expression as we know it. Her expression excuded power . Her
abhinaya was more through her body than her eyes and face. It took that
Indianness away from it in that sense. It had a ballet type of approach.
I am not sure like a non-varying face too much. Not that the feelings
were not there but the expression of
those were different. This is not the case with Padam S. Also with her I
felt a little delibrateness to cover the stage. With Padma
Subramanium's or Vempatti Chinna Satyam's choreographies this happens
naturally. In Padma's Kambha Ramayanam one saw the different characters
all over the stage. I am curious how Malavika would fare with that.. Her
choreographies did not require that.Ofcourse her looks and figure are
exceptional .
I met her after the performance. She was a little distant(not surprising
considering I do not know her) and said "Here no
one is really interested in the arts. Monday through Friday we hang
around doing nothing. I would love to teach, do lec-dem dance during those
times. But no
one seems to care.." . I had mixed feelings about this comment. I had
driven 3 hours each way (leaving kids at home ) to this program and at least
I do care. But on the other
hand may be she right , if I really cared I probably should have found a
way to make use of her time. She does have a lot to offer. Also it was
nice to hear that she would like to work 24 hours a day 7 days a week, a
commitment one rarely finds. I think she also felt frustrated that lesser
talents than hers find many more opportunities to perform. (Unfortunately
sub standard dance tours esp BhN have become the order of the day in the US)
So if you happen to go to her performances, do tell her that we on RMIC
care about the arts. I heard that she will be at the Pittsburgh temple
August 30th.
The accompanying artists were quite good. The Mridangist was
outstanding as was the singer.
The nattuvangam man Ankhode S Murali was very sweet... His nattuvangam
was excellent and I saw a left handed nattuvanar for the first time..
Best Wishes
Ranjani Saigal
Communications Applications
Tufts University
Medford, MA - 02155
--
Best Wishes
Ranjani Saigal
Lakshmi Venkataraman
I have a friend in India who is an avid carnatic violinist.
He is going to make a trip to the US soon. He wants to
know whether it is best to buy violins in the U.S or
should he get one from India?
You can send either private email to lak...@pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu
or post on this newsgroup.
Thank you
Lakshmi
sumana-srinivasan
Ranjani Saigal wrote:
>
> -------------------------------
> Srinkala - Living links
> Malavika presents Srinkala as an exploration of the many links between
> inner and outer spaces, between the human and the environment.
Thanks Ranjani for the review. It was so real that I could visualize
Malavika performing those items you mentioned. It is pretty sad that she
almost always tours the east coast and in the past couple of years,
there have been no concerts of hers in the west coast. I would drive to
LA if she were to dance there. Does any one know of her schedule this
year? If there are any bay area music/dance concert organizers out there
reading this news group, I'd highly recommend that you organize a
concert of hers here.
--
sumana-srinivasan
Subir Baksi
Although my training is in Western violin technique, i would have to say
buying violins in the US would be a far better idea. I have looked for
violins in india and found NOTHING worthwhile. If I remember my history
correctly, the violin was brought to India by Europeans, and hence there
shouldn't be TOO much difference between a violin designed for symphony
playing, etc and one designed for Carnatic playing. Your friend will have
a MUCH larger selection here--but watch out, prices in NYC are HIGHLY
INFLATED, and an italian violin will cost 4x as much as a german of the
same caliber. Happy shopping, and one last note: DO NOT GET A FIDDLE! :)
Tracy Miller
Dear Lakshmi,
In the July/August 1996 issue of Strings magazine, there is an article
about violin innovations. There is a violin made by Suzy Norris, who lives
in the Santa Cruz mountains in California, that has five strings and eight
sympathetic strings. It is asymmetrical in shape, and looks like something
out of the Addams family. The article says it is rich-sounding, clear and
punchy at close range, and much better balanced than most five string
violins. Just thought your friend might be interested.
It's available at:
Beyond the Trees Music
1987 Smith Grade
Santa Cruz, Ca 95060
(408) 423-9264
I would check out the article if I were you, though.