August 22, 2003 heralded the launch of Drishti Art Foundation with a Bharatnatya recital at Ravindra Kalakshetra. The performance was organized by Drishti. The triad of Sanjay Shantaram, Shama Sanjay and Anuradha Vikranth delighted the packed audience (gathered there in spite of the rain) with a virtuoso presentation and recital.
Dance transcends all barriers and elates, elevates and exalts all. In a world where many artists tend to guard what little they have learnt, insecure about sharing what they know for fear of being upstaged, Drishti Art Foundation is a unique platform seeking to unite all performing artists who share a passion for dance and rejoice in learning together, and enriching one another with their individual gifts, styles and experience. In an era of ‘exclusive’ labels, groups and societies, Drishti Art Foundation dares to be inclusive inviting all to join hands to celebrate the joy of dance and to promote and propagate Indian classical dance, emphasizing powerful presentation with passionate performance.
Observers and aficionados of dance and music today are witness to an explosion of creative expression from dancers, singers and musicians. Though there are a few who frown upon the trends, it has to be acknowledged that today more and more people are able to relish styles of music and dance whose enjoyment and appreciation has been for long the preserve of a few ‘connoisseurs’. Drishti salutes and applauds such artists who brave censure to present the traditional in fresh, creative ways to make it more appealing to a wider and varied audience.
A curious trend in the field of dance accompanying musicians for dance seem to be more in demand than the dancers themselves. They literally have their hands full traveling from one country to another, accompanying dancers abroad. Here is a clarion call to music accompanists (as somebody quaintly translated ‘pakka vaadyars’) get set to accompany dancers here; they are just waiting to grab you for their shows.
The nation was witness to some disturbing and shameful news a few weeks back: Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan (the venerable schehnai maestro) found it difficult to meet the expenses for his medical treatment. Drishti is proud to inform its readers that there is a unique health-helpline. Ananya Arogyadhara Nidhi, a corpus fund, to give medical assistance to needy musicians who have devoted themselves to the cause of music. Yet another worthy initiative for music and musicians from Ananya’s founder, Dr. R.V. Raghavendra, Ananya Arogyadhara deserves the support of one and all.
We are happy to announce that http://www.drishtimag.com is up and will be fully operational in a few weeks. Best wishes for the festival season from all at Drishti!
T.M.Vikranth
N.Narayan